Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-11-17
A PERSONAL MATTER.
Junius Henri Browne Is Proud to Be Un- photographed.
Especial Corrcs,.ondence.l ]

Junius Henri Browne Is Proud to Re Un- photographed.
 Especial Cores unJcnce.1
 NEW YORK. Nov l3-A few days ago received the following note from the man. aging editor of a large newspaper syndi- cate in this city:
 "We have an article prepared about you which we shall soon use. We should like very much to have it accompanied by tut of yourself. Will you kindly give bearer q photograph for our usc in making the illustration, for which I take the liber- ! ty of thanking you in advanCc!" It is always hard to refuse q polite re- quest, particularly when it is supposed to be flattering. was compelled to refuse this one from the fact, which mentioned in reply, that I had no photograph, and that such thing, so far as l knew, was not in existence. I also informed the courteous editor that should much pre- | fer that he should not publish tho article referred to, though I had no right, as I was aware, to insist on my preference. In these days it scoIE-~ to be the privilege of every body to pri: what he chooses about anybody, and n.cs= of us, I admit, what 1 ever our assumptions, rrally like it unless | the printed article happens to he i'll natur- | ed or abusive. Most of Us, too, are fond | of having our photographs taken and sec ing them rcproduced in newspapers and i peEioulCdlS-
 prcsLmc that I have fully the average amount of self love, perhaps even more, | but am not interested in my own per | sonal presentmcnt or in witnessing its multiplication; hence an n photograph | less creature and expect tO continue so tc the end. know that any man who has l ever written line will i,c asked for his | photograph-tEo asking has long ceased | to be a compliment-and that the easiest l tbinu for him if ha In nnTyillincr n ha | countcrfcitcd, is to abstain from the luxury | of being photographed. am sure l have | saved myself considerable trouble by this | sagacious course, for all ink ficnds will be | periodically importuLcd to furnish their l photographs. They cant escape it any more than they can escape death, dcfama | tion, the measles CT the interviewing re- porter. But if one has never faced n cam era one need not fear facing the public on | n printed page. What has never been done cannot be duplicated.
 do not condemn photography or pho | tographing. On tho contrary, I approve of it, generally and particularly. think | it excellent for all concerned. A photo | graph is the best advertisement possible, as | players, politicians, lecturers and show | men of every grade have long known. People like to look at photographs, and photographs, ono may fancy, like to be looked at. There is a genuine and univer- sal passion for photography. No man | seems to be too poor to pay for photo | graphs of himself. Some persons appear to spend good part of their income in buying them. The mortal without pho | tograph would seem tO be as fOrlorn as q man without a namC an enemy or a coun- | try. Photographs are the signs of the I times, the symptoms of the popular feel ing The whole world delights in photo | graphs and refuses to forcgo them. Why then, some one may ask, do you forcgO them: Tn" simplest answer is be- ] cause 1 prefer to l have my own theory on this topic. For many years, since l first dipped myself in ink, have had rc- quests for my photograph, and they have invariably been denied. Some persons have taken my denial seriously. They have undertaken to show me that my de cisiOn was wrong; that it was opposed tO i my interest; that he who cares to succeed should exploit himself in every possible manner. I granted that. Then I was gravcly informed that everybody sent pho tographs when asked. My answer was that l am not everybody; l am my unpre- tending self alone. Being plainly regard cd as affected or eccentric, the subject WAS discontinued only to be revived and ar gucd on the next occasion.
 Two classes of persons, I hold, should not circulate their likenesscs-thosc who | arc nlDtisDllle ana tnosc WHO pldlil, ? lest they be charged with vanity. "Oh, it is because you are so plain, thenI' l i'm aginc hear. I may be like Tom Moorc's Mokanna, who, his followers claimed, wore perpetual veil tn hide his dazzling ; brightness But the sequel proved, as will be rcmcmbcrcd, that he concealed hi. face bcause it had leon terribly disfigurcd In hattie.
 Some idea of my dazzling brightncs: may he gained by n story I have oftcT told. which. own. is embroidered Not long ago while sitting up with sick friend he needed laudauum, and as therC was none in the house I went out fol some nt n. m. I rang up an adjacent ! druggists clerk and made my wan I known. He hcsitatcd about giving it tc mo, whercupon l said, Do you think intend to commit suicider" He studieC my countcnancc and replied, If looked like you, I'm sure I should
 | l decline for the noncc to proclaim 1 whether I resemble in aspect Antinous O
 EsOp, though the fact is necessarily fa ! miliar to all who have seen me. If hand some, I should withhold my photograph If ugly, I should withhold it likewise.
 cannot now conceive any circumstance under which l should circulatc it. I cnv. those who do and can. IT | were they,
 should initiate them. If they were l
 they would initiate me.
 Is it not vanity that inspires me: Tn
 great majority of men shed photographs n autuIn 9l trees their leaves. May no hope to he considered original by not shed ding them? Human conccit is boundlcss
 To be an unphotographed mortal is to en
 joy a vast solitude.
 JUNIUs IIENEI BROWNE.
 Important to Men of Fashion.