The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-18
Alas, poor Mr.. Lanetry
SOME PEN NAMES.


French aud there is a pretty general de-
termination 10 regard il as not good
English. either. and to drop it for the
more sensible and simple expression pen
name" Many reasons may exist why an
author may not wish TO sign his own
name to his first attempt at conquering a
position i'm the world of letters Ho may
feel little shy about coming tefore the
public in propria persona, he may prefer
10 remain unknown, he may think that
itjs easier TO win notoriety Tor an allit-
erative or catchy sobricuet, or he may
fesl that in assuming new name 1t Is
easier for him TO assume the character In
which he wishes TO appear before the pub
lie. Thackeray used several names, be-
cause he wrote for different publications
in different styles. He signed himself
sometimes John Corks:" sometimes
Tho Proser" or a Traveller in Lon
don. For certain set of papers he
chose the namo of james Yellowplush !"
for another that of Michael Angelo Tit
marsh. The last was suggested by the
nickname given him by friend in sllu-
sion TO the fact that he. like the great
artist had IA broken nose. Tie best
known pen man in the world is Mark
Twain" which Mr.. Clemens says twas
the nom do plume OF Capt Isaiah Sellers,
who used TO write river news over it for
the New Orleans Picayune. He died in
1868, and as he could no longer use that
signature. 1 laid violent hands upon it
without asking permission of the pro-
prictor's remains. and have done my best
TO make il remain what il was in his
bands--a symbol and warrant that what
ever is found in its company may be gam
bed on as being the petrliied truth. How
have succeeded il would not be modest
in me to say.
Miss Alice French chose the very attrac.
tive name Octave Thanet by chance
NJ. Paul Blouet com bined the first name
OF his French grandfather and the last
name of his Irish grandmother into the
happy combination, MAX O'Rcll';
Cincinnatus ii. Miller, when be began
to write poetry, wisely concluded that it
would seem more like real poetry IL no
signed his first name joaquin. Many
women have won fame under masculine
names, as: George Eliot (Merianne
Evans). Charles Egbert Craddock MARY
\. Murfrce) George Sand Uucille
Aurore Dudcvant) In the last case the
authors parents and the family name,
Dupin, changed to Sand. The three
Bronte sisters chose the remarkably TAX
ing names of Currer. Ellis, and Acton
Bell. inventions which are really marked
by genius though they were assumed as a
compromise between masculine ana feme.
nine names.
1t is pretty certain that the best of the
short stories signed SAKE Holm. which
appeared in Scribncr's early in the seven
ties, were written by "H. H." (Helen
Bunt). The secret was we'll kept, and, we
believe. tho truth has never been abso-
lutely settled. As poet the name of Ed
ward Robert Buiwer Lytton is over
shadowed by the signature, "Owen Mere
dith," taken from remote Welsh ancestors
and made familiar tn the English speak
ing world by the favorte OF our mothers,
the rhymed novel, Lucille. Hosea
Biglow's" fame however, is merged in
that of the real author. James Russell
Lowell. The affectation of alliterative
pseudonyms like Jenny June, " Grace
Greenwood. " Fannie Fern. ;" Frank
Forester F" "Oliver Optic" and Tim
otby 1itoomb" has gone out. As rule.
writers now sign with their real names.
Once il was quito necessary for authors
10 fire ideas at the public from the am
bush of pseudonym. Had Junius signed
his real name his liberty and fortune.
and possibly his stature, would have been
seriously curtailcd. At present there is
no more reason for authors to conceal
their identity than there is for preachers
TO do so. Journalists, OF course, should
and do merge their personality in that of
their paper. Reviewers should not sign
book notices. for IL their personality in
trudeq that OF the writer whom they are
considering becomes present and the
article ceases to be addressed strictly TO
the puolc as IL should be. With these
exceptions there Is no reason for conceal
ing the names OF writer in these later
days. for modesty is rather an old
fashioned virtue. Besides now nobody is
lowered in public estimation even by
writing verses. Tho use of tho "pen
name, - in spite of the recent example Of
Ian Maclaren," may as we'll be aban-
doned. The mask is worn by highway
mon for personal reasons. but honest
people no longer need it.for safety. Hart
ford Courant