Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-01-12
n ECAUSE a man Is eccentric 1t does
n not necessarily follow that he is a
~ genius; nor because a man wears

| j EAU 81 Il man - tNNeulllN ~ tSNn
r. not necessarily follow that he is a
~ genius nor because a man wears
his hair long need we imply that he Is
poet. literary feller' or a fool
Ebert Hubbard. the founder Of the
famous "Roycrofters' OF East Aurora,
n. Y. is eccentric, as the world defines
eccentrlcity and wears his hair down
TO his coat collar. He has been lauded
by men greater than himself, he has
been denounced by those who are IN
capable OF understanding him, but
through 1t all he has maintained MS
serenity and has not lost his head. lie
regards critics as men who cannot
write good books themselves yet think
they can tell others how 20 write them.
He came into greatest prominence, per-
haps, through his publication OF The
Philistine, magazine that grew out OF
casual pamphlet in which the author
publisher aired his views and gave
some other authors and publishers
| particular fits" 1t was not intended
as a permanent contribution 10 lItera'
ture. and Mr.. Hubbard was more sur
prised. he says than any one else when
its circulation ran up into the hundred
thousands. The first numbers Of The
| Philistine were issued from the office OF
the East Aurora Blizzard, a weekly
newspaper, which was unable 10 handle
the increasing subscription list OF the
new publication, so Hubbard under
took TO print and publish 1t himself,
He bought a hand press, engaged
few assistants and met with such sue
cess incidentally having fun and profit
meanwhile. that he concluded TO con-
tinue in the business and turned his at
tentlon TO books His first editions, be-
ing strictly limited and printed on
handmade paper with original ar
rangement Of type and Illustrations,
were quickly exhausted. Then others
we're brought out. and as the binding
OF the first books had not suited him he
undertook 20 have II done on the prem
ises. East Aurora is not large place,
having perhaps 100 inhabitants, but
with a fcw accessories obtained from
other cities and countries the originator
OF the establishment has turned out
books that have been eagerly snatched
up as soon as issued,
AS 20 the art values Of these works
the writer has nothing TO say; the peo-
PIE who bought the books seemed salts
fed, and as the proof OF the pudding
Is shown by eating it, the opinion
seems 20 have been we'll founded that
the Roycroft work was good Most
OF the workmen, like Mr.. Hubbard him
self, drfted into their various depart
ments almost by chance. He was, he
tells us. born on n farm In Illinois in
tended Tor a doctor. but ran away and
became what he is-a composite char
acter, styled by some poet by others
philosopher. By others socialist and
by others stIll follower Of strange
gods he was already an author when
De began The work az East Aurora, his
Little journeys particularly having
made him well known. Among those
"lttle journeys 20 the haunts Of men
who have attracted the worlds at.
tentIon perhaps none made such an
impression upon him rs that TO the
home OF the late William Morris, the
NN'N N''iNllNN vi AfllAlullis III lhNNf Nv
has been accused Of following along the
philosophers lines so closely as to be
an Imltator
Morris called his printing establish
mert the "Kelmscott Press" after his
country seat In Oxfordshre and there
he not only set but designed, his own
types. some OF his books being written
or translated set ny, printed and orna-
mented by himself.
Roycrot, instead OF having at first
unlimited capital and trained skin be-
hind IL. fest growed' TO be what It is
today The shop" as a visitor has de-
scribed II. IS a cross between a school
house and church, and, like the libra
ry and other structures In which the in
creasing work is carried out, IS well
adapted 10 the needs OF the laborers.
So far as exteriors and interiors 60,
Morris precept seems 20 have been