The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1874-10-03
lAQulSi1IVE AMERICANS.

Of the kings OF Nineveh.'
lNQuISt1IvE AMERICANS.
An English Author Puzzled Over
One Of Our National Character
isttcs.
From the London Atheneum.]
REFORM CLUB, Sept. 9, l874.-I am
sure many Of your readers, who are
much better known in the world of let
tiers than | am, must have wondered at
times whether the communications they
receive from unknown correspondents
in America are to be taken as repre-
senting national characteristic. Are
all Americans possessed by wish to
know minute details of the private az
fairs of any person whose name turns
up occasionally in the public prints?
l do not seek either to explain or to
condemn this curiosity-perhaps it is
innocent enough; but only ask il it is
the whim of individuals or national
habit. Every one, suppose, who has
resortcd to literature to earn what may
by courtesy be called a living, knows
that in all parts of the world there are
friendly folks who will, after reading
book, sit down and write grateful and
even ELUSIVE thanks to the author;
and that there are few things more well
come to the author than these evcidcn-
ces Of kindly feeling coming from stran
gers whom he will probably never see.
R,,% Rr1 %ho+ r. T ,,,,;%o =, civil
note to an Englishman who has
sent me such letter, the little incident
naturally drops; whereas if I send the
same sort Of note to an American, he
Immediately replies with polite re-
quest that should send him some par
ticulars Of myself and my domestic af-
fairs. Now, my domestic affairs are
pretty comfortable, but I cannot for
the life Of me understand why they
should be of the slightest interest to a
stranger. Of what concern can it be
to any body to know whether my in
come is derived from India four per
cents. or from share in public house;
whether have blind aunt, or broth
or gone over to the Roman Catholic
church And if this objection applies
to private inquirers, how much more to
public and official inquirers !? Some
little time ago, the sub-editor of New
York daily newspaper wrote to me
begging me to send him the proper
materials for the construction of All
"obit" He said it was the custom Of
his journal to keep these "obits'' in
S(11ooroo couh;1ss
as can recollect these were his pious
and comforting words-''that l should
speculate on the possibility OF having
to use these biographical memoranda
in your case, but must tell you that
we sometimes find occasion to use an
'obit' during the life Of the subject
1t may be said, "Why don't you
leave those friendly but imprudent let
tiers alone?'' But wait bit. The
other day gentleman, commissioned
to represent one of the best known of
the American magazines, wrote to me
as follows: 'Another matter, Of which
l speak with dittidence, is Mr.. IS
desire to secure critical biographical
sketch of your life and works. have
reason to believe that you shrink from
the sort Of publicity entailed by bio
graphical notice, but you know Amcri-
can publishers and editors. They will
have it some way-correctly, if posi-
bic; incorrectly, if not and it would
surely be better to have fact than fc-
ton" This sounded so very like a
threat that Immediately began to ask
myself whether l had ever picked a
pocket, showed anybody down we'll
or insulted bishop. My next i'm
preston was that ] ought to send to
this enterprising person such a history
of myself as would have turned his
hair white in a single night; but life is
scarcely long enough for practical
jokes. However, my correspondent
spoke the truth. The American editor
"will have the biography some way,
and publish your portrait, too, without
giving you a chance Of revising your
features. In the number Of appleton S
Journal, which has just arrived in this
country-Appleto1e's, by the way, was
correspondence find biography Of
myself which amply confirms his warn
ing. Now it is in no spirit of protest
or complaint that l call attention t.
this latest instance Of a curious curies-
ity. One cannot feel offended with a
writer who is evidently moved by the
greatest good will, and who speaks of
ones writings with a hearty and gener-
Gus praise, in which, if one were little
younger, it might be possible to believe.
But an Englishman, whatever his CALL
ing may be, feels at once surprised and
amused to find it recorded of him that
at certain reception he wore flower
in his button.h hole; that s'his dress was
a 1aultless evening attire;' that che
carried himself with careless case,
which had in it neither affectation nor
consciousness that hundred eyes were
watching him - and so on, while de-
tails about his domestic affairs natural
~ follow. All this is done with such a
naJ simplicity, and with such an un-
mistakable good nature, that one per-
ccivcs at glance that the writer was
not aware he was doing anything unu-
sual or singular. The question is Do
Americans, as nation, see nothing odd
in this curiosity? For myself, [ must
say that have seen no trace of it
whatever in the Americans whom have
met in England, whether as visitors or
residents; but that it exists in America
in very considerable degree is scarcely
to be doubted. WILLIAM BLACK.
There are no chance situations.
A man must make his wav. The old