The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1879-11-07
Autobiographies.
Editors Drawer in Harper's Magazine,


Mr.. Seward was once asked why he had
not kept diary during the war. He sent
for book, which was brought to him-a
huge blank book in Russia, with paddock
and key. "There,'' said he, 81 bought
this book for the purpose. I made every
arrangement. I determined to write every
day the history Of events. I was quite ar
dent in my purpose but when when re-
fected that l was to be chief actor in the
events to be recorded, and that my diary
would lie under the suspicion of being a
special plea, an apolo0ia..D pro oit@ a'aiar in
poor sense, decided to let some one else
tell the story" a} ga -s#z eEI .it4 E..
Suppose that Caesar had made the same
decision, or Sully Who are to give US
authentic accounts of events If not the
chief actors in them? And nothing is
surer than that the secondary writer's will
have distorting admiration Or dislike of
the chief actors whom they describe, so
that their work will be as inaccurate as
any autibiographical record of the actors
themselves. Historians and biographers
take sides with persons and events quite as
ardently as any man would take sides with
himself. Frederick the Greats would
have been less iattering to it's hero than
Carlyle's memoir. In the literary and
private autobiographies there are other
charms, such as those of Cotton and Glib
bon Here are the fine details of daily
century-the manners, che customs, the
minor incidents which supply the vivid To-
cal color which Is essential to the true pic
ture. s=l5 5a CI f.. a ls -9
There is one amusing touch of this kind
in sketch Of Leigh Hunt upon " Early
Rising" in the Indicator. 1t carries the
reader instantly into the cold winter bed
room of the London House of go or 70
years ago. before the era of warm houses,
recalling the time with a freshness that
fixes it forever. We were speaking last
month of Macauley's famous third chapter.
To many readers it is the most delightful
in his history, and to all it is most instruc-
tive and entertaining. 1t is SO because of
the universal and instructive desire to know
under what outwards conditions the events
that interest us occurred, and the persons
who are historically moved. The details
which give the charm to that chapter are
precisely such as the private autibiograph-
ers record. How the lively story of
Charles II. g reign would be dulled If Pep
sy's diary. were unknown! And how
many invaluable touches of the time we
owe to Evelyn! Both Evelyn and Pepys
painted their own portraits in their diaries.
They may have even intended to fatter
themselves, a2d to present an attractive
figure to posterity, for when man writes
he writes for somebody. But, whatever,
they intended, the portraits are there, and
nobody questions or doubts their fidelity,
the portraits of the men and of the times.
No cannons can be described for writing
autobiography, because its essential charm
is it's individuality. We do not wish that
that the writer shall conform 20 uniform
standard, but that he shall be himself,
Pepys must not try to write like Cesar.
We do not care to see Hortensius IN .
bob-wig. And there are very different de-
grees Of interest in antlbiographies. Col
ley Cibber is a little tedious, bat Colsey
Cibber was probably little tedious in the
flesh. Nine. d d'Arblay leaves an impression
Of thin personality, but no history Of the
reign of George III. gives so actual and
life-like picture as her diary of the daily
routine of royal domesticity. It is the un-
consciousness, or even the conscious uncon-
sciousness, the impossibility OF the writer
hiding himself, which makes auto
biography peculiarly attractive. A man
who deals with public affairs, a statesman,
soldier, will leave to history a detailed
description of great events, while he sup
plies the obscurer private facts known to
him. because he is the chief actor. Tie
author, il he thinks of what his reader
wishes to know, win, in writing his antobi-
ography, describe the habits of labor, tho
origin of bis works, SO far as it is TO be
seized and described, the incidents and
characters which are naturally brought to
bis eye and mind. His. wisdom and wit
and fancy and humor, the setting Of his
story, nature has already supplied in giving
him his genius. There is no model auto
biography, for the garrulity Of Pepys,
again, is as characteristic and delightful az
the grave sententionsness of Caesar. An
author of trained literary habits, with q
fastidions sense Of literary art, viii pro-
| duce an Autobiography as different as that
| Of Gibbon from Richardson's Letters. II
| il. in fact. q natural fruit, which, against
| the usual rule, Is aweeter than any other.