Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-04-18
with enthusiastic admirers, loud pro-

- se47M14E1akU
with enthusiastic admirers, loud pro-
testers, and those whose admiration In
most free from being weakened by judQ-
ment,-of all his friends, the humorist
thought less than any OF himself. Nor
was his genius of very high or of very
subtle character. 1t was like otr church
service in one respect, that is, made Ito
be understanded Of the common people,"
and years ago IL had let sunshine into
the columns of our cheap periodicals.
for Artemus Ward was one of the few
American authors from whom publish
ers stole freely,-and then it worked its
way up into the middle classes. .
Mr.. Brown, who began life as o CONS
positor, had, by pure force Of humor,
risen to be one of the best contributors to
| Vanity Fair, the American Punch, and
had even contributed, though not very
successfully, to Punch itself He had
! lectured far and wide, and probably kill
| ed himself by over exertiOn, for he was
| not Of strong constitution and IL Is to
be remarked that, as he rose, his humor
rose with him, and became more refined. r
although it is of that peculiar sort that
cannot betranslated or transplanted, and
which will ppbably very soon die out.
He was so amiable and good
that IL has been said that he never met
man without making him his friend;
and having made him a friend he never
lost him and we can believe il, granting
this one exception to that proverb which
wisely condemns him who is praised by
everybody. 1t is the misfortune Of young
authors to fall into the hands OF doubt.
full publishers, but when out Of his pub
fishers hands "Artemus" made friends.
When he first appeared in public, the
public recognized him as q gentleman
lQpfnrQ for
wonder, better than his book. The very
programme he issued, though somewhat
similar to his American bills, was full
of fun, and disposed the audience to
mirth. At Broadway, No. S06, he had
announced that his foot was once more
on his native heath, and that his name
is trooly yours" and at the Egyptian
Hall, Piccadilly, his first line seriously
informs US that "during the vacation the
Hall had been carefully swept out, and
new door knob added TO the door" His
address was to be ''rather frisky pro-
J logue" of about ten minutes In length
and of nearly the same width; of the
depth he modesty adds, ~ will say no.
thing" And when he represents him.
self, Artemus, as leaving his native shore,
''the citizens On the wharf appeared en-
! tirely willing that he should 90. Bless
you, sir they say, don't hurry about
y
want to co. 1t was very touching" It
was very funny, that g what it was, this
artistic incongruity; that was the chief
characteristic of his w.t. and it was part
and parcel of the man. The audience
actually saw before them tall, fair gem
/ tleman, with face upon which Death
had written his summons open and at
large, without a smile upon his lips, with
solemn and large eyes, talking in a soft
rad md off xtt4
parent pain, certain incOngruOus plati.
tudes. Hence they were constantly
struck with surprise, and the laughter,
suddenly explosive all over the hall,
often rippled up from different quarters
of the room long after the joke had pass
ed. And add to this that all was done
in good style, without tinge of impro-
priety, even when speaking Of the Nor
mons. Once, indeed, and the humorist
was Christian, he referred to the
knavery of Brigham Young, the vicious
folly of polygamy, as gentleman Of the
world such athing, hesaid, was beneath
debate, and far below expatistion, in q
civilized capital,-but that was all. In
his very "puffs" there was a humor bet
ter than in his book. He describes him.
self as an orator thus 1T was q grand
scene, Mr.. Artemus Ward standing on
the platform talking; many Of the au~
I
others crying like a child at some Of his
| jokes,-and when he announced that he
should never lecture in that town again,
! the applause was absolutely deafenif1g.p
And happily this funny burlesque is az
utterly untrue as it is comic for no one
slept as he spoke, and no one ever cried,
or was ever wounded at his jokes. And,
if most of his wit is evanescent, and he
has created no grand character, indeed
4 lnff h,,t Nx.,.x 10 haI1 III A1h
his wife, with his wax figgers and his
cOmical kangaroo, fond of Oratin', and so
anxious TO make speech that he thanks
the Baldinsville ingin', because when he
illuminated OH the 4th of July, the fire.
| men thought his house was on fire, and
came up to it, and did MT s9,irt,-he has,
at any rate, left no line which we could
well wish to blot.
He died young, after much work, and
after raising himself from an obscure
position. He had his best years to come,
and the wisdom and reflection that time
would have brought would have ripened
into something much higher than he
was. He has left us pleasant memory,
and it is happy thing to record that he
so loved the English, and was so touched
and warmed by the friendly hands and
hearts that received him here, that even
in his illness he chung to the shores of
the Olu nome WHICH ne nttu OIteH dtHuseu
and against which, after he had known
us, he had never said one word. So even
to the last line of his burlesque "opinion
of the press, we must, rs we think sadly
of him, give hisgentle spirit the pleasure
Of hearing a hearty contradiction. 9And
when he rose to go, and announced that
he should never lecture in that town
again." he wrote, "the applause was
absolutely deafening." Truly, when he
rose to 60, and turned his steps t. the
silent shore where we are all travelling,
there were many hearts that were sad,
snd many eyes that we're wet with tearsj
Sydney Smith, great master in the
domain that Artemus explored, said,
after much sad thought of Wit and
Humor, al wish could satisfy myself
of their good effects, but / am convinced
that the probable tendency Of both is to
corrupt the understanding and the heart.1
But this young hum0Yist, 50 sadly taken
from us, gave proof in his life that the
reverse was true Wit and humor had
expanded his understanding, and had
not only opened his heart but had thrown
WIDE the doors Of the great heart of the
world TO him. gFasi3u}
4 II.