The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-28
MIR. PENNIFEATHER TAKES UP HIS
PEN.

My Dear Cres.-I have been silent for some
time, but II has not been through idleness. No,
esteemed vegetable, it has not been that. NV
mind has been active. I have thought deeply. NY
reasoning powers have increased with their exer.
else, and now deem myself able to give as unres.
sonable reason either for or against anything in
reason as you could wish, and know that is say.
ing great deal.
To you too. my readers, 1 address myself. !
hope you win be duly gratifed by the renewed
light Of my lucubrations. Nucubrstions is q
most expressive word, when one regards closely.
As you all. doubtless. know. it is what etymologi-
ans call hybrid. That is, 1t is derived from two
languages. 1t means literally the diffusion of
light, from the Latin luz. light, and the Coptic Gu.
6rau, to spread ones self. So regarded in con.
nection with my writings, it Is peculiarly appro-
PIRATE. For do not recollect in history the men.
ton Of any writings which were lighter than mine,
or of any writer who more essentially spread him.
self. Yes, lucubrations is q good word.)
To those. also, who DO not read me should
like TO say word. To you, o skippersl l. the
ancient cheese. would speak. To you who pass
by on the other side; to you who think that Pen.
nifeatbersm is without aim, mere succession of
vapid nonsenses strung like beads together for
Grown-up babies TO play with 70 you who see no
great trouble to be SO intensely stupid; to all of
you, I want to talk for just about three lines.
acknowledge that these things are stupid. Yes,
acknowledge IL. More than that. intend them to
be stupid. whats man that he should do thus and
so; or what is the son Of man that something else
should happen to Hmm Am | not stupid?
know en-. Then why should write other than
stupidity, Are not you stupid! You know you
are. Then why should write otherwise than stu.
pidlyt Shall Q fool write wisdom. and for the use
of foolsg Shall the stream rise higher than its
eourcei Shall the beer bottle set up to be q Be-
hemian glass vase! Shall the pot.boy deem him.
self Peri, and consider those men at the small
tables smoking execrable cigars and calling for
lager-shal he consider them to be angelic inhabi-
tants Of Paradise Would he be any more of
Peri by SO doing, or any less Of Il pot boyi No.
my shippers, you wrong yourselves to pass me by.
You are putting on airs. You are making your
selves out TO be greater than you are. You
shouldn't do II.
When / said that the writings Of p. Pennifeather
were stupid, meant all said. At the same time,
though, am afraid your stupidity will oblige me
to explain. did not mean that there was no sense
in them. Never for moment. There is sense in
them. There is great deal of sense in them, but
II is as there is sense in all the lower things of ma
fure. II is sense peculiarly fitted for reception
without consciousness-sugar.coated pis-qui-
nine In ounce preserves-the sense thatfoo learn
from facts without knowing the why or the where
fore. So read me, my shippers. and don't turn up
your noses as though your heads were hyacinths
and you wanted to smell at them. When you give
mp "0uida" and wilkie Collins, and cease pre-
ferriDg "Humpty Dumpty" to "Henry W. Why
probably by that time ! will turn out the side
whiskers of my philosophy and set up as q New
ton. For the present am determined to remain
q numscull.
In this retired village my life goes peace.
fully. 1t loses the hubbub, the hurly-burly
and the hustling of the great city, and
surrounded by simple things. by quiet, by
plain people, and involved in none bat calm pur.
suits, the days succeed the nights and the nights
soofhe the days to sleep again. one after one
slowly and silently, and troubling is not, but re.
pose everywhere. am contented and surely
that Is much.
The serenity so beautifully described above was
agreeably moved day or two since by meeting
between two brothers who had been parted for q
long time. IL had been, think, twelve years
since either bad heard the sound Of the others
voice. They met by accident on the street and
Immediately rushed into each others arms Zone
had bowie knife and six.shooter and the other q
pair Of six,shooters. The elder was killed at the
third ire. but the other is expected to recover
ct least his neighbors are afraid he will. II was
about their fathers estate and, as have lust
said, they had not spoken for twelve years. Ar
kansas is nice country for fsmily-fsmily feel
ing is very strong here. Then. it IL healthy
country; good country for consumptives. 1t is
very seldom that man dies here Of cousump-
ton. II is very pleasant 10 live here. for Won
see, you are not sure when you may be called
upon TO die and that makes the living all the
more agreeable--as long as it lasts.
find something entertaining every now and
then and hereafter win write you q little more
frequently.
/ suppose you have seen Jocko by this time.
Present my compliments and say to him for me
he had best be careful.
Penpy-wisely yours. PIP.
JxSPr, 20-3, $50.