The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-31
A Little Man and n Great Subject.

ion of Mark Twain. The Bookman,"
which is edited by Mr.. Peck owes its pop
ularity partly to the fact that it is the
best periodical of its kind in this country
which is not saying very much-and
partly to the really interesting collection
of literary gossip and news which it con-
taius. But it is not under Mr.. Peck's
guidance, destined to become the great
enlightening literary influence of the
American people. although the confidence
with which that gentleman exploits his
personal opinions seems to indicate some
thing of the kind. For instance, Mr.. Peck
attacks Mark Twain in this wise:
Putting aside all prejudice and looking at
his work in a purely achromatc way, critical
and truthful judgment upon Mark Twain can be
Twice within two months Mr. Peck has
claimed that peculiar and perfect balance
of judgment, that pellucid clearness of
vision, and that unfinching frankness
which are popularity supposed to belong
only to the authors of the Bible. He has
assured his readers that he and only he,
is quite unprejudiced candid, and reason
able. The other opinion for which he has
recently claimed this infallibility of judy
ment was that expressed on the hazing
question, when he declared his belief that
the fourth class men at West Point were
''yaps," and needed the refining and salu-
tary influence of systematic prize-ight-
ing. lawbreaking, and clandestine persecu-
ton in order to make them gentlemen. He
has also claimed infallibility on questions
of correct English, good breeding. and
campaign problems, and if he keeps on it
is possible that he will be issuing papal
bulls instead Of the other kind.
After explaining his intention to tell a
misguided and cropping public the real
truth about Mark Twain, he proceeds:
Mark Twain is first and last and all the time
far as he is ANYTHING. humorist and moth
ing more. He wrote The Jumping Frog and
'mnocents Abroad and 'Roughing It.. and these
are all the real books that he ever wrote. He
set forth the typically American characters Of
Colonel Sellers and Tom Sawyer and HuckleJerry
Finn and these are all the real characters that
he ever drew. "
How Mr.. Peck reconciles his statement
of the reality of the characters mentioned
with his other statement about the unre-
ality of the books in which they figure.
and how zeal book can exist without any
real characters, he does not explain.
There are some things which the reader
has to find out by the light of nature.
After some more remarks about the
folly of people who take Mark Twain Sc
riously, and assertions that his later
books cannot be read al all, the critic con-
cludes:
~ hundred years from now il is very likely
that The Jumping Frog alone will be Temem-
bercd.'
The opinions of an educated flea on the
subject Of solar eclipse might be inter
esting from a scientific point of view,
but not valuable. So with Mr.. Pects
opinion Of the fame of Mark Twain. Like
the brain whence it issued, it is worth
something for dissecting purposes. In the
beginning, there is a peculiarly bourgeois
flavor about the assumption that nothing
but a humorist" is crushing phrase 1t
belongs TO the deadly serious era of the
country academy, when the valedictorlan
of the class arises, with the world on his
shoulders. and begs his fellow-students to
be serious. because. life is not a joke
The humor of Mark Twain is the quality
in which he is greatest, and also most
American. It has been given to this
country to take great things lightly, to
hide deep feeling with a jest, to cloak
pathos with humor, and indignation with
satire. The soldier goes to his death with
a grim jest on his lips; the captain Of in
sibility, struggling with obstacles all but
insurmountable, viii not admit even to
his friend that the strain is killing him.
but makes mock of his toll There is
a gigantic irony in the darkest dangers
of the Republic; and if our serious moods
are cloaked with laughter. there is sob
in the laughter and an undcrtOne of sad
ness in all our fun That is the American
spirit, and of hat spirit Mark Twain big
gest. best and most human of our writer
folk. is the living embodiment. The half
fedged American may take life with the
solemnity Ct promenading penguin: the
men who really bear the burden OF the day
seek refuge in gayety Of spirit which is
not thoughtlessness, but true courage
This saving quality of humor is our anti
dote for cynicism, pessimism, and the sol
cmn Philistinism Of Mr.. Pecks essay on
The Little Touches" The average Amer
lean after reading that essay, will be-
lieye that Mr. Peck is fully competent to
do the worrying Cor the whole country
aud therefore handy person to have in
the house
II Mark Twain were nothing but hui
morist" (, would not hinder his being
the greatest author we have. But hose
WHO have read his Life on the Missis-
sippi' lEow that he can also. on occasion.
he poet; and though his ethical argu-
ments are usually yelled with satire, there
is invariably elearness, j sanity. and a
just balance about his view Of moral prob
lens which produce somewhat the effect
Of az unusual quantity Of ozone in the
air. or q bright. sunshiny morning after a
week OF rain. He never takes a small or
biased view Of thing. The bombast OF
sham chivalry and the abaurdties of mock
religion, the crudities OF half-formed civ
ilization and the r0ttenness of ancient
abuses, are not spared by him; and yet,
through it all. there is whimsical, tender
affection for poor. old. abused, warped
troubled humanity The sin he hates, but
never the sinner; and that is where he |
differs from smaller people who are apt TO
hate the sinner, but not the sin. In the