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- 10945
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- any thing coarse or new; as assured that whatever astonishes is vulgar,
and whatever is new must be crude. Yes, it is the glory of this
admirable young author, that vulgarity and vigor--two inseparable
adjuncts--are equally removed from him."
A third, perorated a long and beautifully written review, by the bold
and startling announcement--"This writer is unquestionably a highly
respectable youth."
Nor had the editors of various moral and religious periodicals failed to
render the tribute of their severer appreciation, and more enviable,
because more chary applause. A renowned clerical and philological
conductor of a weekly publication of this kind, whose surprising
proficiency in the Greek, Hebrew, and Chaldaic, to which he had devoted
by far the greater part of his life, peculiarly fitted him to pronounce
unerring judgment upon works of taste in the English, had unhesitatingly
delivered himself thus:--"He is blameless in morals, and harmless
throughout." Another, had unhesitatingly recommended his effusions to
the family-circle. A third, had no reserve in saying, that the
predominant end and aim of this author was evangelical piety.
A mind less naturally strong than Pierre's might well have been hurried
into vast self-complacency, by such eulogy as this, especially as there
could be no possible doubt, that the primitive verdict pronounced by the
editors was irreversible, except in the highly improbable event of the
near approach of the Millennium, which might establish a different
dynasty of taste, and possibly eject the editors. It is true, that in
view of the general practical vagueness of these panegyrics, and the
circumstance that, in essence, they were all somehow of the prudently
indecisive sort; and, considering that they were panegyrics, and nothing
but panegyrics, without any thing analytical about them; an elderly
friend of a literary turn, had made bold to say to our hero--"Pierre,
this is very high praise, I grant, and you are a surprisingly young
author to receive it; but I do not see any criticisms as yet."
"Criticisms?" cried Pierre, in amazement; "why, sir, they are all
criticisms! I am the idol of the critics!"
"Ah!" sighed the elderly friend, as if suddenly reminded that that was
true after all--"Ah!" and went on with his inoffensive, non-committal
cigar.
Nevertheless, thanks to the editors, such at last became the popular
literary enthusiasm in behalf of Pierre, that two young men, recently
abandoning the ignoble pursuit of tailoring for the more honorable trade
of the publisher (probably with an economical view of working up in
books, the linen and cotton shreds of the cutter's counter, after having
been subjected to the action of the paper-mill), had on the daintiest
scolloped-edged paper, and in the neatest possible, and fine-needle-work
hand, addressed him a letter, couched in the following terms; the
general style of which letter will sufficiently evince that,
though--thanks to the manufacturer--their linen and cotton shreds may
have been very completely transmuted into paper, yet the cutters
themselves were not yet entirely out of the metamorphosing mill.
"Hon. Pierre Glendinning,
"Revered Sir,
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