New-York tribune., 1874-01-27
LOCAL MISCELLANY.

AMERICAN HUMOR AND HUMORISTS."
a LECTURE BY BRET HARIE ASSOCIATION HALL.
Bret Harte delivered his new lecture on
~American Humor-Its Rise Progress" at Assoca-
SION Hail. last evening to large audience. Assuming
q the very outset that IL doubtful II there really
vac any such thing American humor as a national
AistDc intellectual quality. he nevertheless expressed
HE intention Of borrowing much Of that which has
been recognized Of late years a certain form OF
national humor saw reminded him OF little
story which he forthwith told somewhat as follows;
Some years ago. when riding the box OF Caiiorhla
staseeosch, with friend and the driver the conversa
sion between him and his friend chanced to fali npon
Of the early Eugsh humorists and after the lat
bad left the coach the diver who had taken no part
turped TO him and asked what they had been talking
about Knowing the driver to be celebrated rs man
Of grim and peculiar he eagerly responded that
be had been speaking Of some of tine early English hui
porisis "Oh.' said the driver excuse me, hut from
the way You laughed thought you had been talking OF
some funny people" As the driver was one OF those
Western humorists who. in his most genial moments
had way Of leaning forward IN his seat to make room
for revolver be didn't to tell him he he driven
lad simply been echcing the sayings of some OF the
writers he had s9firized The driver believed he was
crigual and tha, was enough The lecturer added that
It probable that his friend the driver occupied to-
night position OF good many Americans and even
English readers who are inclined TO accept that mod
srn e1travagsnce which is sufficiently characteristic
Of our poople TO he called Datious the true reeOg
Eizeo humOr.
AT OF being called uupairotlc he should essay
prove that later American humorists are moi so
anne purely American as they are MODERN that they
stand legitimate succession 10 their early Englsh
brethren that in fact, there is nothing new In theT
humor except the form that Richard Steele, had he
hved Danbury, might have edited me Ddnbury Ne"s'
and that our young Bailey had he lived IN IeIn
p,e Bar DAYS might have written ms amusingly or inc
,nt. ities OF London life he has OF the average Con
neeteut householder It only the conditions that are
now The humorst remains unchanged. He Is simply
On observer; he is unchanged, because
he u od-fshoned because in republican eoun-
try be is the tremendous conservative aud aristo-
that know Of, carrying his calm, evenempered
lood, without change progress that he is an OBJ
server. my friends added the speaker. the fashion
Of true humor never changes.
Here the lecturer make his meaning stili clearer
ssve hs hearers an idea genesis OF that peculiar
literature which EDgshmcn the first 10 recognize
90 American humor, ganeing rdpidly at the eharae-
teIlses of the earlier American writers. who al best
sny introduced English humor and at the most laud
atIe specimens Of their humor, which was musly aud
hsd the horrible Of the snutbox III IT, 10 was not
o Yankee or All American citizen who first invented
yankee humor and gave Il place in American lera-
,rre but an iEnglisbman Judge Halliburton OF Her
haiests's colonies detected how much shrswd sa
eaeity aud dry humor-iind even poelry-were hidden
under the grotesque exterior OF sam slcF IL was
sIou this tiue that Yankee peddler stepped 10 the
with speech and action That were at once reeOg
pzed characteristic. Later, James Russell Lowell
"a capacity and quietly adopted Nun TO voice ms
Wit aud may be said to have reeast MN IN the re
fn,ng crucible OF bts own fancy. Howbet he is now
almost forgotten, white II was only few days ago that
lIs sayincs quoted 10y every one
Nj. Barte gave TO the sontn and West the honor OF
creating and expressing that bumor that is most char
Mciorc OF the life and habits OF the American people
Among conditions of scryude and III the hals OF an
race. there sprung NJ bumor az dstlnct orig
mai perfect and rare as any tha ever nowerea @ Imaef
and though humor having for It's expression the
mos. cpbemeral form, oral rather than written, yet 1t
lad ab,ded the birth OF the nation aud will abide
when past and present conditions shall have passed
away sketchne briefly the history OF that earlier hui
yoor which had, sDgulry enough no place in enduring
.Amcrcan literature glaneing f"r q moment at the era
anime those forces which for the last twenty years
been slowly shaping the humorous literature of the
hand showing the entire and radical change which they
bad undergone, calling to bear witness, the altered Ge
pertinent and pretensons Of the press, mentioning
lew OF the prominent as shaping the bumor
OF the nation and, finally, coming down rapidly 10 tbe
announcement that American humor blossolned with
Artemus ward. He never led, but was always III
sf fs MS "' methods Of ioculaTity were the haIfhu
Ioorous slang OF the people He contributed no
Ter Of and was even doubtful II that gnre
Ind of business shrewdness, TO any American type.
The Civil War; which fonnd hiia at ihe summit OF hs
his career of His snccess in England was sur
Prise HE warm friends He wrote 10 me, said
The lecturer that the first night OF his appearance 1t
was tossup whether he would DC arrested after the
lecture, be invited 70 dinner lie added with that
delicious. because haliuncOnseouh, SATIRE: Heads
won't Laughter
But the brought 10 the front two satirsts OF sngu
lar power-OIphcus G. Kern and Petroleum v Nasty !
Thero was truth but nationality in "The Mackere
Brigade" of Kerr and in this instance we find some
thing still wanting. for MS writings passing into
oblivion. Nasby fortunate his selection OF
character and later yet meet the pleasant philos
opby Of that humorous Poor Richardson Billings
and to The DGatay hers man. and also TO Marx Twain
who as the most original humorist America has
produced. stands alone. lApplause.] Perhaps, con
euded lecturer, humorIst is st TO come. Laugh
apt make douOly serious iafterward We do
not care have humorst always turning up ike "a
prize fighter after each round stil smiling; but the
coming will not find his welcome less warm for
this. lie will know that the nation which laughs so
easily bas stl d capacity for deep feeling =.
THE SIXTIETH-ST CALAMITY.