States, he began at the bottom of the ladder and has worked his way
to the top. After receiving a meagre education at a village school,
he was apprenticed to a printer at the age of thirteen, and for
three years “stuck type.” In 1851 he took to the Mississippi,
earning his living as a pilot, and later on tried mining and
editing. Under the pseudonym “Mark Twain” he began to publish the
work which has earned for him the right to be considered the
greatest humorous writer of the century. _The Jumping Frog and other
Sketches_ was his first book, appearing in 1867, and this he has
followed with a splendid line of successes down to _The American
Claimant_, which has just appeared. Messrs. Chatto & Windus publish
his works in England, and Webster & Co. in America.
CLIFTON, WILLIAM (1772-1799), a satirical writer of prose and verse.
Author of _The Group_, _The Rhapsody of the Times_, and an
unfinished poem, “Chimeriad.”
COTES, MRS. E. C., “SARAH JEANNETTE DUNCAN” (1863). Miss Duncan, a
native of Brantford, Ontario, Canada, did her first literary work on
the _Toronto Globe_, and, after occupying positions on the staff of
the _Globe_ and _Washington Post_, spent a session at Ottawa as
special correspondent of the _Montreal Star_. This newspaper
training is clearly shown in her two clever books, _A Social
Departure_ and _An American Girl in London_. The first is an
original and wholly unconventional account of travel, telling how
she, in company with another girl, went round the world. The other
book is an equally bright description of her doings in London.
COX, SAMUEL SULLIVAN (“SUNSET COX”), born 1824, and died 1889. A lawyer,
journalist, and politician. He served the United States as
diplomatist in Peru and Turkey, and wrote and spoke much that was
witty. He published _The Buck-Eye Abroad_, _Why We Laugh_, _A Search
for Winter Sunbeams_, _Arctic Sunbeams_, _Orient Sunbeams_, and _The
Isles of the Princes_—the last three bright and laughable accounts
of his travels in many lands. They are published by G. P. Putnam’s
Sons, New York and London.
COX, WILLIAM, died about 1851. Author of _Crayon Sketches_. He wrote
under the pseudonym “An Amateur.”
COZZENS, FREDERICK SWARTOUT (1818-1869), author of _The Sayings of Dr.
Bushwhacker and other Learned Men_, and _The Sparrowgrass Papers_. A
genuine humorist and graceful writer. Some of his work was published
under the pen-name “Richard Haywarde.”
CURTIS, GEORGE WILLIAM (1824-1892). As the “Easy Chair” in _Harper’s
Magazine_, Mr. Curtis’ work was familiar to a wide circle of readers
throughout the English-speaking world. His writings are all
brightened by a vein of refined and genial humour. His chief works
are_ Nile Notes_, _The Howadji in Syria_, _Lotus-Eating_, _Potiphar
Papers_, _Prue and I_, and _Trumps_.
DERRING, NATHANIEL (1791-1881), a playwright of note and humorous story
writer. Author of _Bozzaris_ and _The Clairvoyants_.
DE MILLE, JAMES, Canadian (1837-1880). He began his career as a humorous
writer while still at school, his writings appearing in New
Brunswick papers. In 1860 he was appointed to the Chair of Classics
in Acadia College, and four years later that of history and rhetoric
in Dalhousie College, Halifax, holding the position till his death.
He published, during his comparatively short lifetime, more than
twenty books, of which _The Dodge Club_ found the most readers.
DENNIE, JOSEPH (1768-1812), a lawyer who thought better of it, and
adopted literature as a profession. In 1801 he became editor of the
_Portfolio_, and, under the _nom de plume_ “Oliver Old School,”
edited and wrote for it till his death. His _Short Sermons for Idle
Readers_ are rich in humour.
DEPEW, CHAUNCEY MITCHELL, born 1834. He entered politics before 1860,
and has stayed in ever since. He is President of the New York
Central Railway, the right-hand man of the Republican party, and
America’s most famous facetious after-dinner speaker and
story-teller.
DERBY, GEORGE HORATIO (“JOHN PHŒNIX”), 1823-1861, a graduate of West
Point, and served in the war with Mexico, receiving a severe wound
in the battle of Cerro Gordo. He explored Minnesota territory in
1849, and after holding many important government positions, was
made captain of engineers. He died from effects produced by
sunstroke. Under the pseudonym “John Phœnix,” he wrote the first of
what may be called newspaper humour. His _Phœnixiana_ and _The
Squibob Papers_ have been published on both sides the Atlantic.
DIAZ, MRS. ABBY (1821), a humorous writer for the young; author of
_Chronicles of the Stimpcett Family_, _The William Henry Letters_,
etc.
DODGE, H. C., a writer of newspaper verse, ready with his rhymes, but
whose chief ingenuity is displayed in the typographical arrangements
of his verse.
DOUGLASS, WILLIAM, a Scotsman who made America his home in 1718. He was
a famous satirist in his day.
DOWE, MRS. JENNIE, E. T. Her best work is to be found in the _Century
Magazine_, where she, every now and again, fills a page or two with
graceful and fantastical verse, usually employing a slight dialect
of one sort or another. Her poems are full of life and music, and
are decidedly clever.
DRAKE, JOSEPH RODMAN (1795-1820), co-author with Halleck of the _Croaker
Papers_, and author of _The Culprit Fay_.
DRUMMOND, DR. W. H., a resident of Montreal, Canada. He is a master of
the French-Canadian dialect, and in verse has the field pretty much
to himself. His _Wreck of the Julie Plante_ is the most popular
humorous song Canada has produced.
DUNCAN, SARAH JEANNETTE. _See_ COTES, MRS.
DUNLOP, WILLIAM, born in Scotland 1795 (?), died in Canada 1848. He
contributed to _Blackwood’s Magazine_ “The Autobiography of a Rat,”
founded the Toronto Literary Society, and represented Huron County
in the first parliament after the union of Upper and Lower Canada.
DWIGHT, TIMOTHY (1752-1817), President of Yale College, and hymn-writer
of note. Among his many published works is _Triumph of Infidelity_,
a satire.
EDWARDS, EDWARD E., the author of “Facts and Fancies” in the _Boston
Transcript_.
FAY, THEODORE SEDGEWICK, born 1807, an associate of Morris and Willis in
the _New York Mirror_. Mr. Fay, about 1830, joined the diplomatic
service, and was stationed at Berlin and Berne for years. He
published many works of a quietly humorous character.
FESSENDEN, THOMAS GREEN (1771-1837). When at Dartmouth College he wrote
“Jonathan’s Courtship,” a ballad which became popular, and was
reprinted in England. He studied law and wrote humorous verse until
1801, when he was sent to England with a newly-patented hydraulic
machine which proved a failure. This and other patents in which he
experimented ruined him. Returning to America, he edited for a time
the _New York Weekly Inspector_, and from this time till his death
was connected with one paper or another. His published works include
_Democracy Unveiled_, “Pills, Poetical, Political, and
Philosophical, prescribed for the purpose of purging the Public
of—Philosophers, Penny Poetasters, of Paltry Politicians and Petty
Partisans. By Peter Pepperbox, Poet and Physician, Philadelphia.”
FIELD, EUGENE (1850). During the year 1891 Mr. Field made a successful
_début_ before the reading public of Great Britain with his _Little
Book of Western Verse_, and _Little Book of Profitable Tales_,
published by Osgood, McIlvain, & Co. For many years past Mr. Field
has been the chief humorist of Chicago, and in verse and prose holds
an honoured place among the present-day writers of America. He is
equally at home in prose and verse.
FIELD, MATTHEW C. (1812-1844), a contributor to many southern journals
from 1834 till the time of his death.
FIELDS, JAMES THOMAS (1817-1881). He edited the _Atlantic Monthly_ for
eleven years, and wrote several volumes of prose and clever humorous
verse. He was partner in the publishing house of Ticknor & Fields.
FINN, HENRY J. (1782-1840), an actor, miniature painter, and humorist.
He was lost in the burning of the steamer _Lexington_.
FOLGER, PETER (1617-1690), grandfather of Benjamin Franklin, published a
satirical attack on the follies of the day, under the extensive
title of _A Looking-glass for the Times; or, the Former Spirit of
New England Revised in this Generation_.
FOSS, SAM WALTER (1858), editor of the _Yankee Blade_. Although his
poems are as widely quoted on one side the Atlantic as the other,
they have not yet appeared in book form in England.
FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN (1706-1790) It is difficult to say what Franklin was
not, and there can be no question of his being the best-informed man
of his day. Along with his other virtues, he was a humorist, and
sparkling witty in conversation and writing. He was the first
American to achieve cosmopolitan fame as a writer.
FRENEAU, PHILIP (1752-1832). He commenced to write poetry before he left
college, and continued to do so all his life. As a consequence, his
published works are many. His reputation as a humorist rests to a
great extent on “A Journey from Philadelphia to New York, by Robert
Slender, Stocking-Weaver,” published 1787.
GOLDSMITH, JAY CHARLTON, the “P.I. Man” of the _New York Herald_, and
the author of the “Jay Charlton” papers which appeared in the
_Danbury News_.
GRAYDON, ALEXANDER (1752-1818). Graydon served in the War of
Independence, was taken prisoner; when peace was restored was
appointed to a government office, which he held for many years. He
wrote his memoirs, and was an epigrammatist of note.
GREEN, JOSEPH (1706-1780), a writer of verse, chiefly parody. His
“Poet’s Lament for the Loss of his Cat, which he used to call his
Mews,” published in the _London Magazine_, 1733, and “The Wonderful
Lament of Old Mr. Tenor,” are the most notable of his productions.
He died in England.
GREENE, ALBERT GORTON (1802-1868), founder of the Providence Athenæum,
and president of the Rhode Island Historical Society from 1854 till
his death. His poem, “Old Grimes,” has appeared in almost every
collection of American humour published.
GREGORY W. H., working editor of _Judge_, and a brilliant paragraphist.
GRISWOLD, A. MINOR (_nom de guerre_, “The Fat Contributor”), first made
his name on the _Cincinnati Enquirer_, and afterwards became
identified with _Texas Siftings_. In 1889 he started on a lecturing
tour à la Artemus Ward, and died in Michigan.
HABBERTON, JOHN, born 1842. The author of _Helen’s Babies_. He served
through the war, and after an unsuccessful attempt to establish
himself in business he took up journalism. In 1876, after several
refusals, he found a publisher for _Helen’s Babies_, and the result
was a sale of close on half a million copies in the United States
alone. Since that time he has published a dozen or more books, most
of them successes.
HALE, LUCRETIA PEABODY, born 1820. Her _Peterkim Papers_, published in
America by Osgood & Co., Boston, made her famous with the young folk
of America, but the reader must be young to enjoy the skits.
HALIBURTON, THOMAS CHANDLER (1797-1865), Canada’s most famous humorist.
Was admitted to the bar in Nova Scotia at the age of twenty-three,
and nine years later was made Chief Justice of the Court of Common
Pleas, and in 1840 Judge of the Supreme Court. In 1842 he resigned
this office and settled in England, sitting in Parliament as
Conservative member for Launceston from 1859 to 1865. It was in the
year 1835 he commenced writing his humorous works that made the name
of “Sam Slick” famous the world over. His first production was T_he
Clockmaker; or, The Sayings and Doings of Sam Slick_; and this he
followed up with _Bubbles of Canada_, _Letter Bag of the Great
Western_, _Yankee Stories_, _Nature and Human Nature_, etc.
HALLECK, FITZ-GREENE (1790-1867), a descendant of John Eliot, “The
Apostle of the Indians.” In 1819 he and John Rodman Drake published
the _Croaker Papers_, humorous and satirical, which attracted much
attention at the time. These papers he followed with “Fanny,” his
longest poem, hitting off the follies of the day. These are his
chief contributions to humorous literature.
HALPINE, CHARLES GRAHAM (1829-1868), “Miles O’Reilly,” a verse-writer.
Established with “Mrs. Partington” a humorous paper called _The
Carpet Bag_, which proved a failure. He enlisted during “the war,”
and worked his way up until he finally became a colonel. He issued
_Life and Adventures, Songs, Services, and Speeches of Private Miles
O’Reilly, 47th Regiment, New York Volunteers_, and _A Collection of
Essays, Poems, Speeches, and Banquets by Private Miles O’Reilly.
Collected, Revised, and Edited, with the Requisite Corrections of
Punctuation, Spelling, and Grammar, by an ex-Colonel of the
Adjutant-General’s Department, etc._
HARRIS, CHARLES H., “Carl Pretzel,” born 1833. Author of _Pretzelisms,
My Book of Expressions_, etc., humorous compilations in Dutch
dialect.
HARRIS, JOEL CHANDLER, born 1848. The greatest exponent of the negro
dialect. In the columns of the _Atlanta Constitution_, of which he
is editor and part proprietor, his _Uncle Remus_ sketches first saw
the light, and proved enormously successful. His humour is delicate
and fascinating, and as a consequence the _Remus_ series of books
have had a world-wide circulation. No lover of the humorous should
overlook Mr. Harris’s work. American publishers, Appleton & Co.
HARTE, FRANCIS BRET, born 1836. Taking full advantage of his unique
acquaintance with the West of America during the stirring days of
’49, when, in California, he was in turn gold-digger, express-rider,
printer, and editor, Bret Harte has given to the world volume after
volume of short stories which picture in an inimitable way the
manners and men of the gold days. No writer is more
characteristically American than he; his style is vivid and
beautiful, and he has a wonderful fund of humour, which appears in
every line he writes. His published works, prose and verse, are
many. Messrs. Chatto & Windus have recently published a complete
edition of his writings. American publishers, Houghton, Mifflin, &
Co.
HAWTHORNE, NATHANIEL (1804-1864). Like most men of exceptional worth in
literature; he found great difficulty at first in getting his work
published. After writing and destroying many tales, he published, at
his own expense, a novel entitled _Fanshawe_, which proved a
failure; and it was not until 1837 that he, or rather a friend,
induced a publisher to bring out _Twice-told Tales_. In the spring
of 1850 appeared _The Scarlet Letter_, which raised the author from
obscurity to the front rank of American literature, and the works
which followed established his position in the letters of his
country.
HAY, COLONEL JOHN, born 1838, one of President Lincoln’s private
secretaries during the war, and has since in collaboration written a
history of the martyr-president. His reputation for humour was made
by a small volume of verse entitled _Pike Country Ballads_. Best
known of these ballads are “Little Breeches” and “Jim Bludso,” both
strong pieces of verse.
HENDERSON, WILLIAM JAMES, born 1855, a New York journalist who has
written much pleasant verse and prose.
HOLLAND, JOSIAH GILBERT (1819-1881). For some time editor of _Scribner’s
Monthly_ (now the _Century_), and a writer who, though judged from a
literary point of view is quite second class, still is popular with
the reading public of America. He wrote a number of articles under
the _nom de plume_ of “Timothy Titcomb.”
HOLLEY, MARIETTA. Under the pseudonym of “Josiah Allen’s Wife” she wrote
a great deal of humorous matter. Author of _My Opinions and Betsey
Bobbet’s_, _My Wayward Partner_, _Josiah Allen’s Wife as a P. A. and
P.I._, etc.
HOLMES, DR. OLIVER WENDELL, born 1809, physician, novelist, essayist,
and poet, began literary work at an early age, and for more than
half a century has written industriously and with consistent
success. The _Breakfast-Table_ series is among the most read of all
America’s humorous writings, and various short poems of a humorous
nature, such as “The One-Hoss Shay,” “Contentment,” “The Spectre
Pig,” etc., are in every compilation of humour. His chief works are
_The Autocrat at the Breakfast-Table_, _The Professor at the
Breakfast-Table_, _The Poet at the Breakfast-Table_, _Songs of Many
Seasons_, _Songs in Many Keys_. He is one of the small band of
humorists who are as carefully read and highly appreciated in the
United Kingdom as in their native land. American publishers,
Houghton, Mifflin, & Co.
HOOPER, JOHNSON, J. (1815-1863), a native of North Carolina, studied law
in Alabama, was made a judge, and in 1861 appointed Secretary of the
Provisional Confederate Congress. He published _Widow Rugby’s
Husband and Adventures of Captain Simon Suggs_. Clever, but somewhat
broad in humour.
HOPKINS, LEMUEL (1750-1801), one of the “Hartford Wits,” and co-author
and projector of _The Anarchiad_, a poem on State Rights, cuttingly
sarcastic. He also wrote _The Echo_, _The Political Greenhouse_, and
_New Year’s Verses_, all full of sarcasm.
HOPKINSON, FRANCIS (1737-1791), a telling, sarcastic writer, widely read
in his lifetime, and author of the poem, “The Battle of the Kegs,”
which remains famous. He was one of those who signed the Declaration
of Independence. His son wrote “Hail, Columbia.”
HOWARD, BRONSON (1842). The most successful American dramatist of the
day, and almost the only American whose plays command attention in
England. His plays, _Saratoga_, _Truth_, _The Old Love and the New_,
_Young Mrs. Winthrope_, _The Henrietta_, and others are full of
humour, and have been successful on both sides the Atlantic.
HOWELLS, WILLIAM DEAN, born 1837. He is now America’s representative
novelist, and has qualified for representation in a humorous book by
his comedies, _Out of the Question_, _A Counterfeit Presentment_,
_The Parlour Car_, _The Sleeping Car_, etc. He is an industrious
writer. D. Douglas, Edinburgh, in his American author series, has
included twenty-five of Mr. Howells’ works. The extract given in
this book is from _A Chance Acquaintance_. American publishers,
Houghton, Mifflin, & Co., and Osgood & Co.
HOYT, CHARLES, humorous paragraphist of the _Boston Post_, the paper, by
the way, which is credited with having originated the column of
witty paragraphs now so popular with American and British papers.
HUMPHREYS, DAVID (1752-1818), served as aide-de-camp to Washington, and
wrote lyrics of a patriotic nature for the good of the cause. He was
an intimate friend of the first president, residing with and being
treated as a member of the Washington family, and held many
positions of trust. He was one of the famous “Hartford Wits.”
HUNTER-DUVAR, LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JOHN (1830), one of the principal
literary men of Canada, his work polished, bright, and full of
imagination. His “Emigration of the Fairies,” a poem of 117 stanzas
of six lines each, is quite the best piece of verse as regards
light, fantastical, imaginative humour that Canada has produced.
Many of his lyrics are dainty and sweet, with a seventeenth century
ring about them. He has published in verse _De Roberval_, a drama
dealing with early life in Canada, _The Triumph of Constancy_, _The
Enamorado_, and for private circulation, _John a’ Var, his Lays_.
HUNTLEY, STANLEY. In 1881 Mr. Huntley joined the staff of the _Brooklyn
Eagle_, to which paper he contributed his famous “Spoopendyke”
articles. He died before he had the opportunity of following up his
success.
IRVING, JOHN TREAT (1778-1838), a writer of sarcastic political verse.
IRVING, WASHINGTON (1783-1859), author of those undying works of
delightful and quaint humour, _Rip Van Winkle_, _Sketch Book_,
_History of New York by Diedrich Knickerbocker_, etc. A hospitable,
vivacious, good-natured, humorous man, who, at the opening of his
career, was much harassed by business worries, and it was not until
his books had scattered his fame broadcast, and the revenue from his
writings began to accrue to him, that he could lead the life of
hearty hospitality and freedom he loved. He was one of the small
band of American authors which first attracted attention outside of
their own country, and established the literary reputation of
America.
IKE MARVEL. _See_ MITCHELL, D. G.
JAMES, HENRY (1843). His stories are slight in plot, but worked out
gracefully, and full of character delineation, vivacious, and witty.
JOHNSTON, RICHARD MALCOLM, born 1822, a native of Georgia, author of
_The Dukesborough Tales_ and _Mark Langston_.
JOSIAH ALLEN’S WIFE. _See_ HOLLEY.
KEELER, RALPH (1840-1873). Mr. Keeler had an adventurous career, running
away from home when a lad, serving as cabin-boy on a lake steamer,
train-boy on a railway, joining several bands of strolling
minstrels, worked in a post-office, visited Europe, and supported
himself by correspondence with newspapers and lecturing. He
published _Three Years a Negro Minstrel_, _A Tour of Europe on
$181_, _Gloverson and his Silent Partners_ (from which “A Breach of
Promise Case” in this volume is taken), and _Vagabond Adventures_.
He mysteriously disappeared while doing newspaper work in Cuba, and
it is supposed he was murdered and thrown overboard from a steamer.
KELLY, ANDREW W. (“PHARMENAS MIX”), died 1888. A writer of humorous
poetry, which appeared in the _Century Magazine_, _Detroit Free
Press_, etc.
KERR, ORPHEUS C. _See_ NEWELL.
KIMBALL, MATHER DEAN (1849), a Wisconsin journalist who has written some
dialect pieces of merit.
LANDON, MELVILLE D., “ELI PERKINS,” born 1840. In 1871 he published his
first book, a detailed history of the Franco-German war, and
afterwards began writing in a lighter vein for various publications,
among them the _Chicago Tribune_.
LANIGAN, GEORGE THOMAS (1845-1886), a Canadian journalist who drifted
across the borders, and who, after filling important positions on
the staff of many of the great American newspapers, died in
Philadelphia. He was a brilliant and versatile journalist, and his
poems, “The Ahkoond of Swat” and “Dirge of the Moolta Kotal,” are
masterpieces of oddness of theme and wording.
LELAND, CHARLES GODFREY (1824). Best known to lovers of the humorous as
the author of the laughable _Breitmann Ballads_. Since fifteen years
of age Mr. Leland has been busy with his pen, and there is no
greater authority on folk-lore, superstition, and legend than he. He
has written many volumes of verse, sketches of travel, etc., and is
still (1893) hard at work.
LEWIS, CHARLES B., “M QUAD,” born 1842. The creator of _His Honor and
Bijah_, his first great success; _The Lime Kiln Club_, with all its
comical darkey characters; _Carl Dunder_, the unsophisticated
Dutchman who is always being “shwindled”; _The Arisona Kicker_,
whose editor keeps a private graveyard; and _Mr. and Mrs. Bowser_.
“M Quad” is without question the greatest newspaper humorist of
America. His style is deliciously original; he can write weekly for
years on the same subject without wearying the reader. “Quad” is
popularly known as the _Detroit Free Press_ man, from his long
connection with that weekly.
LIGHTHALL WILLIAM DOUW, born 1857. His _Songs of the Great Dominion_, a
collection of verse by various Canadian writers, attracted
considerable attention in this kingdom. His works are, _An Analysis
of the Altruistic Act_, _Sketch of a New Utilitarianism_, _Thoughts,
Moods, and Ideas_ (a collection of verse), and a novel, _The Young
Seigneur_. He has paid little attention to humorous writing.
LOCKE, DAVID ROSS, “PETROLEUM V. NASBY” (1833-1888). A political
humorist and satirical writer, whose works have left their
impression on American political life. He was editor of the _Toledo
Blade_. His principal published works are, _Swinging Round the
Circle_, _The Moral History of Americans Little Struggle_, and _A
Paper City_.
LOGAN, JOHN E., a Canadian who, under the _nom de guerre_ of “Barry
Dane,” has written some clever humorous pieces. _See_ Lighthall’s
_Songs of the Great Dominion_.