The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-04
EDWARD EGGLEsToN.

10 MT toward Eggleston, whose deatn
has just been announced, rightly belonged
the title. a man of letters. Literature was
his profession. and he honored II. Many
men in these days write books and thence
much abused term. He claimed nothing.
assumed nothing. but solely by force of his
achievements was given place of distinc-
ton among the writer's Of his generation.
From the beginning of his career 1t was ev-
ident that his taste for literary pursuits
calling was the ministry. While he still
occupied the pulpit he varied his work by
serving successfully as editor or associate
editor of several periodicals. He had writ
ten much of transient character before
he undertook fiction. but had not attracted
the publication of 1.-The Hoosier School
MASTER That book established his repu-
tation. 1t was original, 1t opened new
field, II presented the primitive "Hoosier"
to the world for the first time-and the
world was pleased. Educated and cultivated
Hoosiers hardly knew whether to be
pleased or not. Some of them even yet
cherish a degree of resentment toward the
author, holding that his books gave to out
siders a wrong idea Of the degree Of civili-
cation prevailing in Indiana by conveying
the impression that the majority Of the
people in the State were of the rude. un-
lettered, dialect-using class. No doubt such
idea was thus given. 1t is the inevitable
and common result Of dealing with single
class of characters in book that is widely
cherish the belief that the prevailing speech
in New England is the dialect of the big
low Papers," while admirers of the Mac
laren-Barrie school of fiction look upon the
typical Scotch village as one populated by
men and women gnarly without and honey
sweet within. But, trying to the pride Of
the overly-sensitive as were the portrayals
in THE Hoosier Schoolmaster' and the
novels that succeeded it. they were I'M
doubtedly true to life-the life of a half
century and more ago. For they were
drawn from life as Mr.. Eggleston saw and
knew 1t as boy and young man. Many of
the incidents he describes are known to
have occurred, and he made no concealment
of the fact that a number of his characters
were portraits Of actual personages. In
regarded as historical in the best and most
important sense. They represent people
and conditions as they were in that early
period in southern Indiana in a manner
more vivid than any formal history has
done or could do. The day will come even
pie. when they will be regarded as in
valuable pictures of the life of that time.
Mr.. Eggleston lacked imagination: he
probably could not have woven a romance
not based on facts and experiences within
his own knowledge. He might have written
recently, and it is rather a wonder that he
| did not do SO. Had he undertaken such a
work 1t is certain that whatever history
| was Incorporated in it would have belonged
to its rightful century and have been in
| accord with the authorities. But he pre-
ferred the more serious work Of history
proper, and for number of years has de-
voted himself exclusively to the writing Of
| 1t. accomplishing much that was worth
| while He was careful, consideration.
writer In whatever he undertook. and never
| resorted to any of the modern unseeml,
methods of keeping himself and his produc
tons before the public. He had his reward
both In the respect of the public and thu
more substantial pecuniary success. ant
his course might well be emulated. Hi
| death is one to be mourned