Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-01-12

RObinsOn's sketches are Invaluable to
any person interested in English-speak-
ing people. The language of "Danvis'
10 years ago was astonshingly near the
language of the part of England from
which the Puritans came in Shakes
peare's time. Any one who lived in a
small Vermont town at the time indl-
Gated knew in daily use many and many
a word the meaning of which puzzles
"Shakespearean scholars" today. And
in Yankee dialect writing Mr. Robinson
is simply unapproached. Nearly all
other writers in the field have taken
certain rules and gone ahead in me-
chanical way, often having the rules APP
ply to the mere pronunciation. Lowell,
reckoncd the single great authority in
Yankee speech. did but little better than
that His writing never has the genuine
flavor. Mr.. Robinson's Yankee dialect
has rot only the pronunciation given
with great care, but the forms of eX-
preston and characteristic habits of
thought of the people are Indicated.
The writing has the essence az well as
the form of dialect, and would be un-
mistakable Yankee with every word
spelled in the conventional way so that
the peculiaritiPs of pronunciation were
not suggested Moreover, Mr.. Robin
son is too true an artist in the matter to
permit all his characters to speak by
the same fixed rule, or to represent the
same one as speaking always the same.
The fact is that Yankee dialect, in pro-
nuncation, uses of words and forms of
expression, has endless variety. Yer
mont Yankee has in the process of time
become distinctly different from Massa-
chusetts Yankee, and different parts of
even this, State have noticeable varia-
tons. Mr.. RObinson's characters use
many expressions never heard in eastern
Vermont, and is no doubt true that any
one with sufficient knowledge of the
matter could tell from reading single
paragraphs of the books mentioned the
immediate locality concerned. In "A
word, Mr.. Robinson has, in what is
both the richest of all dialects and the
purest English anywhere used, made at
once an invaluable record and delight
full literary feast.
. There is a striking parallel between
, the case of Mr.. Robinson and his writing
, and Thomas Bewick and his wood en-
craving. Both were primarily lovers of
, ! Ia, ,,.;.I
, ceptions and unfailing memory. The
, work of both deals with the most simple
and homely subjects. Both were with
out apparent Inheritance in their woIR
, and with little special training for it.
. Bewick stands singularly alone amorG
f great artists without parentage or sur
= rounding calculated to develop his
+ genius. Mr.. Robinson has, so far as
! know, nothing of specially marked
literary character in his ancestry, and
2 his life has been purely that of farmer
: with the exception above noted. But
both Bewick and Robinson developed
, the power of delineating familiar things
= with wonderful power by the fewes
= possible touches, Bewick made dos
D chasing a bird by brooks ide In such {
way that the warm breeze and the rip
r pling water can be plainly felt anC
: heard, while the dog is no larger than
4 thumb nail and the whole scene could b,
p covered with silver dollar. Robinson
gives a scene with Vermont brook il
y the first grasp of winter no less delight
. fully. and with masterful touch t
: equal the power of the Englishman'
graver. The work of each is done will
- simple strokes, so few in number tina
their effect is a perpetual source of won
. der. Bewck never attempted any bu
; the most familiar subjects, and Mr. Rob
= inson has so far confined himself to sim
:, pie, and for the most part, homel
scenes. But the field of that sort
:, almost without end, and, as great artist
q, have repeatedly shown, worthy of tn
e highest effort as well as capable of Civ
h ing the greatest pleasure.
O Mr.. Robinson is in appearance Vel
q mont farmer of the best sort. passin
O middle age, with remarkably white hal
h and a full white beard. His presence
A quiet and kindly, and he is delightful
Il man to talk with. The visitor will, how
h ever, find his figure rather pathetic. ia
Is he is entirely blind. His sight had bee
/ failing for years, and some months ag
a 1t disappeared entirely. In writing h
is depends upon his wife's eye and han(
y He speaks freely about his literary worl
4 in the most unassuming way imagir
4 able, but does not want real faith in i
a \ reference to an expression in his dis
# lect which some paper had crtlcise
m brought from him the remark, "Well.it
+ true, anyway" and the matter was di
ii missed with a smile. 1t is curious fac
ID that intelligent people accustomed
"a Yankee dialect all their lives sometime
ir fail to recognize il in type. Reducin
the sounds to the alphabet, as neatly a
. may he cOnfuses them | have see