Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-03-11
WIEN HAWTHORNE WAS SAD.
AZ Insight Into the Early Career of the
Famous American Romancjst.

AZ Insight Into the Early Career of the
Famous American Romancjst.
In the first decade after Hawthorne left
college he formed several plans of life. one
Of which was that of entering his uncle
Manning's counting house In one of his
letters to me he spoke of this rs settled
purpose, but his repugnance to commercial
life was such that the plan WAS ultimately
abandoned. and he relapsed into the state
of partial inaction which so often results
from unsettled plans
1t is we'll known that soon after gradual
ing he prepared for the press little vol
ume OF tales entitled, Seven Tales of NV
Native Land" The publisher who en-
gagged to bring out the book was so dilatory
shat nj last Hawthorne. becoming impa-
tient and dissatisfied with the excuses
given, peremptorily demanded the return
OF the manuscript. Thepublisher, aroused
to sense of his duty and ashamed of his
broken promises. apologized and offered to
proceed with the work at once, but Haw-
thone was memorable, and though, as he
wrote ME at the time, he was conscious of
having been too harsh in his censures, he
would not recede, and he burned the man
uscrlpt in a mood half savage, half de-
spairing
As | expressed to him perhaps too
strongly my regret for this proceeding, he
did not, when Fanshawe was published.
coniide to me the fact. Hearing, though,
Of the publication, procured a copy, and
subsequently mentioned it to Hawthorne.
lie had mea~time become dissatisfied with
the book, ana lac called in and DESTROYED
all the copies he could reach. At his re-
quest | buried my copy and we never al
luded to Fanshawe afterwar.. 1t was
at this time, think, that he ecame ut
terly diSheartened, and though conscious
of possessing more than ordinary literary
talent he almost abandoned all expecta-
tion of success as an author
In one of his letters to me, after relating
some of his disappointments, he compared
himself TO one drifting helplessly toward a
cataract, and closed with these despairing
words, Pm doomed man, and over |
must GO"
Happily the respondent mood was not
permanent, and he continued to write.
though subjected To frequent disappoint-
ments. He was contributor for little
while to "A magazine published, believe.
in New York. The compensation was
small, and even that the publisher pro-
fessed his inability to pay; so Hawthorne
stopped his contributions and withdrew.
At the parting a characteristic incident
occurred. The editor begged for mass of
manuscript in his possession, as yet unpub-
lished, and it was scornfully bestowed.
Thus" wrote Hawthorne, has this man,
who would be considered a M;sccnas. taken
from Il penniIess writer material incom-
parably better than any his own brain can
supply" And he closed with bitter male
diction upon the graspnC editor.
He had the experience Of being more
than once deceived by those who professel
to have the power and wish to befriend
him. young man, with some means and
greater aspirations, commenced the publ
cation OF literary newspaper in Boston
and offered Hawthorne the position Of CO.
editor. Another person, backed by a rich
father, supplanted Hawthorne, who was
ciyilly bowed out, and The newspaper, after
n brief and sickly life, expired.
In the Hawthorne biography there APP
pcarcd several Old and carclessly written
letters Of my own, answers to some Of
Hawthornc's that were long since de-
stroyed at his request.
These letters should hardly have repro
duced except for the purpose of showing
that Hawthorne was at times quite de-
spairing and in need of all the encourage
ment his friends could give - Horatio
Bridge in Iarper's