Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-04-19

readers and writers are
lii in sort Of bewilderment over the
various and peculiar phases Of what
they call our American Humor.
Holmes and Lowell on the one hand,
and Aremus. Nv ard and Josh Billings
and Petroleum v. Nasty, on the 9TH
er, with the various extravagancies of
our reporters, editors and stump ora
tors, both amuse and amaze and pug
xle them. Gerald Massey has long
article in the London Quarterly Re-
view on this theme, endeavoring to
seek out some key to our fun and its
style, some reeonciling philosophy of
its contradictions. but amounting to
little more, however. than pleasant
stringing together Of all sorts Of Illus
trations OF it. These two extracts
from Mr.. Massey's paper arc certainly
suggestive and hattering -
"The men who peopled the New
England states were not the tradition
AIRY fulfilled, rotund. and rosy-gilled
Eng.ishmen, but hard-faced, atra-
bilious, earnest-eyed race, somewhat
stiff with long wrestling with the lord
in prayer, and who had taught Satan
TO dread the new Puritan hug Then
their sense of freedom scarcely in
Guided the liberty of the lungs III full
crow with merriment. And if they
felt internal ticklings now and again.
they were sure to suspect it was the
DEVILS work. 1t was necessary. they
fancied, to keep the face rigid!y Sc. in
order that they might preserve their
spiritual balance. So they kept watch
and ward against all such wanton
wiles of the wicked one. Thus humor
lived q more silent and stunted life it
grew slyer in character and more
covert 10 expression ; it learned to say
the droiiest things with the old family
face and with stern puritan eye still
upon it. Such, we think, was the
early formation of its most character
istic manner. And this manner has
been very recently illustrated by the
Sayings Of Josh Billings. Josh never
laughs downright. There may be a
knowing light in the eye. an oafish
pucker at the corners of the mouth,
otherwise he is prim as Puritan his
bearing is formed on the early model.
The Yankee has knack of splitting
his sides silently and makiog no out
ward sign. He does not laugh. he
only chuckles internally. We have
heard of an English ACTOR who went
to New York, and on the first night
of his playing performed an exceed
ingly comic part, in which he accus-
toned to produce roars Of laughter.
But there was scarcely grin. He
thought he must have failed altogeth-
or. On leaving the theater. he heard
two of the audience conyersing on
the subject Of his acting. Never saw
such funny fellow in all my lif-,'
said one; and the other replied,
Thought should have busted twenty
times over But they:kept it to them
selves whilst in the theater. So it Is
with Josh Billings personally"
Having had our laugh at Yankee
humor. let us glance at What it tells
us seriously. In the first place, it is
morally healthy and sound. II has
its coarsenesseR. though these lie
more in the using of a word profanely
than in profanity ofpurpose. 1t has
no ribaldry Of Silenns, nor is there
any leer Of the satyr from among the
leaves. We perceive no tendency to
uncleanness. Fashionable ladies of
the New York upper ten thousand
may be French at the heart in the
matter Of dress and noyel-reading ;
but the national humor does not follow
the French fashion. has no dalliapce
with the devil by playing with forbid
den things. no art of insidious sugges-
ton. In this respect it il hale and
honest - nature herself. And it 10
just - sound on the subject Of poll
tics"