The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-03-17
Bret Harte's First Story.

From the Authors Preface to the New Edition Of
His Poems.
When the first number Of the Overland
Monthly appeared the author, then its editor,
called the publishers attention to the lack OF
any distinctive Californian romance in its
pages, and averred that, should no other con-
tribution come in, he himself would supply the
omission in the next number. No other contri-
bution was offered, and the author, having the
plot and general idea already in his mind, in
few days sent the manuscript of "The Luck Of
Roaring Camp to the printer. He had not
yet received the proof-sheets when he was sud-
denly summoned to the office of the publisher,
whom he found standing the picture of dismay
and anxiety with the proof before him. The
Indignation and stupefaction of the author can
be well understood when he was told that the
printer, instead of returning the proofs to him'
submitted them to the publisher, with the en-
phatic declaration that the matter thereof was
SO indecent, irreligious and improper that his
proof-reader-a young lady-had with dlfhcul-
ty been induced to continue its perusal, and
that he, as friend of the publisher and a Well
wisher of the magazine, was impelled to pre-
sent to him personally this shameless evidence
of the manner in which the editor was imper-
illing the future of that enterprise. 1t should
be promised that the critic was man OF char
acter and standing, the head OF large print
ing establishment, church member, and, the
author, thinks, a Deacon. In which circnm-
stances the publisher frankly admitted to the
author that, while he could not agree with all
the printers criticisms, he thought the story
open to grave objection, and Its publication OF
doubtful expedieDcy.
Believing only that he was the victim of
some extraordinary typographical bunder the
author at once sat down and read the proof In
its new dress, with the metamorphosis OF type
that metamorphosis which every writer SO
well knows changes his relations to it and
makes it no longer seem a part of himself-he
was able to read it with something of the fresh
ness of an untold tale. AS he read on he found
himself affected, even as he had been affected
in the conception and writing of it-a feeling
SO incompatible with the charges against it that
be could only lay it down and declare emphati-
cally, albeit hopelessly that he could really see
nothing Objectionable in it. Other opinions
were sought and given. To the authors sur
prise, he found himself in the minority. Final
ly, the story was submitted to three gentlemen
of culture and experience friends of publisher
and author-who were unable, however, to
come to any clear conclusion. 1t was, howey-
er, suggested to the author that, assuming the
natural hypothesis that his editorial reasoning
might be warped by his literary predictions
in consideration of one Of his own produc-
tions, personal sacrifice would at this juno |
ture be in the last degree heroic. This last sug-
gestion had the effect of ending all further dis
cussion; for he at once informed the publisher
that the question of the propriety of the story
was no longer at issue; the only question was
of his capacity to exercise the proper editorial
judgment; and that unless he was permitted 10
test that capacity by the publication OF the sto-
ry, and abide squarely by the result, he must
n ~ Win tis althoss c6nfdenee,
possibly from kindliness OF disposition to |
younger man, yielded, and sThe Luck of |
Roaring Camp was published in the current |
number of the magazine for which it was writ |
ten, as il was written, without emendation, |
omission, alteration, or apology. A no incon-
siderable part of the grotesqueness of the situa-
tion was tte feeling, which the author retained |
throughout the whole affair, of the perfect sin
cerity, good faith, and seriousness of his |
friend's--the printer objection, and for |
many days thereafter he was haunted by con- |
sideration of the sufferings of this conscien-
tious man, obliged to assist materially In dis |
seminating the dangerous aud subversive doc
trines contained in this baleful fiction. What |
solemn protests must have been laid with the |
ink on the rollers and impressed upon those |
wicked sheets! What pious warnings must |
have been secretly folded and stitched in that |
number of the Overland Monthly! Across the |
chasm Of years and distance the author stretch |
es forth the hand of sympathy and forgiveness
not forgetting the gentle proof-reader, that
chaste and unknown nymph. whose mantling
cheeks and downcast eyes gave the first indica-
tions of warning.