Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-01-09
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Famous Poet Who PeddIed a
Classic of the Sea.
William Cullen Bryant Had a Hare
Time Finding Publisher tor
Richard Henry Dana's 1.-TWO
Years Before the Mast"
BY E. j. EDWARDS.

BY E. j. EDW HhUo.
One of the great sea classics oil
English literature is Richard Henry
Dana. Ir.'s Two Years Before the
Mast" As is well known, the BOOK
was the outcome OF voyage that It's
author made as common sailor
around the Horn and up the PACING
coast in the tifties OF the last cen
tury. He left college TO make the
trip in the hope that the hardly lille
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 a 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 1t was his
own idea that he sail before the mast.
AZ that time ne was still in his teens
Young Dana wrote the story OF his
experience as a sailor partly on SNIP
board and partly after he returned &c
his home. The story finished. ne
showed the manuscript 10 his lather'
The old gentleman was delighted
with it," said the late Col George
Bliss. 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 read.
ing il was to hunt up his warm friend,
William Cullen Bryant. and give nm
the manuscript to read. Bryant grew
almost as enthusiastic over the story
as The boys father had done, and
when Dana. ST., asked Bryant II he
could find publisher for the story,
Bryant gladly replied that he would
make every effort to do so. since he
considered the book second ROBIN
son Crlsoc, and was equally sure that
il would net its writer and its pub,
Usher each a fine profit.
Bryant entered upon his loves er'
rand with great enthusiasm. But pub
Usher alter 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 it.
AT last Bryant carried the manu-
script to Fletcher Harper. He told
Harper what he had told other pub
fishers about the book: among Other
things saying that though it was the
work OF a mere boy, il Was, never.
lhcless. in his opinion. second Rob
inson Crllsoe Harper was decidedly
reluctant at first to give the book any
serious consideration, but AT last he
told MIR. Bryant that he would buy the
manuscript outright, including the
copyright. provided lie did not have
10 pay over three hundred dollars
| for il.
bryant. remembering what he iild
| been through. thought that was a
pretty fair bargain and he let Fietch
or ,Iarpcr have the manuscript Tor
! two hundred and fifty dollars. | he
Iievc, and twenty-five copies OF the
! hook. You know the hit that tho
! hook made in this country as soon as
i; was published. And it was the
first American work to be widely
translated II Harper had accepted
| il on a royalty basis that would have
meant a small fortune for young
| Dana. But Dana never regretted tl!ai
| he did not reap fortune out Of the
book. He was satisfied with The
/ fame that the story brought him
| much more satisfied than hc would
! have been with any pccunlary spc
cess
! Copyright 1911 by f.. J. Edwards. NJ
! Rights EcScrvcdD