第1章

Itisdoubtfulwhetherthesurvivorofanyorderofthingsfindscompensationintheprivilege，howeverundisputedbyhiscontemporaries，ofrecordinghismemoriesofit。Thisis，inthefirsttwoorthreeinstances，apleasure。Itissweettositdown，intheshadeorbythefire，andrecallnames，looks，andtonesfromthepast;andiftheAbsencesthusentreatedtobecomePresencesarethoseoffamouspeople，theylendtothefondhistorianalittleoftheirlustre，inwhichhebasksforthetimewithanagreeablesenseofcelebrity。Butanothertimecomes，andcomesverysoon，whenthepensivepleasurechangestothepainofduty，andthepreciousprivilegeconvertsitselfintoagrievousobligation。Youareunabletochooseyourcompanyamongthoseimmortalshades;ifone，whynotanother，whereallseemtohavearighttosuchgleamsofthis’dolcelome’asyourreminiscencescansheduponthem？

Thentheygathersorapidly，astheyearspass，inthesepalerealms，thatone，ifonecontinuestosurvive，isindangerofwearingoutsuchwelcome，greatorsmall，asmetonesrecollectionsinthefirsttwoorthreeinstances，ifonedoesone’sdutybyeach。Peoplebegintosay，andnotwithoutreason，inaworldsohurriedandweariedasthis:\"Ah，hereheisagainwithhisrecollections！\"Well，butiftherecollectionsbysomemagicalgood—fortunechancetoconcernsuchacontemporaryofhisas，say，BretHarte，shallnothebepartiallyjustified，oratleastexcused？

I。

MyrecollectionsofBretHartebeginwiththearrest，ontheAtlanticshore，ofthatprogressofhisfromthePacificSlope，which，inthesimpledaysof1871，wasliketheprogressofaprince，intheuniversalattentionandinterestwhichmetandfollowedit。Hewasindeedaprince，afairyprinceinwhomeveryloverofhisnovelandenchantingartfeltapatrioticproperty，forhispromiseandperformanceinthoseearliesttalesof’TheLuckofRoaringCamp’，and’Tennessee’sPartner’，and’Maggles’，and’TheOutcastsofPokerFlat’，weretheearnestsofanAmericanliteraturetocome。Ifitisstilltocome，ingreatmeasure，thatisnotHarte’sfault，forhekeptonwritingthosestories，inoneformoranother，aslongashelived。HewrotethemfirstandlastinthespiritofDickens，whichnomanofhistimecouldquitehelpdoing，buthewrotethemfromthelifeofBretHarte，onthesoilandintheairofthenewestkindofnewworld，andtheirfreshnesstookthesoulofhisfellow—countrymennotonlywithjoy，butwithpridesuchastheEuropeans，whoadoredhimmuchlonger，couldneverknowinhim。

WhentheadventurousyoungeditorwhohadproposedbeinghishostforCambridgeandtheBostonneighborhood，whileHartewasstillinSanFrancisco，andhadnotyetbegunhisprincelyprogresseastward，readofthehonorsthatattendedhiscomingfrompointtopoint，hiscouragefell，asifhehadperhaps，committedhimselfintoogreatanenterprise。

Whowashe，indeed，thatheshouldthinkofmakingthis\"Dearsonofmemory，greatheiroffame，\"

hisguest，especiallywhenheheardthatinChicagoHartefailedofattendingabanquetofhonorbecausethegiversofithadnotsentacarriagetofetchhimtoit，astheallegedusewasinSanFrancisco？

Whethertrueornot，anditwasprobablynottrueinjustthatform，itmusthavebeenthisrumorwhichdeterminedhishosttodriveintoBostonforhimwiththehandsomesthackwhichtheliveryofCambridgeafforded，andnottrusttothehorse—carandthelocalexpressmantogethimandhisbaggageout，ashewouldhavedonewithalessportentousguest。Howeveritwas，heinstantlylostallfearwhentheymetatthestation，andHartepressedforwardwithhiscordialhand—clasp，asifhewerenotevenafairyprince，andwiththatvoiceandlaughwhichweresurelythemostwinningintheworld。Hewasthen，asalways，achildofextremefashionastohisclothesandthecutofhisbeard，whichheworeinamustacheandthedroopingside—whiskersoftheday，andhisjovialphysiognomywasaswinningashisvoice，withitsstraightnoseandfascinatingthrustoftheunderlip，itsfineeyes，andgoodforehead，thenthicklycrownedwiththeblackhairwhichgrewearlywhite，whilehismustacheremaineddarkthemostenviableandconsolingeffectpossibleintheuniversalmortalnecessityofeitheragingordying。

Hewas，asonecouldnothelpseeing，thicklypitted，butafterthefirstglanceoneforgotthis，sothataladywhomethimforthefirsttimecouldsaytohim，\"Mr。Harte，aren’tyouafraidtogoaboutinthecarssorecklesslywhenthereisthisscareaboutsmallpox？\"\"No，madam，\"hecouldanswerinthatrichnoteofhis，withanironytouchedbypseudo—

pathos，\"Ibearacharmedlife。\"

ThedriveoutfromBostonwasnottoolongforgettingontermsofpersonalfriendshipwiththefamilywhichjustfilledthehack，thetwoboysintenselyinterestedinthenoveltiesofaNewEnglandcityandsuburb，andthefatherandmothercontinuallyexchangingadmirationofsuchaspectsofnatureaspresentedthemselvesintheleaflesssidewalktrees，andpatchesofparkandlawn。Theyfoundeverythingsofine，sorefined，afterthegiganticcoarsenessofCalifornia，wherethenaturalformsweresovastthatonecouldnotgetoncompanionabletermswiththem。TheirhostheardthemwithoutmisgivingfortheworldofromancewhichHartehadbuiltupamongthosehugeforms，andwithasubtleperceptionthatthiswasnoexcursionoftheirstotheEast，butalifelongexodusfromtheexilewhichhepresentlyunderstoodtheymustalwayshavefeltCaliforniatobe。Itisdifferentnow，whenpeopleareeverydaybeingborninCalifornia，andmustbegintofeelithomefromthefirstbreath，butitisnotablethatnoneoftheCaliforniansofthatgreatearlydayhavegonebacktoliveamidthesceneswhichinspiredandprosperedthem。

Beforetheycameinsightoftheeditor’shumbleroofhehadmockedhimselftohisguestforhistrepidations，andHartewithburlesquemagnanimityhadconsentedtobeforthatoccasiononlysomethinglessformidablethanhehadloomedafar。Heacceptedwithjoythetheoryofpassingaweekinthehomeofvirtuouspoverty，andtheweekbeganasdelightfullyasitwenton。FromfirsttolastCambridgeamusedhimasmuchasitcharmedhimbythatairofacademicdistinctionwhichwasstrangertohimeventhantherefinedtreesandgrass。Ithasalreadybeentoldhow，afteralistofthelocalcelebritieshadbeenrecitedtohim，hesaid，\"why，youcouldn’tstandonyourfrontporchandfireoffyourrevolverwithoutbringingdownatwovolumer，\"andnodoubtthepleasurehehadinitwastheeffectofitscontrastwiththewildCaliforniahehadknown，andperhaps，whenhehadnotaltogetherknownit，hadinvented。

II。

Cambridgebeganverypromptlytoshowhimthosehospitalitieswhichhecouldvalue，andcontinuedthefableofhisfairyprincelinessinthecuriosityofthosehumbleradmirerswhocouldnothopetobehishostsorhisfellow—guestsatdinnerorluncheon。Prettypresencesinthetie—

backsoftheperiodwereseentoflitbeforethehomeofvirtuouspoverty，hungeringforanychancesightofhimwhichhisoutgoingsorincomingsmightgive。Thechanceswerebetterwiththeoutgoingsthanwiththeincomings，forthesewereapttobesohurried，inthefinalresultofhisconstitutionaldelays，astohavetherapidityofthehomingpigeon’sflight，andtoaffordhardlyaglimpsetothequickesteye。Itcannotharmhim，oranyonenow，toownthatHartewasnearlyalwayslateforthoseluncheonsanddinnerswhichhewasalwaysgoingoutto，anditneededtheanxietiesandenergiesofbothfamiliestogethimintohisclothes，andthenintothecarriagewhereagooddealoffinalbuttoningmusthavebeendone，inorderthathemightnotarrivesoverylate。Hewastheonlyoneconcernedwhowasquiteunconcerned;hispatiencewithhisdelayswasinexhaustible;hearrivedattheexpectedhousessmiling，serenelyjovial，radiatingablandgaietyfromhiswholeperson，andreadytoignoreanydiscomforthemighthaveoccasioned。

Ofcourse，peopleweregladtohavehimonhisownterms，anditmaybetrulysaidthatitwasworthwhiletohavehimonanyterms。Thereneverwasamorecharmingcompanion，aneasierormoredelightfulguest。

Itwasnotfromwhathesaid，forhewasnotmuchofatalker，andalmostnothingofastory—teller;buthecouldnowandthendropthefittestword，andwithaglanceorsmileoffriendlyintelligenceexpresstheappreciationofanother’sfitwordwhichgoesfartoestablishforamanthecharacterofboonhumorist。Itmustbesaidofhimthatifhetookthehonorseasilythatwerepaidhimhetookthemmodestly，andneverbywordorlookinvitedthem，orimpliedthatheexpectedthem。ItwasfinetoseehimhumorouslyacceptingthehumorousattributionofscientificsympathiesfromAgassiz，incomplimentofhisfamousepicdescribingtheincidentsthat\"brokeupthesocietyupontheStanislow。\"ItwasalittlefearsometohearhimfranklyowningtoLowellhisdislikeforsomethingover—literaryinthephrasingofcertainversesof’TheCathedral。’ButLowellcouldstandthatsortofthingfromamanwhocouldsaythesortofthingsthatHartesaidtohimofthatdeliciouslinepicturingthebobolinkashe\"Runsdownabrookoflaughterintheair。\"

This，Hartetoldhim，wasthelinehelikedbestofallhislines，andLowellsmokedwellcontentwiththepraise。Yettheywerenotmentogetoneasilytogether，LowellhavinglimitationsindirectionswhereHartehadnone。AfterwardinLondontheydidnotmeetoftenorwillingly。

LowellownedthebrilliancyanduncommonnessofHarte’sgift，whilehesumptuouslysurfeitedhispassionoffindingeverybodymoreorlessaJewbyfindingthatHartewasatleasthalfaJewonhisfather’sside;hehadlongcontendedfortheHebraicismofhisname。

WithallhisappreciationoftheliteraryeminenceswhomFieldsusedtoclasstogetheras\"theoldsaints，\"Hartehadaspiceofirreverencethatenabledhimtotakethemmoreironicallythantheymighthaveliked，andtoseethefunofaminorliteraryman’srelationtothem。Emerson’ssmokingamusedhim，asaJovianself—indulgencedivinelyoutofcharacterwithsosupremeagod，andheshamelesslyburlesquedit，tellinghowEmersonatConcordhadproposedhavinga\"wetnight\"withhimoveraglassofsherry，andhadurgedthescantwineuponhisyoungfriendwithahospitablegestureofhiscigar。ButthiswaslongaftertheCambridgeepisode，inwhichLongfellowaloneescapedthecorrosivetouchofhissubtleirreverence，or，morestrictlyspeaking，hadonlytheeffectofhisreverence。Thatgentleandexquisitelymodestdignity，ofLongfellow’shehonoredwithasmuchvenerationasitwasinhimtobestow，andhehadthatsenseofLongfellow’sbeautifulandperfectedartwhichisalmostatestofacritic’sownfineness。

III。

AsforHarte’stalk，itwasmostlyironical，nottotheextremeofsatire，buttemperedtoanagreeablecoolnessevenforthethingsheadmired。Hedidnotapparentlycaretohearhimselfpraised，buthecouldveryaccuratelyandperfectlymarkhisdiscernmentofexcellenceinothers。Hewasattimesakeenobserverofnatureandagainnot，apparently。SomethingwassaidbeforehimandLowellofthebeautyofhisdescriptionofarabbit，startledwithfearamongtheferns，andliftingitsheadwiththepulsationofitsfrightenedheartvisiblyshakingit;thenthetalkturnedonthegraphichomelinessofDante’snoticinghowthedog’sskinmovesuponit，andHartespokeoftheexquisiteshudderwithwhichahorsetriestoriditselfofafly。

Butonceagain，whenanazaleawasshowntohimasthesortofbushthatSandydrunkenlysleptunderin’TheIdylofIcedGulch’，heasked，\"Why，isthatanazalea？\"Tobesure，thismighthavebeenlessfromhisignoranceorindifferenceconcerningthequalityofthebushhehadsentSandytosleepunderthanfromhiswillingnesstomakeamockofanazaleainaverysmallpot，sodisproportionatetouseswhichanazaleaofCaliforniansizecouldeasilylenditselfto。

YounevercouldbesureofHarte;hecouldonlybychancebecaughtinearnestaboutanythingoranybody。Exceptforthoseslightrecognitionsofliterary，traitsinhistalkwithLowell，nothingremainedfromhisconversationbutthegeneralcriticismhepasseduponhisbrilliantfellow—HebrewHeine，as\"ratherscorbutic。\"Hepreferredtotalkaboutthelittlemattersofcommonincidentandexperience。HeamusedhimselfwithsuchthingsasthemystificationofthepostmanofwhomheaskedhiswaytoPhillipsAvenue，whereheadventurouslysupposedhishosttobeliving。\"Why，\"thepostmansaid，\"thereisnoPhillipsAvenueinCambridge。There’sPhillipsPlace。\"\"Well，\"Harteassented，\"PhillipsPlacewilldo;butthereisaPhillipsAvenue。\"Heenteredeagerlyintothecanvassofthedistinctionsandcelebritiesaskedtomeethimatthereceptionmadeforhim，buthehadevenagreaterpleasureincompassionatinghishostforthevastdisparitybetweenthecaterer’schinaandplatedwareandthesimplicitiesandhumilitiesofthehomeofvirtuouspoverty;andhesplutteredwithdelightatthesightofthelofty’epergnes’setupanddownthesupper—tablewhenhewasbroughtintonotethepreparationsmadeinhishonor。Thosemonumentalstructureswereaninexhaustiblejoytohim;hewalkedroundandroundtheroom，andviewedthemindifferentperspectives，soastogetthefulleffectofthetoweringformsthatdwarfeditso。

Hewasatease，asmanyasweetandfinewitisapttobe，buthisteasingwasofthequalityofacaress，somuchkindnesswentwithit。