New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-01

Mr. Bret IIarte gives in THE Idler " n merry and
ironical sketch OF a compilation Of California verse
which he calls MY First Book" He presents these
particularly interesting specimens OF the local re-
views: "A welknown mining weekly, which here
POLITICALLY veil under the title of The Red Dog Jay
Hawk was first to swoop down upon the tuneful
and unsuspecting quarry. At this century-end OF
fastidious and complainant criticism 1t may he In
teresting recall the direct style of the Califor-
MAN sixties:
The hogwash and 'purp" stuff ladled out from the
some lop-eared Eastern apprentice, and called a
Compilation of Californian Verse, might be passed
of any able-b bodied citizen Of Red Dog and steam
beat ticket TO- ne Bay GheeTIuy conipuSgn from
imported greenhorn dares TO call his fapdoodle mix
h hare proaneed he gad az Ye S ammcr who
lofty flights have from time TO time dazzed our
this complacent editorial jackass. browsing among
the dock and thistles which he has served up In this
volume. should make no allusion TO California
greatest bard is rather confession OF his ldiocy
than slur upon the genius of our esteemed con-
Il turned hurriedly to my pile Of rejected con-
tributons-the nom de plume Of yellow Hammer
did not appear among them; certainly had never
heard Of It's existence. Later. when friend showed
me one OF that gifted bard's pieces | was inwardiy
relieved, 1t was like the majority OF the other
verses, in and out Of the volume, that the mys-
terious poet might have written under hundred
aliases But the Dutch Flat Clarion following
with no unceran sound. left me small time for con-
sheraton we doubt. said that journal, If more
feeble collection OF drivel could have been made
even If taken exclusively from the EDITORS own
verses which note he has. by an equal editorial
incompetency, left out OF the volume. When we add
that, by felicity Of idotc selection this person has
chosen only one and the least characteristic. Of the
really clever poems Of Adoniram Skasgs. which
have so often graced these columns. we have said
enough TO satisfy readers. The Mormon Hin
Quartz Crusher relieved this simple directness with
more fancy:
We don't know why Messrs 80 & Co send us:
under the title Of Selections Of Californian Poetry. .
a quantity OF slumgulliOn which really belongs TO
the nGeS Of pacer mining hs eSP or tine g Geen
compelled to lot Of tailings through our
stamps, but never Of the grade Of the samples
offered which we should say would average about
% 10 cents per ton We have however. come across
a single specimen Of pure gold evidently overlooked
Ne cnny If win Measure as it has already shone in
the Poets Corner" Of The Crusher:' as the gifted
effusion Of the talented manager Of the Excelsior
MIL. otherwise known to our delighted readers as
"Outcrop."
THE book sold tremendously on account Of this
abuse but | am afraid that the public dlsap-
pointed. The fun and interest lay in the criticisms
and not In any pcintedy ludicrous quality in the
rather commonplace collection, and fear cannot
claim for It even that merit And II Will be observed
that the anmus Of the criticism appeared TO be
the omission rather than the retention OF certain
writers.
But this brings me to the most extraordinary
feature Of this singular demonstration. ! do not
think that the publishers were at all troubled by
It; l cannot conscientousy say that ! was | have
every reason to believe that Inc poets themselves.
in and out of the volume. were not displeased at
the notorety they had not expected, and | have
long since been convinced that my most remorse-
less critics were not in earnest but were obeying
some sudden impulse started by the first attacking
Journal The extravaganza Of THE Red Dog Jay
Hawk emulated by others; 1t was large.
contagious joke passed from journal to journal in
n peculiar cyclonic Western fashion. And there still
fingers, not unpeasantly. In my memory. the con-
cusion Of a cheerfully scathing review of the book
which may make my meaning clearer: If have
said anything in this article which might cause
a single pang to the POLITICALLY sensitive nature Of
the youthful Individual calling himself Mr.. Francis
Bret Harte-but who. we believe. occasionally parts
his name and his hair In the midde-we will feel
that we have not labored in vain. and are ready
to sing "Nunc Dimitts." and hand in our checks.
We have no doubt OF the absolutely peucld and
tactical purity OF Franky's intentions He means
well to the Pacific Coast. and We return the COM
plment But he has strayed away from his par
ents and guardians while he too fresh. He
will not keep without a little salt"