Evening journal., 1911-09-06
new NEws OF YESTERDAY
The Famous Poet Who Ped
died a Sea Classic
By Holland.

One Of the great sea classics of
English literature is Richard Henry
Dana, Jr.'s, 1.-TWO Years Before the
Mast" AS is we'll known, the book
was the outcome of a voyage that its
author made as a common sailor
around the Horn and up the Pacific
coast in the fifties of the last CEN
tury. He left college to make the
trip in the hope that the hardy life
on the deep would cure his weakened
eyesight, caused by an attack Of
measles. His father Richard Henry
Dana, the poet, was fully able to send
his son on health seeking sea voy-
age as a passenger. even on one ex-
tending around the world. But young
Dana. as lad. had conceived a great
fascination for the sea. and It was
his own idea that he sail before the
mast At that time he was still in
his teens.
Young Rama wrote the story Of his
experience as a sailor partly on ship
board and partly after he had re-
turned to his home. The story fn-
ished. he showed the manuscript 70
his father.
'The old gentleman was delighted
with it, said the late Colonel George
bBliss. for many years prominent
politician of New York state, and an
intimate friend of the Dana family.
''He was so delighted with It that
about the first thing he did after
reading II was to hunt up his warm
friend, William Cullen Bryant, and
give him the manuscript to read.
Bryant grew almost as enthusiastic
over the story as the boys father
had done, and when Dana, Sr.,
asked Bryant If he could find
publisher for the story Bryant
gladly replied that he would
make every effort to do so, since he
considered the book a second Robin
son Crusoe, and was equally sure
that it would net fits writer and its
publisher each fine profit
Bryant entered upon his loves
errand with great enthusiasm. But
publisher after publisher refused TO
be tempted by the poets enthusiastic
praise OF the story. They could see
nothing in the book, they said, that
would attract the public to IL.
"At last Bryant carried the manu-
script to Fletcher Harper. He told
Harper what he had told other pup
fishers about the book; among other
things saying that though it was the
work OF a mere boy, It was. neverthe-
less, in his opinion, a second Robin
son Crusoe.' Harper was decidedly re-
luctant at first to give the book any
serious consideration. but at last he
told Mr.. Bryant that he would buy
the manuscript outright, including
the copyright. provided he did not
have to pay over three hundred dol
lars for it.
Bryant, remembering what he had
been through, thought that was a
pretty fair bargain and he let Pitcher
Harper have the manuscript for two
hundred and fifty dollars, believe,
and twenty-five copies OF the book.
You know the hit that the book made
In this country as soon as IL was
published. And it was the first
American work to be widely trans
lated. II Harper had accepted It on
a royalty basis that would have
meant small fortune out Of the
book. He was satisfied with the fame
that the story brought him-much
more satisfied than he would have
been with any pecuniary success"
Copyright. 1911 by E. j. Edwards.
All rights reserved.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell OF
"The Intrigue That Robbed a Worthy
Man Of High Honor"