Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-02-25
APOLOGY ACCEPTED
Alexandria, Va, Feb. %, 1922
Editor Gazette,

Alexandria, Va, Feb. %, 1922.
Editor Gazette,
City.
Dear Sir: Upon perusing the issue
of YOUR publication bearing the date
of February 81, 1922, / was filled
with emotions which, | imagine, were
somewhat akin to those experienced
by Lord Byron when ne aWoke one
morning to find himself famous. l
had had greatness thrust upon me
to the extent of having my name ap-
pear in the editorial columns OF .
conveyor of public opinion. feel sure
thta the pride | take upon this occasion
is pardonable, as it is the first time IN
nv young and brilliant 90 career
that such thing has occurred |, and 1t
is my heartfelt wish that IN the "last
scene of all" which ends my eventfpl
history | may be "Sans teeth, sans
eyes, sans taste, sans everything
save the thought that the editor OF
The Gazette once went so far as to
devote a few moments OF his valuable
time to placing me on the gridlron OF
publicity.
I assure you that it is with fear
and trembling that ! take my pen IN
hand to attempt to respond, for Il am
no orator, as Brutus is,"-if by
stretch of imagination writing can be
classed as oratory-but if my choice
of nouns and adjectives does not meet
with the approval of the editor, 1T
were a grievous fault" and grlev-
ously have I answered 1t.
I used the word "diatribe" only
after had consulted a dictionary, and
found that it's meaning, briefly speak
ing, was "a railing discussion" and
! contend that to insinuate that
person is a "faddist," and thereby
place him in the same category with
the female who has butterflies painted
upon her neither limbs, or with those
specimens of social asininity who de-
vote their time to giving monkey and
parrot dinners, is in the nature OF
raillery.
l felt that the intelligence of some
of my acquaintances had been assalled
and, as they are men of high literary
order, felt some slight resentment.
1t is my belief that the editor is nor
aware of the educational positions
occupied by some of the scholars en-
gagged in this Shakespearean research
or he would have refrained from his
attack, which differs but slightly from
an attack on Thomas A. Edison should
he advance some particular electrical
theory. It was this belief that caused
the quotation of the "little learning"
adage. not for one moment to insinu-
ate that the editor was possessed Of
little learning, as it appears to have
been construed, but from a feeling
that, were he more familiar with the
motives of these men, he would not
have written the article.
| imagine from the answer to my
letter, that the editor believes that |
am one of the research party. Such,
l am sorry to say, is not the case, al
though l thank him for the compli-
ment.
I reiterate that have no intention,
nor have the ability, to enter into
discussion on Shakespearean subjects,
but it is possible that this little con-
troversy may be productive Of two
results: First, it may create an
added interest in Shakespeare among
the residents of Alexandria, and sec
ondly, on February q, 203o. my pos
terity may read, under the heading If
the Gazette 10S years ago" that their
ancestor at one time engaged in q
duel Of words with the editor Of that
grand old sheet:
Very truly yours,
y. J. RHODES.