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importance of the American citizen so boldly and freely as Mr。
Whitman。 He calls himself 〃teacher of the unquenchable creed；
namely； egotism。〃 He begins one of his chants； 〃I celebrate myself；〃
but he takes us all in as partners in his self…glorification。 He
believes in America as the new Eden。
〃A world primal again；vistas of glory incessant and branching；
A new race dominating previous ones and grander far；
New politicsnew literature and religionsnew inventions and arts。〃
Of the new literature be himself has furnished specimens which
certainly have all the originality he can claim for them。 So far as
egotism is concerned； he was clearly anticipated by the titled
personage to whom I have referred； who says of himself； 〃I am the
first in the East； the first in the West； and the greatest
philosopher in the Western world。〃 But while Mr。 Whitman divests
himself of a part of his baptismal name； the distinguished New
Englander thus announces his proud position： 〃Ime the first Lord in
the younited States of A mercary Now of Newburyport。 it is the voice
of the peopel and I cant Help it。〃 This extract is from his famous
little book called 〃A Pickle for the Knowing Ones。〃 As an inventor
of a new American style he goes far beyond Mr。 Whitman； who； to be
sure； cares little for the dictionary； and makes his own rules of
rhythm； so far as there is any rhythm in his sentences。 But Lord
Timothy spells to suit himself； and in place of employing punctuation
as it is commonly used； prints a separate page of periods； colons；
semicolons； commas； notes of interrogation and of admiration； with
which the reader is requested to 〃peper and soolt〃 the book as he
pleases。
I am afraid that Mr。 Emerson and Mr。 Whitman must yield the claim of
declaring American literary independence to Lord Timothy Dexter； who
not only taught his countrymen that they need not go to the Heralds'
College to authenticate their titles of nobility； but also that they
were at perfect liberty to spell just as they liked； and to write
without troubling themselves about stops of any kind。 In writing
what I suppose he intended for poetry； he did not even take the pains
to break up his lines into lengths to make them look like verse； as
may be seen by the following specimen：
WONDER OF WONDERS！
How great the soul is！ Do not you all wonder and admire to see and
behold and hear？ Can you all believe half the truth； and admire to
hear the wonders how great the soul isonly beholdpast finding
out！ Only see how large the soul is！ that if a man is drowned in the
sea what a great bubble comes up out of the top of the water。。。 The
bubble is the soul。
I confess that I am not in sympathy with some of the movements that
accompany the manifestations of American social and literary
independence。 I do not like the assumption of titles of Lords and
Knights by plain citizens of a country which prides itself on
recognizing simple manhood and womanhood as sufficiently entitled to
respect without these unnecessary additions。 I do not like any
better the familiar； and as it seems to me rude； way of speaking of
our fellow…citizens who are entitled to the common courtesies of
civilized society。 I never thought it dignified or even proper for a
President of the United States to call himself； or to be called by
others； 〃Frank〃 Pierce。 In the first place I had to look in a
biographical dictionary to find out whether his baptismal name was
Franklin； or Francis； or simply Frank； for I think children are
sometimes christened with this abbreviated name。 But it is too much
in the style of Cowper's unpleasant acquaintance ：
〃The man who hails you Tom or Jack；
And proves by thumping on your back
How he esteems your merit。〃
I should not like to hear our past chief magistrates spoken of as
Jack Adams or Jim Madison； and it would have been only as a political
partisan that I should have reconciled myself to 〃Tom〃 Jefferson。
So； in spite of 〃Ben〃 Jonson； 〃Tom〃 Moore； and 〃Jack〃 Sheppard； I
prefer to speak of a fellow…citizen already venerable by his years；
entitled to respect by useful services to his country； and recognized
by many as the prophet of a new poetical dispensation； with the
customary title of adults rather than by the free and easy school…boy
abbreviation with which he introduced himself many years ago to the
public。 As for his rhapsodies； Number Seven； our 〃cracked Teacup；〃
says they sound to him like 〃fugues played on a big organ which has
been struck by lightning。〃 So far as concerns literary independence；
if we understand by that term the getting rid of our subjection to
British criticism； such as it was in the days when the question was
asked； 〃Who reads an American book？〃 we may consider it pretty well
established。 If it means dispensing with punctuation； coining words
at will； self…revelation unrestrained by a sense of what is decorous；
declamations in which everything is glorified without being
idealized； 〃poetry〃 in which the reader must make the rhythms which
the poet has not made for him； then I think we had better continue
literary colonists。 I shrink from a lawless independence to which
all the virile energy and trampling audacity of Mr。 Whitman fail to
reconcile me。 But there is room for everybody and everything in our
huge hemisphere。 Young America is like a three…year…old colt with
his saddle and bridle just taken off。 The first thing he wants to do
is to roll。 He is a droll object； sprawling in the grass with his
four hoofs in the air； but he likes it； and it won't harm us。 So let
him roll；let him roll
Of all The Teacups around our table； Number Five is the one who is
the object of the greatest interest。 Everybody wants to be her
friend； and she has room enough in her hospitable nature to find a
place for every one who is worthy of the privilege。 The difficulty
is that it is so hard to be her friend without becoming her lover。 I
have said before that she turns the subjects of her Circe…like
enchantment； not into swine； but into lambs。 The Professor and I
move round among her lambs； the docile and amiable flock that come
and go at her bidding； that follow her footsteps； and are content to
live in the sunshine of her smile and within reach of the music of
her voice。 I like to get her away from their amiable bleatings； I
love to talk with her about life； of which she has seen a great deal；
for she knows what it is to be an idol in society and the centre of
her social circle。 It might be a question whether women or men most
admire and love her。 With her own sex she is always helpful；
sympathizing； tender； charitable； sharing their griefs as well as
taking part in their pleasures。 With men it has seemed to make
little difference whether they were young or old： all have found her
the same sweet； generous； unaffected companion； fresh enough in
feeling for the youngest； deep enough in the wisdom of the heart for
the oldest。 She does not pretend to be youthful； nor does she
trouble herself that she has seen the roses of more Junes than many
ofthe younger women who gather round her。 She has not had to say；
Comme je regrette
Mon bras si dodu；
for her arm has never lost its roundness； and her face is one of
those that cannot be cheated of their charm even if they live long
enough to look upon the grown up grandchildren of their coevals。
It is a wonder how Number Five can find the time to be so much to so
many friends of both sexes； in spite of the fact that she is one of
the most insatiable of readers。 She not only reads； but she
remembers； she not only remembers； but she records； for her own use
and pleasure； and for the delight and profit of those who are
privileged to look over her note…books。 Number Five； as I think I
have said before； has not the ambition to figure as an authoress。
That she could write most agreeably is certain。 I have seen letters
of hers to friends which prove that clearly enough。 Whether she
would find prose or verse the most natural mode of expression I
cannot say； but I know she is passionately fond of poetry； and I
should not be surprised if； laid away among the pressed pansies and
roses of past summers； there were poems； songs； perhaps； of her own；
which she sings to herself with her fingers touching the piano； for
to that she tells her secrets in tones sweet as the ring…dove's call
to her mate。
I am afraid it may be suggested that I am drawing Number Five's
portrait too nearly after some model who is unconsciously sitting for
it； but have n't I told you that you must not look for flesh and
blood personalities behind or beneath my Teacups？ I am not going to
make these so lifelike that you will be saying； This is Mr。 or Miss；
or Mrs。 So…and…So。 My readers must remember that there are very many
pretty； sweet； amiable girls