The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-31

Z ( III
~ Gle" by Julian Hawthorne,
is a book which is certain to
be widely read and to at
tract unusual attention. 1t possesses
the peculiar interest of being the story
of the life of man OF genius. told by a
son who. If not a genius, is ut any rate
brilliant and fascns ting writer. Ma
thaniel Hawthorne himself could not
have written so entertainingly- and well
of his own life. His was not the auto
biographical temperament. Julian Haw-
thorne has done a service TO literature
in publishing these "reminiscences.
A Charming Appreciation.
The dclieacy. the charm. and the de-
mure humor OF the style of the elder
Hawthorne are observable in this book
ami so is another element which the
world has perhaps been too slow To
recognize-the distinct individuality OF
Julian Hawthorne, the journalist 1t
is difficult position. this of being heir
apparent to a crown OF elf-land and
there are few who have taken It with
The dignity of this son of America $
greatest novelist. When one thinks Of
the graye-robbing transaction 10y which
the love letters of the Browninss were
given to the world. and the inane babble
OF the relatives of some other great
men. one is disposed to thank God for
Julian Hawthorne. The mystical genius
of early American letters. at any rate
left son who has known how 10 write
Of him with appreciative and fine dig
nifty
The Friends of Hawthorne
OF the friendships which came natu-
rally to his boyhood and youth. through
his fathers friendships with men of
wide fame. the author says in his in
PRODUCTION:
MY world. during my fathers life
time. and afterward for 1 Will not say
how long. was divided into two natural
parts, my father being one of them and
everybody else the other. Hence / was
led 10 regard the parties OF the latter
part. rich or poor. giants or pygmies
as being, after all. of much the same
stature and value The brightness lin
the boys estimation of the paternal
figure rendered distinctions in other
brightnesses unimportait The upshot
was. in short. that inclined TO the opin-
ion that while compassion was unques-
uonsbly due TO other children for not
having a father like mine, yet in other
respects my condition was not egregi-
ously superior to theirs They might
not know the BrowninEs or the Julia
Ward Howes: but then. very likely, the
Smiths and the Joneses. whom they did
know. were nearly as good
A Portrait of the Man.
After fifty years. OF course. such
prepossessions yield 10 experience Ny
father was the best friend I ever had.
and he will always stand in my estina-
ton distinct from all other friends and
persons; but l can now recognize that
in addition TO the immeasurable debt
owe him for being to me what he was in
his own person. he bestowed upon me
privilege also unreasonable in the
hospitality of those shining ones who
were his intimates Did the gift cost
him nothing? Nothing, in one sense
But. again, what does il cost 4 man TO
walk uprightIy and cleanly duIscS the
years OF his pilgrimage; 10 deal justly
with all. and charitabIy: diligently to
cultivate and develop every natural en-
dowmcnt: always TO see truth tell it
and vindicate it: to discharge to the
utmost Of his ability every duty that
was Entrusted TO him: 70 rest content,
IN the line OF his calling. with no work
inferior to his best to say no word and