Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-09-18

TuE AUTOGRAPH MANn-Amons the an
noyances to which authors are subjected
there * one which l. increasing daily. 1t
Is the solicitation of their autographs. At
the first thought, it looks like a compliment
to ask an author for specimen of his pen
manship. Il must be somebody" he
thinks, ''or the autograph seeker would not
have written to me, and he proceeds COM
placently to reply to his request, in his very
best handwriting. If he remembers the
place to which the epistle was despatched,
he observes that it i followed. in a few
DAYS. by second request frem the same
place The writer, in each instance. j.
making collection of the autographs Of IA
nous men. which would be incomplete with
out his. If he is poet. will he be good
enough to copy his exquisite lyric The
Singed Moth ~ II he is prose writer will
he not compose and forward "a sentiment ,"
Sentiments are greatly in demand, especial
" among young ladies in the rural districts
Ii proyerbia. so much the better. They
need not be original. and they should not be
very intelligible. \ little Latin will not he
amiss, ard French will be tres chairman.
At the end Of five or ten years (or sooner,
if he is modest or busy man) the complai-
sant author begins to be weary Of the husi-
ness lie is proof against flattery he does
not care for appreciation all he wants is to
be let alone. He answers no letters, except
such as relate to business bat they come
all the same. 1.-The Singed Moth was
never in such demand; and his irOnical SEN
timent. "Punctuality i the thief of time,
is considered truly 0rphic lie smiles but
answers not, and other letters come from TIE
same writer Still he answers not. Stop
he does, for one Of the old hands seeks
literary information, which he perhaps can
furnish. Does be know who wrote
Though lost to sight, to memory dear
He does not, AMI does not want to. and
writes to that effect, thereby falling into
the trap that was set for him. lie will be-
however, for there is no battling the inge-
nuity of the autograph fcnd. His lodges
are innGmerable.
Here is one which comes from B iston .
81 take the liberty of addressing this letter
to you to find out if possible the residence OF
each Of the following persons. Then comes
the list, viz, Alfred Tennyson. John g.
Whittier. James Russell Lowell. james
Cullen Bryant, and Biyard Taylor. As
the writer evidently revcrences great
men. We hasten to inform him
that Mr.. Tennyson resides at Cam
bridge, Mass, and may be seen almost any
day at the counting-room of his publishers,
in Boston. We also informed him that
Messrs Whittier and Lowell reside in the Isle
of Wight, and Mr.. Bayard Taylor in Egypt,
where he has an important military posi-
ton in the army of the Khedive. As for
Mr.. James Cullen Bryant, who, by the way
is editor of the London Times. at the last
accounts he was exploring the site of ancient
Troy, with his lIomeric friend, DR.. Schlie-
mann Letters addressed to these gentle
men will no doubt meet with prompt at
ten,ion, when received. and their answers,
when obtained, will no doubt be entertain
ing. We hope our autograph hunter is sat
isiied. -" Eehings;;" Seribner's.