New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-03
Concerning Pi6eorbole Classics.
Proposition Unpubshabe Often Times
the Lovel

author the world has ever heard of will be
mentioned. and there will be quarrel with
any school. The library classics will not be
mOlested, nor the great American novel; be
invoked. 1t will not even be suggested that
the great American novel has already been
written by a man named Hawthorne. on the
other hand, Matthew Arnolds titulary antithesis
of literature WILL it is hoped be excluded with
equal care For it is proposed to enter the
most personal province in the wOrld-to invade
the pigeonholes of a writer's desk. Here is a
province indeed where there is no ''Hterature'-
everything is classic! Where there is no
dogma. everything is a record of a personal
mood. Here criticism has no place and trained
appreciation function. Here all things are
ultimate. and only genial sympathy is required
of the visitor Blow away the dust, please,
from that paper in the right hand upper cubby-
hole and let's take look.
What a poem, you say? In blank verse. too?
When was the author so indiscreet? All. yes.
He remembers now; that his first offence.
He was young, not yet through college. and he
had the measles. y young man with measles
is likely to break out in unexpected fashion.
Besides it was spring. and after the first illness
and he could take joy in the sweet air
they let into his room. his whole being painted
to be out in the world. ito greet the diamond
dew, the freshness and the morn" But they
would not let him out of bed. they would not
even allow him read write. Nevertheless,
the first night after the dismissed he
rose and found paper and pens. brought the
candle to his bedside and wrote his first poem.
long one. in blank verse. Read it. and see if
there is not much reference To spring. and bud
ding trees and anemones and the little fuzzy
led foliage in the forest oaks.
There is. you find? Not badly done. either.
is it? But you find the real subject matter of
the poem TO be love. the central figure n girl?
Pray. what is there odd about that? When it
is spring. and young man is getting over the
measles, why shouldn't he write about love
and maiden? You will find he kissed the
maiden too. before the poem is done, and worse
than that. he broke her heart. All! That is
we'll. But there comes time in the life Of
every youth when maiden with a broken
heart is to him the most interesting object IN
the wide world. and the most pathetic. And yet
he would like nothing better for an emotional
adventure than to be the man who broke It.
Even in poem it is very solemn and sad-and
interesting. Put the old manuscript back in its
piBeonhoIe See? There is tearInark
COR is it drop Of tallow0 on the final page.
And you might catch the measles.
What funny collection OF little scribbled-on
bits of paper in this next compartment; quite
as II Jonathan Edwards had come home from
ride. picked his notes for his next sermon from
off himself and stored them there! Each one
represents n thought, original thought with
the writer, though many OF them thought
long ago and put in the pages of ancient books.
They are the reCord-the scattered. i'll recorded
recorder u youths mind. peering into life and
asking and answering the old question for him
self. That is TO say some of them are. Some
OF them are epigrams. what he then supposed
were epigrams- Read one or two of the latter:
The wages of sin is still the same; unfort-
unately there has been no increase"
Well. that is rhetorically clever If not ethical
ly commendable! Try another:
Epgrams in youth the sign of a flip
pant mind; oracular brevity is the prerogative
Of gray hairs and experience"
And 1t Is ten to he had not read Darcy
Thompson when he wrote 1t; a good episram
and true in spite OF the paradox involved in
the admission! Here is wisdom in pigeonhoIe
Move on to the next compartment.
What is that you have? Is 1t written finely
on thin. white paper. maybe bit yellowed now
with time? Don't read that, please Oh very
well as you choose! Why not after all? 1t
you like. while the writer lights a cigarette
You've finished? No? Please don't feel so
bad about it. though it is a sweet pathetic LITTLE
story, a little gem in its way. Can you imagine
it's being published. though, even if the author
would send SO personal a thing to the editors?
The public does not to cry, If ii cannot
also laugh; and. besides, only in pigeonhole
classics Is utter franknesS OF sDeech allowable