The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-24
TREND OF THOUGHT
 ALONG PATHS LITERARY

In that brilliant essay on American Humorists," written some years ago by Dr. W. W. Landrum, after remarking that ''humor eludes definition" proceeds to give us the truest import of our Amer ican humor that we have ever read
 American hunor of the last century is humble and willing to be servant to the general good. It would make men laugh more heartily in order to make them live more happily" American humor is char acteristic Probably no other element in our literature is so distinctly and exclu- sively American. Initiative as much of our serious work may be. our humor is unmistakably a genuine national Nproduc- tion."
 Characteristics of American Humor. Pr. Landrum referring to Pancoasts estimate of our humorous literature characterized by sound morality and hard common sense-says, Tt often rises against good tastes but never against good morals. On the contrary, we can often detect under its extravaganza and absurdty a definite moral purpose. Josh Billings in his Farmers Allminax' is an- other Ben Franklin, as shrewd and as sensible as Poor Richard" but with distinctly higher, moral tone. He adds Tt is only fair to say, however. that lack of reverence is another trait of American hunor We show a school boys pleasure in belittling anything solemn, venerable and impressive. We affect to do this in the interest of truth and reality. We pre- tend to despise excessive enthusiasm ana emotion. The American Phillistine de- scribed in "Innocence Abroad" is fippant in the holiest 'shrines of the civilized world The doctor betrays two more characteristics of American hunlor which certainly are very true to nature EEK aggeration marks the bulk of American humor. It is daring and absurd. This IS especially true of our newspaper humor. Thus we are told of the Texas COW so thin that 1t takes two men to see one Of them' or of a lean statesman that he was so thin that he had to put on an overcoat to make shadow. He handled his gun carelessly and put on his angel plumage. Artemus Ward is made the apostle Of ex- travagance of opinion and expression ''when he attempted to buy the Tower Of London of the pompous old warden who could not see the point of an American joke" Notice is made in Dr. Landrum s resume of our leading humorists. ana here is the summary: "The century be- gan with Washington Irving to the fore. Irving was more English than American, a lineal descendant of Addison. Even or Holmes 1t Is said that his most pronounc- ed comic verse resembles Thomas Hood. Lowell in the "Bigelow Papers" Is a step away from England. These are smart and s"Americanish." Artemus Ward and Mark Twain are unique. They are our very own They do not work with Holmes and Lowell There is much natness and labored fooleries in their work ou' they are not mere buffoons. None or tnelr hunor is devoid of serious purpose. James Whtcomb Riley. of German extractlon with an Irish name. is western Arnerl- can unproducble anywhere else on earth.
 fo ha Henry V, or Josh Billings" David R. Locke. or "petroleum " Nasby;" Robert H. New ell. or "Orpheus C. Kerr. Ana as TOT Mark Twain while American, he com pines Southern and Western elements Tn equal proportion, like the great Missis- sippi River on whose banks ne Piayeu as boy. Bret Harte' is the Rocky Mountain and California product. His "I,uck of Roaring Camp and Plain Language from Truthful Jeems" are the demonstration. Colonel John Hay is Western in Jim Bledsoe." and the Mys- tery of Gilgel" AS is Edward Esgleston in "The Hoosier Schoolmaster. Mrs; Burlington of Blessed Memory anu such journals as Puck. Judge ana "Texas Siftings" receive glad confessions ot obligation from many nelancnoly Americans. as Dr. Landrum tesifles He owns that many an attack or the me grims they have dissipated. Mucn or the garrulity of tonsorial artists, they nave caused to fall unconsciously on our ears as we communed through our eyes "iIi, the comicalities and whimsicahtles ana .,,,ities .,-S of the masters of caricature. Thav have tempered the east wind ana sheltered us from the smitings of the win fry blasts Yet, all Americans WHOSE mirthful spirits have overfiowed Tn song or speech. story or sermon (as mas tnls banpy-hearted and great-minded ooctoi of divinity) have been benefactors anu henedictions to all whose disabilities nave ..ot otronhied in an atmosphere of n.y. pocrisv or have crushed to death by greed or erime in business or politics.
 Georgia Humorists.
 Not to be sighted in this mention are ~,,r avn Georgia sons of humor. for Df. Ia ,drum has made special mention oi W them. of "our own inimitable stanton. "Rill Arp,"-the philosopher or them all; Jonestreet Richard Malcom Johnston ana Ioei Chandler Harris. It is not known by many that William h''u my z. z. such varied capability, has a. great gii' asa humorous paragraphist. MT. Hill- -ar,s humor is never grotesque, but pos sesees the happy element Of surprise Frorn the everyday circumstances ne nrnduces the unlooked-for mtrth. But this author could not well go down to the ordinary level in his work. Even ms connmOnplace Sub1eCtS arc ulSHii'eN' NA0'+' of his poems have graced the contents ot orr hest current llteratI:e, His style fe- r,inds Us If Lanier-al'ho lgh his 5ubjects of nature types have a suggestion of strength which Mir. La lier's nave not We mean the subject, for hardly any one could give stronger expression or ms tyne than Sidney Lanier But bothrare Tennvs lnian in accuracy of description The subtle transporting you along with his thought till you arrive where he has led is in that ode-iike composition, "Ap- nroaching the Sea on the Virginia Coast Labors the dusty train all day through
 dry,
 Deserted. smoke-enshroudedh helos' ho"
 long ,,-
 Till we shall hear again the welcoming Of the wide surf and feel its spray? A
 cry
 Games from our engine, as he plunge:
 swift past high
 And isolated pines-a sober thronR-
 Old Neptune's melancholy sentries
 'twixt whose strong.
 Irncurving limbs the travellers eager eye Soon fancies. as they dizzily swing past That 1t finds grateful glimpses here ana
 there
 Of distant emerald Then comes a vast
 And treeless lowland, reeking with tht
 rare,
 Faint breath of salty marshes; and d
 last
 The first delicious burst of ocean air!
 of iy