New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-22
PHILOSOPHY AND FUN.
SAM WALTER FOSS INTRODUCES SEVERAL
INTERESTING ACQUAINTANCES
Copyright, 1898, by Sam Walter Foss)

Copyright, 1885, by Sam Walter FossD
The impression seems to prevail that we are
lust OUT of genuses now. We were well sup
piled with geniuses in the past. and will probably
have another good stock on hand in the immediate
future; but now we Just out" There was a
time in our history. given to understand.
when one could not throw stone into crowd
without hitting heavendescended poet;
could not corner without coliding with
statesman: could not enter a grocery store without
being buttonholed by philosopher Genuses used
TO grow in clusters, like grapes. They were thick
as MOSQUITOES in camp-meeting time.
This is the kind of talk that Sam Robe had al
ways heard, and as he was fully persuaded that
he was a genius himself it naturally cut him to
the quick At his debating club last week they
discussed this very question: ana sam TOOK very
prominent part in the debate.
There's no sense IN this kind Of talk" said sam
In his speech. THE world has always been JUST
out of geniuses, and always will be. And III
tell YOU the rea son for 1t. It's because genusss
are always invisible Until after they are dead.
.'Why can't We 'em when they are aiiveE'
asked Jed Brewster
"See EN-? No" replied Sam "You know there's
a blind spot in everybody's eye. and live genius
somehow always gets right in front OF H. ana very
seldom he gets of the range of this blind spot
until he falls into his grave; and then ne begins
10 shine and the beacon light that flames up out
OF his grave sometimes glimmers across the ocean.
and sometimes keeps bright as locomotive
headlight for % centuries. | suppose old Homer
was a good deal of tramp In his day, ana useo
to 20 about rectng his poetry and passing around
he hat He blind. you know, but the people
who heard him were just as blind as he was. They
couldn't see him. They just out Of geniuses
1t that time.
There was young fellow named William
Shakespeare continued SAM about 300 years
ago who was a rather duh and commonplace man.
He was pretty ignorant. His mother couldn't
write. and II are to judge by his signature, no
couldn't write very we'll himself But he was
persevering fellow. and ised to sit down and run
out his tongue and twist his face and scratch his
head. and he did manage to write quite number
Of plays But nobody paid much attention TO MIN.
he was such a commonplace man. one or his
fellow ywrghts called him an upstart crow
and that's about all know that any OF his con-
temporaries said about him curing his life. At
that particular time they were just out OF ge-
muses.. There scores of full-grown geniuses
who came before this fellow from Stratford, but,
at that particular time, during his life the world
just out
But sti it is my opinion that If Queen Eliza
beth and William Shakespeare on the Resurrection
Day should both hold a reception. at the same
time all the people who wished TO be considered AZ
members OF the first circles would attend Will
Jams reception and Elizabeth would have to post
pone her affair until some other day or else get
out Of the social swim entirely. Shakespeare was
neghbors used get together at the store
evenings and lament that they were Just out OF
genuses"
But why" asked Adonlram Bunker. cant We
see genuses during their lifetimes?'
oh they are disguised under assumed Names"
said Sam 'They are called cranks. Missionaries.
,Ireamers fanatics impracticables idiots and other
pet names which the public is good enough to be-
stow upon 'em. Why. | can remember myself
when Abraham Lincoln was called a clown and
buffoon. and the men who had a good word for
Old Abe were few and far between. and kept
about George Washington worse than they ever
talked about Lincoln, oh the world was Just out
coin were alive. These men were not only men OF
very small abilities with positive deficiency % q
l am to believe some OF he statements or WASH
ingtons old political opponents he ne was s s sra df
not arise to hurl this tyrant and traitor from ms
seat and expose him to the general t 1dqm U 1n
time the country was Just out of genuses ana
no man of sufficient ability could be found for the
- But how is it We don't have any literature IN
America. just now the way We used to-? asked
Sid Burnham from his perch behind the stove;
why. we never used TO have any" replied sam
named Emerson who created good deal OF sport
throughout the country and some Of You remem.
shine and there were lots OF very deep people who
Sepy WICKED nsad nor 90 IL the
expressed In those puzzling essays ne used 10
write were perfectly monstrOus Rather thcso
opinions from his contemporaries who were ac'
qualnted with the man, and ought to know -,
And there another quiet. bashful feow
who lived in the same town whose name. Believe
was Hawthorne He used to serlbbie goo ,in uea.
but ne said himself. after he had been writing
good many years. that he was the most unpopu,
lar author In America, and near as can ma
out from the popular view which prevailed In MS
times. he didn't amount . much. Then there nerves was
another modest and bashful man named Whttier
whom the people tried to mob once or twice ana
a disslpated fellow named Poe, who strangely
enough. used to think he could write; but MS wise
contemporaries knew better. and they were unWi,,
ing to pay him enough for such stun as he ground
out TO give him a comfortable living. on our
country was Just out of genuses az tne aims
these mediocre fellows were heipiessy Uyihs !"
write for the public" VIII p,,o..
but do you think" asked Hiram b2ngets'
there is any NJ successor Shakespeare. Homer
Emerson, Lincoln and Washington living al ths
present day In this country
II do says Sam
"'vhn " her' asked Hiram. a.,
"Modesty prevents from mentioning MY
name" said Sam, as he blushed and sat down