The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-08
IN THE CRITICS HANDS
TRUE ACCOUNT or THE RECEPTION
OF A LITTLE BOOK OF POEMS
Not Many Copies Sold, but the Author
Came Out Rich In Experience
Opinions Differed Widely.
Peter Thalbode. in New York Post.

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Peter Thalbode. I'm New York Post.
A little more than two years ago a met
ropoIitan publisher consented. for a con-
sideration, TO print and bind in neat COW
ers. quite after my own taste. and in a par
ticularly attractive ~type-which / had per-
feet liberty TO select-some five hundred
copies of a very thin volume of my verse.
the small edition being fixed upon merely
as a preliminary Introduction to the public.
About sixty copies were sent out for review
10 the leading critical authorities of this
country and of England, and an equal
number were given to personal friends.
The remaining volumes (barring, perhaps.
seventy-fve or one hundred copies are ex-
tremely well preserved, on the floors or the
publishing house. in packages of twenty
five, covered with finn MANILA wrappers,
and considerable dust. 1t gives me pleas
IRE to know that every volume is thus ac-
counted for. In view of the reasonableness
of the publishers original charge, i consid-
er it a very low rate for storage. Had the
books heen OF the average size the worthy
gentleman would have lost money by the
transaction. 1 regret to say that the pre-
liminary introduction threatens to remain
preliminary; the second edition is still a
"far-of divine event" Yet 1 have never
done anything which / contemplate with
more serene satisfaction. and / shall, in all
human probability. be quite foolish enough
to repeat the experiment.
While the volume was in press a friend
said to me-, you must not be too sensitive
about u%nfriendly criticisms" l replied that
i believed myself armored against that, and
that nothing but universal disapprobation
would create serious misgiving in my own
mind as to the real value of what / had
Produced. Il do not think i overrate ii" L
said, though / think well of it. And if my
judgment is shared by a single reader l
shall maintain it against the entire world
OF critics. If, however, every one that reads
fails TO perceive in it a vitaliZing force /
shall be discouraged" II was not long be.
fore l had my one appreciative reader, and
half a dozen more. and after that l think l
enjoyed the slashing criticisms of some OF
the leading critical authorities" more than
all the rest. Happening to come upon the
printed criticisms this morning in my
scrapbook. L turned also to the rather bulky
package in which / have preserved the
letters of personal friends touching my lat,
tie volume, with one or two very. rare and
precious concentrations from trangers
who wrote of their pleasure In my work.
The zest of it comes back to me very
strongly, and 1 wonder if the reading public
might not find some interest in the fate of
an innocent bark set afioat upon the sea; OF
literary adventure. 1 have no reason to be-
lieya that my experience is not typical.
/ think it is. If so, there will be no harm
in making extracts from the log of the voy-
axe lOI lit DCltnI VI IiOSO WhO iNoN "a
write verse.
OPPOSING COMMENTS.
The most curious and puZzling thing
about ii all is that there is scarcely a sin
gle duality of the book, either external or
internal, that has not been ct the same
time highly extolled and severely criticised.
Before coming to details / want to say
that in many of the I cannot
but have the sense that the praise and
the blame are alike perfunctory, meaning
nothing, one way or the other. A few of
the critics really wish they had never seen
the volume, and. while meaning to be kind,
have no other object in view than to get the
Job" of reviewing it off their hands.
Note the following from one who would not
harm the author for the world: ITO form
an opinion from a cursory glance over its
contents. the work contains much OF in
terest to the lover of poesy and rhyme,
and upon better acquaintance it will be
sure to prove a most charming companion
for a quiet hour" i can see this reviewer
blotting his smeared task, and then pick
ing up my precious volume and flinging il
into the farthest corner of the room. 1 am
sorry for him and for half a dozen others
like him. He ought never TO have left the
harrow TO enter a printing office.
Among the majority of the critics. how
ever, there appears to have been an honest
difference OF opinion regarding the validity
of the various appeals made by my book
TO the critical judgment. To begin with,
the dress and printing of the book are con-
sidered by one to be execrable, while an
other can only express himself by saying:
IAN attractive little volume. Cover, the
perfection OF taste; Size. Just what the
keeping with the exterior" Another, not
so enthusiastic, simply declares that the
book is ''prettily made" So much for the
externals.
The prime question as to the original
quality of the work is variously answered.
Rather more than half of those who touch
upon that feature decide that the author
does, his own thinking. in his own way"
other hand, the reviewer of the Pail Mall
Gazette. under the suggestive title of "Oid
Friends with New Faces" quite distinctly
points out the numerous limitations of
which the author has been guilty, closing
with the annihilating sentiment: IF ever
Mr.. Thalbode should attain to a note-how-
ever small-of his own, and give up his
Improbable mimicry of other meters and
mannerisms: his verse will be better worth
reading-and criticising." The critic, par
ticularizing. finds an echo of 'the hexam-
eters of y. II. Clough' in my opening poem.
Though 1t involve a humiliating confession,
l cannot help it; but had never read Mr..
Clough's until the Gazette ac-
cused me of initiating them. Nor do /
honestly think the accusations would have
been made but for a false scansion of my
plain p~entameters. The Gazette also looks
upon another set of verses as an imitation
in iambics, rhyming the first and third
and the second and fourth lines in the
good old way, is held to be modelled upon
strangely confesses a preference. AS the
reviewer appears to have based his strict
ures upon metrical imitation. / am led to
conclude that he had neglected his poet
ical reading for a considerable period. Pos
sibly he had confined ii to the new books
of verse upon which it was his duty to pass
judgment.
HARD ON THE RIVAL.
To several of those who were kind enough
to notice my volume the book seemed lack
ing in power and impressiveness altogether.
Thus. the Saturday Review says: ut has
some pretty verse in it, it comes very near
having positive merit; and yet, when it is
all read, what remains? Merely the sense
that one has been reading so much meter,
turned out according to the rules and pleas
antly diversified with an occasional thought
or sentiment. 1t is as far from being bad
as ii is from being good" / hope it will not
be thought i'll natured to say that a criti-
cism following the preceding quotation,
comparing my verse unfavorably with
some quoted lines of another writer, is
the only one of all which touched my
pride as an author unpleasantly. But
you should read the other verses. And
yet / fancy that my rival got little more
satisfaction out of it, for. while compar-
isons are often chiefly odious to the in
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