The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-05-31
A Weakness far Titiss

Although fairly entitled to the front rau k
OF living humorists, Mark Twain is very
much OF moralist or preacher. Through
his Jokes generally runs vein of ethical
thought, and, il he is not always refined
he is always clean and wholesome. Nc
demoralizins filings are made at good meu
lie mates sham and all that sayJrs of base.
ness. Sometimes his wit is heavy, and
sometimes the cap and bells are laid EN-.
trely aside, as when he stood before the
pyramids, or leaned over the tombs OF
Abelard and Heloise. In his new book,
Life on the Mississippi" he makes re-
mark about Walter Scott's influence at the
south which sounds at first like the begin.
ning OF joke, but which really expresses
ms profound conviction. He declares that
OF waiter old measureless harm to the
south, more, perhaps than any other in
dlvldual who ever wrote,n Such an ar.
ralgnment of an author whom all critics
praise, and whose moral tone was purity
itself, strikes one at first as the irony of a
professional joker But such is not the
case at all, and the reason given for this
OPINION has n it the seriousness of real
conviction,
Don Quixote," he contends, laughed to
scorn admiration for medieval chiyslry
while "lvantoe" went far to restore it to
favor. The knlghtly sense of honor con.
tempt tor human life, and pride in things
saVoring oil war which had been, and still
are so markedly characteristic otthe south.
MARX Twain attributes to ScOtts novels.
ut was Sir Walter" he insists, .'who made
every gentleman in the south msior or a
colonel or general or a Judge before the
war; and it was he, also, who made these
gentlemen value these bogus decorations,
FOR 1t was he that created rank and caste
ana pride and pleasure in them. Enough
IS lad on slavery without fathering upon
T. these creations and contributions oil Sir
Waiter" ga
Whatever effect Scotl's novels NAV have
mad upon the south it is not fair to accuse
MN OF restoring what Cervantes furnished
Inc one great genius produced by Spain
AIMED his shafts at the absurd romances OF
chlvalry rather han at chivalry itself, and
so far from undoing his good work Sir Wal.
ter may be said to have supplemented Ger.
vantes. The latter performed distinctive
service. He scaled off the fungi upon the
rec of chivalry, and thus prepared the way
Tor constructive and truly conservative
work, such as Scott performed. There
was much that was sublime in chiyalry and
II furnished rich material tor romance. The
rubbish OF "Amadis de Gau" having been
brushed away, the Waverley novels had
at'ir chah Ii the south perverted them
IN QuixotiC way the south alone ia ia
blame, for in Scotland, England and the
Northern States OF this country no such
VII results followed. The south was never
specially given 10 reading those novels.
uhlil DICKENS, Thackery, Bulwer and their
successors came to crowd Sir Walter out to
some extent, all general readers of English
literature took liz the WaveIleys, as q mat.
er of course.
Judged by its literature the south was
more i'm dressed by ancient than medimyal
deas. The illusions to classic persons and
Incidents are frequent, and bevond all nor
hern ideas OF good taste. The northern
orator or writer professor Swing excepted
VINO adorns his thoughts with frequent
Greek or Roman illusions is thought to be
."d'utic and od.fishioned; but the south
ever wearies OF them. The repulsion OF
NrfXes seems to have impressed the south.
m nina lar more deeply than the c-usa.
iers, and Caesar crossing the Rubicon than
~ the knights hat ever trod the sands Of
lh'ts'llt,
Fictitious titles are not confined to the
sou h Many "A lawyer is ca.led Judge
north OF Mason and DXons line without eyel
having sat upon the bench, and some OF our
c'lonelsn never sn much as did militia
'r'vlce. The custom IS silly and that i.
'bout all. Everybody is Mr.. and ESQUIRE
erms which meant something more thar
M re c'yility originally; but every man be
'alup mist r AMI psullirp without ipinrv n
tne general public. II might be well, per
acs to cInhne AL titles to those actually
'"rlormng the duties suggested by the
lie, dropping general, co onel ahd captain
'hen the man gts out of the service, OF
lndgn when he retires from the bench but
II an one can get happiness out of these
nnoce"t preiixes, why not let them enjoy
tue inexpensive luxury? A weakness fol
tiles Is al amiable failing. as harmless a,
cAi!d's fondness for rattle.-[ChicagC
nler-Ocean.