Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-06-28
Harry Sti11we11 Edwards, j
BY JOHN T. BOIFEUILLET

JOI1N i. BUN EUlLkGI
a FEW days ago The Journal published
~ refreshing and highly entertaining edi-
49, - $orlal entitled, IAN Ohio Tribute to the
South" 1t was based upon an editorial in
the Cincinnati Times-Star, in which that pa
per commented favorably on the richness and
productiyeness of some of the fields of art in
the south. For the purposes of this article,
only will call attention to the interesting
statement of this western contemporary that
1T is IN literature that the south makes her
greatest contribution to American life"
This observation was called forth by Irwin
S. Cobb's truism. which Il Times-Star most
grac1ously and earnestly supported, that "If
you divide the United States into four sec
tions, the south. the north. the midwest and
the west, you VIII find that the south has to
| her credit more writer's thin any of the 9TH
ers" In confirmation of this self-evfdent'
truth, the Times-Star quoted Prof. Archibald
Hendersons recent long and distinguished
list of contemporary southern authors, en-
Drac1ng historians, critics, poets, novehGts.
and short-stoFy writer's, a number of whom
are well-known Georgia geniuses On this
roll of distinction is the name of Harry Still
well Edwards, of Macon, linked with those of
Irwin COBB and Octavus Roy Cohen, all three
famous as short-story writer's With it's char
acterist1c discriminating taste and Judgment
the Literary Digest featured the editorial Of
the Times-Star.
Cheerful Cobb and Morose Mencken
All fth1s prompts me to say that it is
far cry from the cheerful and scintillating IT.
vim s. Cobb to the morose and bedimmed
Henry Lewis Mencken. One is of happy IA
ture,, and the other is of bilious temperament
one dWells In the sunshine, and the other
abides in the shadows.
Mencken, who is "fficted with a severe at
tack of mental Indigestion, dyspeptically de-
clares in his book, "Prejudices," that the
south lis almost as sterile artistically, intel
lectually, culturally, as the Sahara resert
Mencken also makes these fantastic state
ments: you will not find a single Georgia
prose writer who can actually write.
You will not find a single Georgia poet above
the rank of the neighborhood rhymster"
Literary Triumphs OF Harry Edwards
could present numerous notable iI1ustra-
tions in contradiction of Mencken, but / shall
content myself for the present, at least, in
only citing to Harry s. Edwards. His tri-
umphs and fame in the gentle realm of letters
has achieved notable successes in mystery
novels, some of his accomplishments
n'the field of fiction having brought him pop
ularity on more than one continent He has
garnered the brightest lautels not only in
prose production, but IS the authc~ of verses
redolent of roses, and the flowing melody of
whose lines is like ''the music of bells in ca
dence sweet"
Mencken would class himself among the
lmmoratls If his writings possessed Edwards
poetic colOring, idealistic imagery, mellow
beauty of expression, rare tenderness of sem
t1ment. Long since he would have been hon
! ored, as Edwards has BEEN with the degree
OF Doctor of Literature, if his works abound
ed, as Edwards do in the richest treasures
which the English language embodies. Menck-
en- would be bewildered, dazed dazzled if he
were permitted by genius to take shining IT.
erary flights, similar 10 Edwards through the
domain of mystery and Illusion pathos and
sentiment, wit and humor, striking metaphor
and tense realism.
aMcOn Genius Won 81 900 Prize
Mencken says, You will not find a single
Georgia prose writer who can actually write"
| wonder if this jaundiced critic has ever
been awarded $4,000 prize for the best
story? This is the golden reward which Ed
wards received from the Chicago Record over
GIG competitors, for his mystery novel, "Sons
and Fathers" While two continents were
ringing with applause over this success, Ed
wards presented to an admiring public his
even more superior productions, 1.-THE Mar
beau Cousins" 1.-TWO Runaways" and His
Defense"
American literature contains no fruitage
more delightful than Edwards charming
Eneas Afr1canus" This remarkable contri-
button >of genius has found it's way, >over
Wand and sea, to all parts of the civilized
world.
Passages OF Elegant Language"
AS a dialect writer, Edwards has no su-
perior in portraying' the Nld-time plantation
negro. The writings of no other author con-
tain richer flavor of southern country life>
The accomplished critic Sidney Ernest Brad
shaw, in scholarly and highly conn limen-
tary review of Edwards work. says Ellis dia-
lect does not weary the reader, for many pas