New-York tribune., 1880-10-03
FROM LEIGH HUNTM ELYsIUM.
A RESPONSIVE EPIsTLE.
TO JAMES T. FIELDS.


AUTHORS "-HINTs FOR wRITIgs 10 FFiENDs IN
EIYsIUM.
My DEAR PUBLISHER Since you have reminded
me of it. I think remember the call you made
my cottage at BammersInith. although the lapse Of
score of years. the exchange Of one worli for
other. together with the fact that | hal ~ many
visitors at Hammcrsnith. made 1t at drst impos-
sbe for me to recollcct you. | am deeply
touched by your kindness in clingng 20 long TO
the memory Of me, and OF this casual mectng-tbe
more that my friends lave long since ceased writ.
ing to me: Ii Is, however, an epigram which some
one earth should MAKE that when we are for
gotten by our friends our chance acquaintances
take US up.
am moreover heartily glad that you refuse 10
think vf me inarticulate phantom" for
abOut the phrase Is a grucsome flavor peculiarly
distasteful to me. I assure you am far from be-
ing inarticulate, however ghostly the form which
circumstances beyond my control have forced upon
me.
! congratulate you upon obtaining Tas london
journal, since you seem 10 have much desired 10.
The conversation which you say we held upon
the subject has escaped my mind. Did you ask
for copy. or what brought it upi 1t is OF no
consequence, however, since the pleasure OF pre-
senting YOU with the volume. though denied 10 me,
has fallen to the lot OF your brawny Yorkshire
friend and it would have been cruel in fate TO
deny him the noble rage" to which you 50 touch
ingly allude.
The news which you gave me was so delightfully."-
charac ter istic | seemed to you as Oi old max
ing out that catalogue OF books So useful II H. to
have had experience. Pardon my renarkiag that
little of the intelligence you give me iesh for
though We here spared the iniiictioh of tho
daily press we do have the Sunday papers and The
atlantic and from one souIce or the other manage
to keep tolerably well informed Of all important
events happening on your planet.
And having touched upon the contents OF your
kind letter, am sure you will pardon ne II / am
perfectly frank with y0u | can the more safely
be from the fact that correspondence j. OF
course entirely confidential; having no OppOitu-
nifty to publish, and your own reluctance tO give 10
the world private letters addressed 70 Yourself
being well known. Plainly then, the general tone
Of your epistle, especially in its sweeping enco-
miums of myself, not wholly pleasing 10 me.
/ have been informed that varioIs biographical
notices. from Chambers's CyclopDda downward.
have characterized me as self complacent indeed.
in Elysium we are honest AS even ,oncsitcdly
vain. / confess the charge carries sting ior
feeling that you may appreciate, since even you.
belicve-all great men must expect TO bc nnsun-
lerstood-haye not wholly escaped an imputation
equally invidious, in the charge of being fat
terer Should any unfortunate chance expose your
letter to the eye of the public, it will inevitably
follow that many will far msconstIut 10 rs to
reproach me with g.ccd for fulsome phrases. and
implitc to you something very like fawning; two
accusations whose injustice would hot prevent
their obtaining certain credence.
And in this connection let me add thing
further since it is not impossible that y0u number
among your acquaintance some one to whom Il may
be OF interest You speak of the sale OF M books.
Understand my dear sir that in Eiysium We con
slider little the sale OF poets works Booksellers
or bookmakers find entrance such into the
circle of choice spirits whose shibbolcth at once
and guiding principle is imaginative thought. the
majority of earthly acquaintance purely aeci-
dental the result Of passing conditions Of terres-
trial life and therefore die with that existence.
Upon entering these .ields, you must be prepared
for the pain OF finding yourself separated from
many upon whose acquaintance you m0ss pTlded
yourself below. This may be unjust bat fate is
all-powcrfu and am sure you will accept grace
fully the situation mulnurng TO yourself, II may
be- that delicious bit of philosophy from Ccryantes
which you have SO happily quoted: As to being
tossed in blanket say nothing. for II - diDi' ut
to prevent such mlshaps; and II they do come,
there is nothing to be done but TO wait hold ones
breath and submit to go whittier fortune and ;he
blanket please"
1t gives me much pleasure to note your readiness
TO acknowledge merit, although obscure. Like
some of GottO's frcsco opaintings," you Observe,
Brownng's lateI genius i'll verse is hard to under
stand; but you generously add il Is true genius
notwithstanding" IL is certainly very good in
You to say so; and, unless Mr.. Browning is bascly
upQrateful am sure he corld not hut feel touched,
did he know of your Endorsement of his poetry.
You speak most kindly, too. of Mr.. Longfellows
recent writings and particularly of his address 20
Robert Burns. Conidentially may tell You, that
it is a rule to make no reply, and TO offer
no reprOach to the feeble words o! one who has
once sung well. prime condition OF our existence
is honesty, and Burns was prevented by respect
from ut:ering truths which could only have been
unpleasant to the venerable poet condition
which you see at once does not exist 20 hamper
Although our usual cmployments in these serene
fields are so far remoy we'd from terrestrial things
10 be neither Ineligible nor entertaining 20 NOR
tails il will interest you to hear that r"ccntly In
one of our rare discussions upon mundane aIiairs,
your brilliant romance, Yesterdays with Authors"
was mentioned and provoked some debate; iiaw-
thorne aud ThackeTay both advanced the absurd
theory that it was in some sort violation of con-
idence to use some of the material employed and
another equally QuXotsh spirit declared that YOU
had erred in making yourself the hero OF that
book Charles Dickens however, VINO mas Often
aston shed us by the freedom with which he has
reflected upon your couEse. became on thus occasion
your champion. IL was very novel foriI OF biog-
raphy. he maintained hut the success Of the work
proved your wisdom. The general verdict, ! regret
TO add was not il his favor.
Pardon the comparative breYty of my letter; IL
has not the advantage of that manner aud matter
which gave you power to extend yours 20 hny
length Pray pardon. also as 1 know yorr kintly
nature will. any appearance of reproot with which
sin IL lIak
nv words even though in closing | venture upon
one suggestion more. Should yon honor ne by an
other Of your delightfully."- long letters-how ,on!d
you call your last "prOliX' and "diSgIa,cinly
longvP-it will hardly be necessary 10 inform me
who has Joined our circle here. You viii see ol q
inf,