The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-02-18
"Culture.o y

the settlement of Boston and Cambridg
the text for critical letter on thei
literary peculiarities. He says the tw.
places are pretty much alike, though
with some minor differences, and con
| tinues:
Before the Boston ''Brain Club" wa,
attacked with softening and expired, 6
well-known writer was taken home afte1
| one of the meetings in the carriage of q
lady rejoicing in wealth and social gran
| deur; and when the carriage stopped a,
his modest door in an questionable
street, the footman. on getting down
remarked audibly to the coachman
"What place is this? We've never been
here before" The tone of this servant
was not so unlike that of his employers
class as an impartial observer could
wish. The opposition to snobbery comes
naturally in the main, from literary
people, journalists, and artists; but
even the author or the artist finds it hard
to Withstand the influences which sc
imperceptibly tend to produce the same
thing in himself. The literary
''school" of Boston, in fact, is
freely accused of being thus infected,
by the press and the authors OF
other parts of the country. One of the
last times that saw Bayard Taylor be-
fore his departure for Berlin, he spoke
with good deal of quiet bitterness
about the way in which his translation of
"Faust" had been received by some of
the magnates of literature here, for
whom as artists he had always the warm
famous and popular writer, after visiting
M - s1c,n h
precision that the great men of letters sat
rather too much in the shadow of their
own greatness. At Phi Beta dinner,
again, the poet of the day, who came
from New York and was cordially re-
ceived, made speech in which he paid
q glowing tribute to the work of Cam
bridge in our literature, and thereby
drew forth hearty applause. He then
went on manfully to assert his belief that
New York was nurturing new school
destined to even larger life and more
dramatic scope, and tried to enkindle a
sympathy between the two movements.
This was received with total silence.
Such matter may be called gossip; but
gossip of this sort is potent influence,
and its facts must be taken into account
as significant. The social frigidity of
New England-that mysterious thing,
which really exists, yet often seems so
incredible in the presence OF sudden
thaw-has its share in throwing around
Boston literary circles that air of icy re-
serve and narrowness generally at
tributed to them. How much of warmth
and charm, what episodes of delightful
informality they really inclose, only q
gradual and constant association makes
plain.
The aftectation of English ways and
an English tone is another singular and
self-contradictory trait of Bostonians, for
those who most indulge in them are fire.
quently the quickest to resent English
patronage, and to dwell on the great diff
ference between America and England.
in favor of our own country. Occasion
ally, however, the preference for for
eign country is aired, as q mark of SUI
periority. The real attitude in which
such persons put their selves was once
delightfully."- stated by competent au-
thority. '"Those persons who prefer
Paris or London" I once heard Mr..
Emerson say, gently speaking OF q
young American author who appeared
very I'll satisfied with his native land) !,
stwould much better stay there, for we
do not need them" And, certainly,
what is vital in Boston's influence has al
ways been intensely patriotic.
In Cambridge life there is happy
mixture of high aims, prosaic details,
and agreeable OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
what disturbed during three-quarters of
the year by excessively muddy streets
and sidewalks, wherein people sometimes
leave their rubbers sticking while in the
pursuit Of social or intellectual pleasure.
Il $vr1 hof frv
town-like city is, there is room for ques-
ton whether it is not too much shut
away from the stir of the great world.
Like its highways, it becomes rutted.
The very recreation which professors,
literary men, studious ladies, and culti-
waited professional people seek at evening
parties is often only prolongation OF
the mental exercise involved in their
work. The tone of conversation Is
largely critical. Even scandal may be.
said here to assume the form OF 'sanaly-
Sis" How seriously Cambridgeans some
times take the practical minuti@ of life
will be guessed when it is whispered
that lady who could not make her house
furnace work we'll attended a course of
austerely technical lectures on thermo-
dynamics!
Dancing is rare diversion, excepting
for young girls and undergraduates. a
Methodist preacher, who looked on at q
small dancing party at private house
in Cambridge, observed with seetarian
humor that the young women went
through their quadri1les and waltzes as
gravely as if they we're "under conyic-
tion." Clubs of ladies, or ladies and
gentlemen together, are numerous; but
they are often rather to be described as
classes for the stndy OF languages-Ger-
man, italian, Russian, or even Arabic;
and when not formed for this object, they
make essay reading, the study of litera-
ture, or amateur actlng, their aim. One
dramatic company in especial, embrac-
ing members from sundry families OF
the greatest social consequences, has
held brief season each winter, for
several years, during which diff icult
plays are brought out IN excellent
style, with scenery, mechanism, and
even music produced and executed by
amateurs. Tickets. are sold only to
friends of associate mem bers, and the
performances are crowded. Strangely
enough, attempts to found club among
professors and instructors in the uni
versity here always failed, though these
gentlemen have their small clubs for
the pursuit of specialties in which they
are interested. OF anything more than Q
dilettante interest in literature outside
of the college, and, excepting Mr..
Lonefellow, and such mon as John
rY. -