The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-20
SOME NEW hooks.
The Work. of MIR. Bret narte.

The WOrhs oil N1r. Brct Hnrtes
Mr.. Bret Harte frat became widely known
o. q poet, by his " Plain Language from Truth
full James,, THAT can truthfully be called poetry.
This production has probably done more to
make its author famous than all that he has
written besides. Its quaint slang and forms II
ungrlmmatcal usage. Till then strangers east Of
she Rocky Mountains. its suggestive way
Of presenting clear picture and complete
action and gratifying catastrophe, with its tersc-
forcibc description OF character and pccu-
harties, were quite enough to account for tho
interest aroused by this composition, independ-
ent Of any poetic qualities.
The kind OF celebrity, as well as the rapidity
with which II was gained, were strong evidences
that this publication contained some insinuat'
ing power very different from that OF poetry.
This Is to be found in its humor, which IL OF the
sort particularly relished by Americans, and
which seems 20 be more especially the product
OF frontier life. At the time when II was writ
cen, the peculiar use Of the relative pronoun
switch "a rhetorical figure borrowed from the
slang OF the London cockneys-and other char
scteristics In the style OF this piece. could be
seen in a comic paper published in Australia.
But It was novel enough to be uncommonly
attractive TO stad people on both CONT
nents, who habituay heard only conventional
forms Of speech, and whose spirits were less
active than those OF explorers, to whom nnova-
ton IL the rule OF life. As humorist,
therefore, not as poet, MIR. Harte was first
introduced to people east OF the Rocky Noun
tains. His candidacy for poetic honors has
since been made known; so has his claim to be
considered "a writer OF fiction. OF the seven
volumes which contain his writings completed
upto the present time, three are made up OF
verses and four Of short stories in prose. He
hal hp in An hp
fold character Of humorst, novelist. and
poet.
In each Of these characters his greatest
strength appears to be a wide suggestveness.
But this sugeestiveness springs from the play Of
Temporary inclination, mood, caprice, within, or
fancy" and these are some Of the definitions OF
humor. Even the pathos, which no at times
uses with rare skill manifests one OF the phases
of bumor, which may DO black or white, gay OF
sad, tender or stern. II Is q common but erro-
neous notion that a man IL a humorst only
when he makes sport for others. or in some way
sxcites their merriment. The comedian Is
truly humorist when he makes
his auditors weep he Is when he makes
shem laugh. The humors OF noted wits have
produced some of the most pathetic compost
tions In the English language. In these men the
gay Is counterbalanced by the sad, the cheerful
they like a great dramatst; they have the
capacity of humors, as he has that of characters
As in him the even balance and logical sense
tmpel the production OF personagcs 50 opposed
that a fair equpose shall be preserved, so In
them sportiveness Ia counterbalanced with
pathos. The oscillations OF whims and
fancies carry them to an equal dis
lance on either side OF the median
line. In these excursions upon the one
side, something ludcrous or grotesque attracts
the humorist's gaze upon It all his attention Il
at once concentrated he hovers about 1t IKE a
bee In search OF honey with microscopic eye,
like that Of tho insect, he peers into every
erevice, examines every elevation, explores every
wrinkle, Investigates every excresencc, measures
the obliquity OF every line, observes the exact
angle Of the squirt, notes the degree OF DISCO
nance in the colors OF hair, eyes. complex ion,
and clothing. gauges the perturbatons OF gait,
passes them all through the alembic OF fancy
heated by meditation. The result Is humor-
Gus picture, or any one OF a dozen whimsi cal
resembances. Generally, persons and things
are alike unconscious that they are what MIR.
Harte might call rich leads, that they present
any ludicrous or touching aspects and, for the
most part, other people fail to see what the
humorst alone discovers.
The party at Robinson's Hall, where The Rose
of Tuoumne had been-a tear" her father
called it-had broken up:
One enamored swain had ridden east. another west.
sdoration, ief within her bowsr at Chenisai Ridge
Wa calmly going to bed regret that am not abie
already nlcd with delicate inwrappnrs and whte
s @ n Toe e e @S & d Hi one e
borne FAINT resemblance TO party-husked ear Of
Indian corn.
Mr.. McCloskv Ia giving Mr. Ashe some peril
nent history OF his domestic affairs, and more
especially Of his marriage, and what followed 1t;
many t,le things softer tended to make our home IN
hcavc knives around an inclination 10 howl when
drunk, and that frequent a haDiooal use Of vulgar
seemed to pint" added Ir Hctiosky With Submissive
suited 70 the marriage relation IN lts hoes asPeek
49,, a. I, me era OF .so ycaT CONTINUED MI McCosky
~ all NJ thot time however, Providence sends circus
onet neyln altzs taste Tor stnieiic sports she left
town WIN thi, ieler leavn' me and jimmy oeaind !
wed call II quits. Ano she did.
Tass from texas She a to csforny
Being here, I've puryidea her with money when her
rather old and shaky Tor hosses aud now does the
IT SPs ant n,ns vita 5s.
,autoa I'm lay how .he gets on On the bills she
jenny (The Rose) heard knock at her door,
and asked who was there:
An apologeuc murmur on the other side Of the door
wa the response.
" Why, faihcri Is that up"
There were further murinurs, Affirmative, depreca.
tory, and persistent.
"Wat" sad the " Rose" she got M, unlocked the
door lcaped ultnty into bed %, and said, ONE
IN" dopr opened timily the brOad, STOPPING Shout
der and gr1Ied hcad Of man past the MIDDLE age ap
pcared after moments hesitation pair Of large, dif.
hdent feet shOd with canvas slippers concluded FOL.
low. When thc Rpaariton was complete II closed the
win apparently than the usual spiritual ndls ~.
ton 70 begin conversation. The Rose resented
hgIby
"po, father, doclarei'
"iOu was aDcd, Jinn,," said Mr. McClosky slowly,
glauCug with snguar mixture Of masculine uWe auu
laerna pride upon the two chairs anu their cOuteuts
you was e0ed and Ondressed."
4" I VS."
surely" said Mr.. McClosky. seating himself on the
extreme edge Of the ned ana painfully tucking his feet
away under It, surely" Aftcr pause he rubbed "A
tnori, tnlck, stumpy beard that bore general
o. his haad, aud went on. You had good time,
jimmy ~
% Yc.. father"
They was all there2"
Yes, Rance, anu York and RYDER and jack
" And JaCA." Mr.. Met lOsky endeayOred TO throw an
expression OF arch inquiry Into ms small, tremulous
tYcs but eeting The unabasned widely opened lid Of
his daughter he winked rap dly ana blusned to the
root Of his hair.
" Yes, Jack was there" said jimmy, without change
OF Color or he rass tcOnsciousncss IA her great
eyes, " ana Ac came home with me-" She paused mo-
'ht luckug her two hands under her head ana ahsun
" N