按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
excite ridicule。 〃Artemus Ward〃 made you laugh and love him too。
The wit of 〃Artemus Ward〃 and 〃Josh Billings〃 is distinctively
American。 Lord Kames； in his 〃Elements of Criticism；〃 makes no
mention of this species of wit； a lack which the future
rhetorician should look to。 We look in vain for it in the
English language of past ages； and in other languages of modern
time。 It is the genus American。 When Artemus says in that
serious manner； looking admiringly at his atrocious pictures；〃I
love picturesand I have many of thembeautiful photographsof
myself；〃 you smile； and when he continues； 〃These pictures were
painted by the Old Masters； they painted these pictures and then
theythey expired；〃 you hardly know what it is that makes you
laugh outright； and when Josh Billings says in his Proverbs；
wiser than Solomon's 〃You'd better not know so much； than know so
many things that ain't so；〃the same vein is struck； but the
text…books fail to explain scientifically the cause of our mirth。
The wit of Charles Browne is of the most exalted kind。 It is
only scholars and those thoroughly acquainted with the SUBTILTY
of our language who fully appreciate it。 His wit is generally
about historical personages like Cromwell； Garrick； or
Shakspeare； or a burlesque on different styles of writing； like
his French novel； when hifalutin phrases of tragedy come from the
clodhopper who〃sells soap and thricerefuses a ducal coronet。〃
Mr。 Browne mingled the eccentric even in his business letters。
Once he wrote to his Publisher； Mr。 G。W。 Carleton； who had made
some alterations in his MSS。： 〃The next book I write I'm going
to get YOU to write。〃 Again he wrote in 1863：
〃Dear Carl：You and I will get out a book next spring； which
will knock spots out of all comic books in ancient or modern
history。 And the fact that you are going to take hold of it
convinces me that you have one of the most MASSIVE intellects of
this or any other epoch。
〃Yours； my pretty gazelle；
〃A。 Ward。〃
When Charles F。 Browne died； he did not belong to America； for；
as with Irving and Dickens； the English language claimed him。
Greece alone did not suffer when the current of Diogenes' wit
flowed on to death。 Spain alone did not mourn when Cervantes；
dying； left Don Quixote； the 〃knight of la Mancha。〃 When Charles
Lamb ceased to tune the great heart of humanity to joy and
gladness； his funeral was in every English and American household；
and when Charles Browne took up his silent resting…place in the
sombre shades of Kensal Green； JESTING CEASED； and one great
Anglo…American heart；
Like a muffled drum went beating
Funeral marches to his grave。
MELVILLE D。 LANDON。
INTRODUCTION BY T。W。 ROBERTSON。
Few tasks are more difficult or delicate than to write on the
subject of the works or character of a departed friend。 The pen
falters as the familiar face looks out of the paper。 The mind is
diverted from the thought of death as the memory recalls some happy
epigram。 It seems so strange that the hand that traced the jokes
should be cold； that the tongue that trolled out the good things
should be silentthat the jokes and the good things should remain；
and the man who made them should be gone for ever。
The works of Charles Farrar Brownewho was known to the world as
〃Artemus Ward〃have run through so many editions； have met with
such universal popularity； and have been so widely criticised； that
it is needless to mention them here。 So many biographies have been
written of the gentleman who wrote in the character of the 'cute
Yankee Showman； that it is unnecessary that I should touch upon his
life； belongings； or adventures。 Of 〃Artemus Ward〃 I know just as
much as the rest of the world。 I prefer； therefore； to speak of
Charles Farrar Browne； as I knew him； and； in doing so； I can
promise those friends who also knew him and esteemed him； that as I
consider no 〃public〃 man so public； that some portion of his work；
pleasures； occupations； and habits may not be considered private； I
shall only mention how kind and noble…minded was the man of whom I
write； without dragging forward special and particular acts in proof
of my words； as if the goodness of his mind and character needed the
certificate of facts。
I first saw Charles Browne at a literary club； he had only been a
few hours in London； and he seemed highly pleased and excited at
finding himself in the old city to which his thoughts had so often
wandered。 Browne was an intensely sympathetic man。 His brain and
feelings were as a 〃lens；〃 and he received impressions immediately。
No man could see him without liking him at once。 His manner was
straightforward and genial； and had in it the dignity of a
gentleman； tempered； as it were； by the fun of the humorist。 When
you heard him talk you wanted to make much of him； not because he
was 〃Artemus Ward；〃 but because he was himself； for no one less
resembled 〃Artemus Ward〃 than his author and creator； Charles Farrar
Browne。 But a few weeks ago it was remarked to me that authors were
a disappointing race to know； and I agreed with the remark； and I
remember a lady once said to me that the personal appearance of
poets seldom 〃came up〃 to their works。 To this I replied that；
after all； poets were but men； and that it was as unreasonable to
expect that the late Sir Walter Scott could at all resemble a
Gathering of the Clans as that the late Lord Macaulay should appear
anything like the Committal of the Seven Bishops to the Tower。 I
told the lady that she was unfair to eminent men if she hoped that
celebrated engineers would look like tubular bridges； or that Sir
Edwin Landseer would remind her of a 〃Midsummer Night's Dream。〃 I
mention this because； of all men in the world； my friend Charles
Browne was the least like a showman of any man I ever encountered。
I can remember the odd half disappointed look of some of the
visitors to the Egyptian Hall when 〃Artemus〃 stepped upon the
platform。 At first they thought that he was a gentleman who
appeared to apologise for the absence of the showman。 They had
pictured to themselves a coarse old man； with a damp eye and a
puckered mouth； one eyebrow elevated an inch above the other to
express shrewdness and knowledge of the worlda man clad in
velveteen and braid； with a heavy watch…chain； large rings； and
horny hands； the touter to a waxwork show； with a hoarse voice； and
over familiar manner。 The slim gentleman in evening dress； polished
manners； and gentle voice； with a tone of good breeding that hovered
between deference and jocosity； the owner of those thinthose much
too thinwhite hands could not be the man who spelt joke with a
〃g。〃 Folks who came to laugh； began to fear that they should remain
to be instructed； until the gentlemanly disappointer began to speak；
then they recovered their real 〃Artemus；〃 Betsy Jane； wax…figgers；
and all。 Will patriotic Americans forgive me if I say that Charles
Browne loved England dearly！ He had been in London but a few days
when he paid a visit to the Tower。 He knew English history better
than most Englis