announcing the engagement of its editor, Mr. Edwin Hadley Smith, and
Miss Nita Edna Gerner of New York. Excellent portraits of the happy
couple follow the formal announcement, and Miss Gerner, now Associate
Editor, describes in an excellent prose style the romance which
culminated in the engagement. "Gerneriana," consisting mainly of a
reprint from an earlier issue, is an interesting account of the late
Richard Gerner, an old-time amateur, and father of the prospective
bride. This article is well supplemented by the reproductions of parts
of old amateur papers which adorn the back cover of the magazine. The
remainder of _The Boys' Herald_ is wholly statistical, dealing with the
amateur career of Mr. Smith. Few members of the association could
produce superior records of activity.
_The Brooklynite_ for April maintains the high standard set by the
previous number. "A Miracle," the opening poem, was composed by Alice L.
Carson during the course of a meeting of the Blue Pencil Club, yet
exhibits all the grace and harmony expected in a carefully planned and
laboriously polished work. "Spring Thoughts," by A. M. Adams, is a
humorous prose masterpiece by the National's new Critic. Seldom is the
amateur press favoured with such a well-sustained succession of
brilliant epigrams. Miss Owen's "Ode to Trempealeau Mountain" is a noble
specimen of heroic blank verse, containing some very striking
antithetical lines. The title, however, is a misnomer, since a true ode
is necessarily of irregular form. "Some Late Amateur Magazines," by
W. B. Stoddard, is a series of brief, informal reviews. As a critic, Mr.
Stoddard shows considerable discernment, though having a rather
unpleasant air of conscious superiority in certain places. A little more
stateliness of style would add to the force of his criticisms. "Spring"
reveals Rheinhart Kleiner in his favourite domain of amatory verse. Mr.
Kleiner's tuneful numbers and pure diction render his poetry ever a
delight. "Rebellion," by Miss von der Heide, is a metrically perfect
piece of verse whose artistry is marred only by the use of the
unpoetical philosophical term "subconscious" instead of "unconscious."
_The Brooklynite_ for July is of especial interest as the first paper to
print an account of the Rocky Mount convention. This description, from
the facile and versatile pen of Miss von der Heide, is of distinctly
informal character, yet is none the less interesting as an animated
chronicle of an enjoyable event. Rheinhart Kleiner's account of the
National convention is more dignified, and may be considered as a model
for this sort of composition. Mr. Kleiner shines as brightly in prose as
in verse, and each day surprises us with revelations of excellence in
various dissimilar departments of literature.
_The Conservative_ for July is notable for Mr. Ira Cole's delightfully
pantheistic poem, "A Dream of the Golden Age." The unusual poetic genius
of Mr. Cole has been revealed but recently, yet the imaginative
qualities pervading some of his prose long ago gave indications of this
gift. The pantheistic, Nature-worshipping mind of our author lends to
his productions an unique and elusive atmosphere which contrasts very
favourably with the earthy tone of some of our less fanciful bards.
Metrically, Mr. Cole adopts instinctively the regular, conservative
forms of a saner generation. In this specimen of heroic verse he
inclines toward the practice of Keats, and does not always confine
single thoughts to single couplets in the manner of the
eighteenth-century poets. We believe that Mr. Cole is commencing a
successful career as a United poet, and await the day when he shall be
accorded the honor of a laureateship.
_The Coyote_ for July reveals a wonderful improvement over the March
number, both in the literary quality of its contributions and in general
editorial excellence. Never before have we seen the perfect amateur
spirit acquired so quickly as in Mr. Harrington's case. "Night Fancies,"
by Helen H. Salls, is a sonnet of exceptional power and artistry, whose
faultless metre is equalled only by its bold and striking images. Amidst
this profusion of excellent metaphor, it is difficult to select
individual instances for particular praise, but we might commend
especially the passage:
"... the stars still keep
Afloat like boats that black sky-billows ride."
Miss Salls is clearly an amateur poet of the first rank, and it is to be
hoped that she will be a liberal contributor to United magazines. "The
Rebirth of the British Empire," by William T. Harrington, is a clear and
concise exposition of the virtues whereby Old England maintains her
proud position as Mistress of the Seas, and chief colonial empire of the
world. The style of the essay is admirable, and well exhibits the
progressive qualities of Mr. Harrington. "An Ideal," by Nettie Hartman,
is a short poem of pleasing sentiment and harmonious metre. The notes on
amateur affairs are interesting and well composed, revealing Mr.
Harrington's increasing enthusiasm for the cause.
_Dowdell's Bearcat_ for May is another striking illustration of the
improvement which can affect a paper within a very short time. Since
last October Mr. Dowdell has been progressing swiftly toward
journalistic excellence, and even this cleverly conceived and uniquely
shaped issue fails to mark the limit of his ambition. "Knowest Thou?" by
Mrs. Renshaw, is an expressive tribute to a nation whose recent infamies
can never wholly becloud its rugged virtues. "With Nature I Rejoice" is
probably the best poem which Joseph R. Schaffman has yet written. As his
remarkable talent matures, the didactic element in his verse is
gradually giving way to the more purely poetic, and this latest effort
is one of which he may be justly proud. Concerning Mr. Dowdell's own
spirited prose, we need only repeat the previous suggestion, that a
little less slang would add much to its force and dignity.
_Dowdell's Bearcat_ for May 26 contains another poem by Mrs. Renshaw
whose national tone is not likely to be popular just now outside the
country to which it refers; in fact, Editor Dowdell has deemed it wise
to make an apologetic statement concerning it. However, if we call "Ein
Mann" Col. Theodore Roosevelt, and shift the scene to San Juan Hill, we
may be able to appreciate the real patriotism delineated.
_Dowdell's Bearcat_ for June is wholly given over to notes of the
amateur world. Mr. Dowdell is indeed a pleasing young writer, and leaves
none of his topics without a characteristic touch of light adornment.
_The Lake Breeze_ for April is distinguished by James L. Crowley's poem
entitled "April," a brief lyric of marked merit, highly expressive of
the season. "Writing Poetry," an essay by Dora M. Hepner, is a clear and
tasteful analysis of the poet's art and inspiration. "The Norwegian
Recruit," a dialect monologue by Maurice W. Moe, is the leading feature
of this issue. This exquisite bit of humor, recited by Mr. Moe at the
United's 1913 convention, is a sketch of rare quality. "The Amateur
Press," now firmly established as a column of contributed reviews, is
this month of substantial size and fair quality. It is needless to say
that the news pages are interesting, and that the paper as a whole well
maintains the high reputation it has ever enjoyed.
_The Lake Breeze_ for June apparently opens an era of unprecedented
improvement, being of distinctly literary rather than political nature.
The plea for a Department of Instruction is a just one, and ought to
meet with response from some of our pedagogical members. "Broken Metre,"
by Mrs. Renshaw, is an attempt at defending the popular atrocities
committed in the name of freedom by the modern poets. While the article
is superficially quite plausible, we feel that the settled forms of
regular metre have too much natural justification thus to be disturbed.
The citation of Milton, intended to strengthen Mrs. Renshaw's argument,
really weakens it; for while he undoubtedly condemns _rhyme_, he laments
in the course of this very condemnation the _lame metre_ which is
sometimes concealed by apt rhyming. "Some Views on Versification," by
Clara I. Stalker, is an essay written from a sounder and more
conservative point of view. The middle course in poetical composition,
which avoids alike wild eccentricities and mechanical precision, has
much to recommend it, and Miss Stalker does well to point out its
virtues. However, we do not see why even the few irregularities which
are here said to be inevitable, cannot be smoothed out by the bard
without destroying the sense of his poetry. "Disappointment," by Mrs.
Maude K. Barton, is a clever piece of light verse whose sprightly humour
makes up for its slight metrical roughness. The imperfect but allowable
rhyming of "bear" and "appear" in the first stanza is entirely correct
according to the old-time standards which we ourselves follow, but we
fear that the delicate ear of a precise metrical artist like Rheinhart
Kleiner would object to its liberalism. "The Amateur Press" is
distinguished by an excellent review from the pen of Mrs. Renshaw. The
style is satisfactory, and the criticism just, making the whole well
worthy of the prize book it has secured for its author. "'Pollyanna,'
the Glad Book" is a meritorious and entertaining review by Mrs.
Griffith. "Hope," by Marguerite Sisson, is commendable for its use of
that noble but neglected measure, the heroic couplet. Mr. Daas'
concluding editorial, "Literature and Politics," is admirable for its
concise exposition of the United's new ideals, and its masterly
refutation of the common fallacy that political quarrels are necessary
to stimulate activity in the press associations.
_The Looking Glass_ for May is a journal unique in purpose and quality.
Edited by Mrs. Renshaw in behalf of her many gifted recruits, it reveals
a condition absolutely unexampled; the acquisition by one member of so
many high-grade novices that a special publication is required properly
to introduce them to the United. "To a Critic of Shelley," by Helen H.
Salls, is a long piece of beautiful blank verse, marred only by one
accidental rhyme. Miss Salls is evidently one of those few really
powerful poets who come all too seldom into Amateur Journalism,
startling the Association with impeccable harmony and exalted images.
The present poem grows even more attractive on analysis. The diction is
of phenomenal purity and wholly unspoiled by any ultra-modern touch. It
might have been a product of Shelley's own age. The metaphor is
marvellous, exhibiting a soul overflowing with true spirituality, and a
mind trained to express beautiful thought in language of corresponding
beauty. Such unforced ornateness is rarely met in the domain of amateur
poetry. We feel certain that Miss Salls has already become a fixed star
in the empyrean of the United. Exalted poetry of quite another type is
furnished by the work of our new Director, Rev. Frederick Chenault,
whose two exquisite lyrics, "Birth" and "The Sea of Somewhere," appear
in this issue. With little use of formal rhyme and metre, Mr. Chenault
abounds in delicate conceptions and artistic renditions.
"Retrospection," by Kathleen Baldwin, is likewise a poem of high order,
and of fairly regular metre, evidently following comparatively recent
models in technique. "The Faithful Man," by I. T. Valentine, shows
growing poetical talent, but is cruelly injured by the anticlimactic
line. Not that there is any anticlimax of sentiment, but the colloquial
mode of expression shocks the reader who has been perusing the more
dignified lines which go before. "The Stonework of Life" is an excellent
prose sermon by Joseph Ernest Shufelt, which displays great ability in
the field of metaphor and allegory. Mr. Shufelt possesses an admirable
style, unusually well fitted for didactic matter of this sort; indeed,
it is regrettable that he should ever depart from such congenial themes
and turn to the wild sensationalism which he shows in _The Badger_. In
demonstrating the beauties of morality and religion, he has few
superiors, and a task so appropriate to his genius ought to claim his
whole attention. True, his thoughts may follow strange courses in their
quest for truth and beauty, but were he always to curb them within the
bounds of probability and conservatism, as here, he would never lose the
confidence of his public, as he has done with his strange war theories.
"The Autocracy of Art," by Anne Vyne Tillery Renshaw, is the leading
article of the magazine. Herein the author proclaims the supremacy of
spiritual utterances over all restrictions created by the mind, and
urges the emancipation of the soaring bard from the earthly chains of
rhyme and metre. That the inward promptings of the poetic instinct are
of prime value to the poet, few will dispute; but that they may give
final form to his soul's creations without some regulation by the
natural laws of rhythm, few will agree. The metric sense lies far deeper
in the breast of man than Mrs. Renshaw is here disposed to acknowledge.
After this article, the perfectly regular stanzas of "Fellow Craftsman,"
_by the same author_, are refreshing. The typography and form of _The
Looking Glass_ leave something to be desired, but the riches within make
ample compensation for outward crudity.
_The New Member_ for May, edited by William Dowdell, contains but one
credential, yet doubtless paves the way for a resumption of the
enterprise so ably conducted by Miss Hoffman last year. "Melancholy," a
poem by I. T. Valentine, shows traces of the beginner's crudeness, yet
has about it a quality which promises much for the future of the poet.
"Lock-Step Pete," by Miss von der Heide, is an unusual poem with a
thoughtful suggestion embodied in its concluding stanza.
_The New Member_ bound with the May _Official Quarterly_ is a model that
should henceforth be followed as the nearest approach to perfection yet
beheld. Credentials, lists of prospective members, news of recruits, and
accounts of local clubs are here given in just and pleasing proportion.
"Bluets and Butterflies," by Carolyn L. Amoss, is a poem of great
delicacy and ethereal atmosphere. The solitary, tiny flaw is the
attempted rhyming of "Miss" and "yes." "War in America," by Annette E.
Foth, is a pleasant juvenile story. E. Ralph Cheyney's extract from his
essay on "Youth" is in many ways remarkable, and shows us that we have
another recruit of choice quality. His rather peculiar ideas are well
expressed, though their soundness is quite debatable. A few abnormal
characters like Byron and Shelley doubtless experienced all the
adolescent phenomena which Mr. Cheyney describes, but we believe that
the average youth is a copyist, and for the most part reflects his
environment. Radicalism and novel ideas arise just as much from blasÈ,
elderly cynics, who are tired of sane and sober conservatism. We have
been reflecting on Life for about twenty years, ever since we were five,
and have consistently believed that the wisdom of the ancient sage is
the true wisdom; that Life is essentially immutable, and that the
glorious dreams of youth are no more than dreams, to be dissipated by
the dawn of maturity and the full light of age. "Flowers on the Grave,"
a poem by J. D. Hill, has a commendable sentiment, and is remarkable for
its possession of only one repeated rhyming sound. Whether or not the
latter feature be monotonous, all must admit that the versification is
attractive. "We Are All Desperate!" is a striking philosophical fragment
by Melvin Ryder, which first appeared as an editorial in the _Ohio State
Lantern_. The conjectures are plausible, and the precepts sound. The
news items in this paper are all fresh and interesting, concluding an
issue uniformly excellent.
_The Pippin_ for May displays very favourably the high-school club whose
founding and maintenance are due entirely to the genius of Mr. Maurice
W. Moe. "The Coasters," by Esther Ronning, is the only poem in the
issue, but its quality atones for the absence of other verse. The
pleasures and perils of coasting are here portrayed with wonderfully
graphic pen, whilst the metre is, so far as technical correctness is
concerned, all that might be desired. However, we wish that Miss
Ronning were less fond of unusual rhyming arrangements. The lines here
given are of regular ballad length. Were they disposed in couplets, we
should have a tuneful lay of the "Chevy Chase" order; but as it is, our
ear misses the steady couplet effect to which the standard models have
accustomed us. "With the Assistance of Carmen" is a clever short story
by Gladys Bagg, derived from the same plot nucleus by Mr. Moe which
likewise evoked Miss Moore's story in the March UNITED AMATEUR. The
structure of the narrative is excellent, but we do not like the use of
the plebeian expression "onto" on page 3. There is properly no such word
as "onto" in the English language, "upon" being the preposition here
required. Webster clearly describes "onto" as a low provincialism or
colloquialism. "Little Jack in Fairyland," by Ruth Ryan, is a well
written account of a dream, with the usual awakening just as events are
coming to a climax. The style is very attractive, and the images
ingenious. "Getting What You Want," by Mr. Moe, is a brief one-act farce
illustrating the subtle devices whereby the sharp housewife bewilders
the good-natured landlord into the granting of extraordinary favours.
Had the heroine kept on to still greater lengths, she might have secured
an entire new house. The present number of _The Pippin_ is, save for the
absence of photographs, quite as pleasing as the previous number. We
trust that Mr. Moe's editorial prophecy may be fulfilled, and that we
may soon behold another issue which shall make us familiar with the new
faces brought by revolving time into the congenial Appleton circle.
_The Plainsman_ for July is the best number yet issued, the two
eleventh-hour contributions being very cleverly introduced. "Revised
Edition," by Mrs. Jeanette Timkin, is a versified piece of keen humour
and good metre, well illustrating the opening of the third or aerial
element to human travel. "To Bazine, Kansas" is a sprightly prose
account by James J. Hennessey of his journey from Boston to Bazine. "An
Incident of Early Days," by Mrs. John Cole, is presented in the same
attractive reminiscent style which makes her article in _The Trail_ so
readable and interesting. We are here told of the times when herds of
bison were common sights, and are given a pleasing account of the
formation of the Bazine Sunday-School. The articles by Mr. and Mrs. Ira
Cole show their appreciation of the amateurs who have visited them, and
conclude an issue of thoroughly entertaining quality.
_The Providence Amateur_ for June introduces to the United another local
press club of great enthusiasm. Owing to some unauthorized omissions
made by the printer, this first issue is scarcely representative of the
club's entire personnel, but that which still remains affords, after
all, a fair index to the character and ideals of the new organization.
The editorials by John T. Dunn are both frank and fearless. We detest a
shifty club whose allegiance wavers betwixt the United, the Morris
Faction and the National, and so are greatly pleased at Mr. Dunn's manly
and open stand for the one real United. The editor's opinions on
acknowledgment of papers is certainly just from one point of view,
though much may be said for the opposite side. When an amateur journal
has been prepared with unusual labour, and mailed conscientiously to
every member of the Association, the publisher has substantial reason
for resenting any marked display of neglect. We do not blame _The
Blarney Stone_ for its attitude on this question, and shall probably
follow its custom by mailing the next _Conservative_ only to those who
have acknowledged one or both of the previous issues.
_The Reflector_ for June is a British amateur magazine, transplanted on
American soil by its able editor, Ernest A. Dench. "Crossing the
Atlantic in War Time" is a pleasing account of Mr. Dench's voyage from
Liverpool to New York. "Chunks of Copy" forms the title of an excellent
though informal editorial department, while "A Brain Tank at Your
Service" teems with witticisms concerning various members of the Blue
Pencil Club. This magazine has no connection with any former journal of
like title, but seems likely to prove a worthy successor to all its
namesakes.
_The Trail_ for Spring is a new and substantial illustrated magazine of
20 pages and cover, issued by our well-known Private Critic, Mr. Alfred
L. Hutchinson. At the head of the contents are the reminiscences of the
editor, which prove extremely interesting reading, and which are well
supplemented by the lines entitled "The Tramp Printer." Also by Mr.
Hutchinson is the well written and animated account of Mr. Nicholas
Bruehl, whose artistic photographical work adorns the inside covers of
this issue. "Pioneer Life in Kansas," by Mrs. John Cole, is a
delightfully graphic picture of the trials and adventures of the early
settlers in the West. Being written from actual personal experience, the
various incidents leave a lasting impression on the mind of the reader,
while a pleasing smoothness of style enhances the vividness of the
narrative. "Memory-Building" is the first of a series of psychological
articles by our master amateur, Maurice W. Moe. It is here demonstrated
quite conclusively, that the faculty of memory is dependent on the
fundamental structure and quality of the brain, and may never be
acquired or greatly improved through cultivation. "Evening at Magnolia
Springs," by Laura E. Moe, exhibits the same type of literary talent
that her gifted husband possesses; in fact, this sketch may be compared
with Mr. Moe's well-known "Cedar Lake Days." The use of trivial
incidents gives an intense naturalness to the description. "Caught," by
Ruth M. Lathrop, is a brilliant short story whose development and climax
are natural and unforced. Fiction is generally the amateur's weakest
spot, but Miss Lathrop is evidently one of the few shining exceptions.
So thoroughly excellent is _The Trail_, that we hope to see not merely a
second issue, but its permanent establishment as one of the United's
leading magazines.
_The Tryout_ for June belongs to the National, but contains much matter
by United members. "Tempora Mutantur," a very meritorious short story by
Marguerite Sisson, affords an illuminating contrast between the solid
culture of 1834 and the detestable shallowness of the present time. This
prevailing frivolity and unscholarliness is something which the United
is seeking to remedy, and we are thankful indeed for stories such as
this, which expose modern levity in all its nauseousness. It is evident
that Miss Sisson is emulating the appreciative Anne Carroll of 1834,
rather than her obtuse and indifferent descendant. "The District
School," by Edna R. Guilford, describes very vividly the many petty
annoyances that beset the average teacher. While the picture is
extremely well presented as a whole, certain roughnesses of diction
nevertheless arrest the critical eye. "Onto," in the first paragraph, is
a provincialism which should be superseded by "to." Further on we hear
the teacher admonishing a youth to wash up some ink, and "wash it
_good_"! Would a _teacher_ thus express herself? "Well" is the adverb
here needed. "Too tired _to hardly stand_" is a seriously ungrammatical
phrase, which should read: "almost too tired to stand." We note that one
of the pupils' names is given as "Robert Elsmere." While it may not be
essentially a fault thus to use the name of a famous character of
fiction, we feel that the exercise of a little more originality might
have avoided this appropriation of Mrs. Humphry Ward's celebrated hero.
Miss Guilford's fundamental talent is unmistakable, but needs
cultivation and practice before it can shine out in full splendour.
_The Tryout_ for July contains "Cripple George," a beautiful short story
by Mrs. Rose L. Elmore, commendable alike in plot and technique. "A Day
in the Mountains," by Harry H. Connell, is a very interesting sketch
whose style exhibits considerable promise.