The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-28
LITERARY GOSSIP.


ers great deal OF interest and not q lit
tie curiosity have LATELY been excited by
the achievements of that new steliar light
in the twinki.ng dome OF American let
ters, Mr. stephen Crane. Their introduce
tion to him has been recent. Some poetry
thai, while violating with serene self
confidence well-nigh all the traditions and
conventions of versiticat!on, nevertheless
spoke forth ii v.rile message, deep In Its
philosophy daring In its imagery and un-
m!stakable in the subtle play or its writ
er's genius; this and a strange perform
ance in prose comprise about all that the
majority of ordinarily Informed readers
yet know concerning Stephen Crane. To
be sure, some of them have heard, In a
faint way, that he is a young author whose
future Is brilliant with high promise. MI.
H0wells has said as much. Mr.. +. J. Edo
wards, the reviewer and correspondent.
has frequently reiterated the statement:
and in New York, within the partly coin
eident circles of journalism and letters.
several persons of equal or less renown
have undertaken in modest way 10 act
as Mentors to the young genius and TO
aid in bringing him out" But to the
mass. he Is known. II at all, only as the
author of The Black Riders" in verse.
and of the "Red Badge Of Courage in
prose: efforts. both, that challenge study
and battle understanding rather than
soo,he superticialty or pander to the
wishes of mental Incidence.
-:II:-
prose one. there existed quality which.
among the curious. cOurted investigation.
TO those who knew that these strong,
strange writings, these bold reachings into
the deDths Of ma ture and of truth, were the
achievements of a boy scarcely beyond his
mgjoTity-of "a lad who at II had placed
pen upon paper with the confidence and in
some degree with the warrant Of we'll
seasoned maturity-they amounted to q
piquant challenge. Some there were who
felt 1t a duty to extend the hand Of fra
ternal recognition: and pleasure to make
of this duty a chance for personal scru-
doub, it was this motive which inspired
the Society Of the Philistines, an organza-
ton of bright newspaper. and literary
workers which has its axis about East
Aurora, N. Y, the home of II. p. Taber,
Ebert Hubbard and 1.-The Philistine'
magazine, to scheme the emprise Of din
ner to Mr.. Crane. the consummation Of
which was Pleasantly commemorated at
ago last night. The dinner itself was an
exquisite effect in artistic gustata.ion; but
1t was chiefly notable as an incident in
the early career of possible immortal,
and perchance as refuta,ion of the die:
tum that no good thing can come out OF
Judea. There were present at 1t represent
ative bright minds in letters, in Journal
ism, in medicine, In the law. In architec-
ture and in the art which speaks through
colors. not to mention liberal sorinkling
Of men who pra ctice the less ethereal art
of practical business: and these men. one
and all. extolled what Mr.. Crane had done,
urged that re remain true to the best in
stncts within him. and pleaded for room
and recosnitiOn for the newer generation
of writer's who aim to sneak true thought
in a way not cramped by the archaic con-
ventions.
tilt
in this personal age. to speak Of an
achievement inevitably incurs the compile
ynentary duty of exploiting personality.
There Is little to be said Of Stephen Crane,
the individual. further than that he Is q
youthful-!Ccking. modest person, with q
face that suggests at once strong mem
tality and supersensitive nerves; and
with manner that shows no signs OF
spoiling. He is now "a years of age, al
though he looks year or two older. The
Red Badge of Courage" was begun ere
he was IS and finished before its author
had become voter. An oracular English
reviewer of It the other day. In q preten-
tious Anglican quarterly eXDatiatei at
some length upon the books internal evi-
dence that the writer of it bod expressed
his own emo tions as a soldier bearing
arms: whereas. Mr.: Crane had probably
battle prior to the hooks acceptance by
the AppIe.on's. Mr.. Crane has been at in
tervals in active newspaper harness, He
Is one of TIE craft, and is thoroughly one
with II in its sympathes and ideals. Two
years ago. upon an assignment for Me-
Clure's ma agazine. he visited Scranton.
and made study of mining and it's social
problems. If ] mistake not he has rela-
tives in this city. Although the tempta-
ton IL before him to work fast and care
lessiy. in order that the financial crop Of
his popularity NAV be harvested at its
seeming rineness. he refuses to pot-boil:
srd f~In friends are sustaining him in IL.
The "Red BADGE Of Courage" has ia scinat-
ed En- gland. The critics are wild over it.
and the English edition has been pur-
chased with aviditv. Mr.. Crane has let
tiers from the most prominent of English
onblshprs asking for the English rights
to all of his future productions: hut the
young author refuses to he hurried. IT
write whot js in me- he said. at Buffalo,
and II will be enough tn follow with nbe-
dience the prompt'nrs of thpt inspiration.
II It be worthy of so dignified name"