The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-28

and in the basest manner through these
letters betrayed the sacred Confidence
and disclosed the cherished secrets of h;s
best friends! Alas! Alas, those Hutchin-
son letters! Who can explain them? Who
can Justify them? That gifted writer,
Doctor William P. Trent. who in feeble
way attempted this impossible task some
years since in the Ceneury Magazine.
tailed. 30 signally as TO cool eftectually
the aTdor OF others In that direction The
world might perhaps condone and forgive
his amours. albeit they savored of
rough taste which might almost have
staggered a Zulu. but those Hutchinson
letters; Well requiescat in pace: after
oil he left the world like Bret Harte
greatly IN debt to him. and proved again
the truth OF the old axiom of the philoso-
pher who in speaking OF his auditors
said: DO not do as I do, but do as 1
tell you to do" That was good advice
In the days Of the patriarchs: 1t is good
advice now, certainly until the millennium
and perhaps for all time.
HIS COMMERCIALIsM.
Perhaps 1 cannot better close this brief
criticism OF Bret Harte than by the state
| ment that he probably more successfully
! mingled cormercialsm with ina ginatfon
than any man of his time. Some have
classed MIN with Mark Twain. This Is
unjust. for Mark Twain is genius of the
| highest order, in my opinion. far superior
| indeed to the over-praised Rudyard Kip
| ling. who IS justly styled literary
| "Hoolgau-" by that chaste and distin-
| guished author, Mr.. Robert Buchanan.
| When posterity reads OF the success of
| this .'Hooligan'' OF literature 1t will be
Almost impossible to repress a smile OF
| 1rcra1rIit,- ait ~
| Samuel F. Clemens. I consider "Huckle-
! berry Finn his masterpieces. 1t is the
| only book written by a Northern man
| (and T suppose Twain may be considered
! of this class which carries with it the
! sting OF truth. 1t cuts like scalpel.
| However much we dislike TO confess IL.
! we must admit that it is the work OF a
| gentleman and a man of genius 1t is
| not to be compared with the literary
merchandise of George W. Gable, let i'd
| ornue genus" who have sold their birth
| right for price. not TO mention such q
| desptcahIs pIgInv as Professor Andrew
| Siedd whose iabored effort to traduce
| and SANDER the land OF his youth and
| the home Of his birth has come forth
| so still born chat it is too weak 70 ex-
| cite contempt and too feeble to arouse
| Indignation.
| Bret Harte rises far above Gable, but
Samuel f Clemens rises above and out
classes him. Everything that he writes
| possesses the CLEAN OF the gold and the
| g-tter OF the diamond" He loves not
| the South. but we forget his hatred when
| we come under the glamour OF his writ
ings.
| When will we have a literary magazine
south of the Potomac? In common with
! thousands Of Southern people I beg that
our lovers OF true literature Will publish
in the city Of Richmond a periodical that
! will fill this long-feft want. The time Is
| ripe for IT, we nave both the means
| and the talent Either Captain w Cor
| uon mcCabe or Armstead Gordon can
| do It. Both possess in an eminent degree
| all OF the qualities necessary to lhsEIfe
success Such a project Is well worthy Of
| the attention OF our people