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could value； and continued the fable of his fairy princeliness in the
curiosity of those humbler admirers who could not hope to be his hosts or
his fellow…guests at dinner or luncheon。 Pretty presences in the tie…
backs of the period were seen to flit before the home of virtuous
poverty； hungering for any chance sight of him which his outgoings or
incomings might give。 The chances were better with the outgoings than
with the incomings； for these were apt to be so hurried； in the final
result of his constitutional delays； as to have the rapidity of the
homing pigeon's flight； and to afford hardly a glimpse to the quickest
eye。 It cannot harm him； or any one now； to own that Harte was nearly
always late for those luncheons and dinners which he was always going out
to； and it needed the anxieties and energies of both families to get him
into his clothes； and then into the carriage where a good deal of final
buttoning must have been done； in order that he might not arrive so very
late。 He was the only one concerned who was quite unconcerned； his
patience with his delays was inexhaustible； he arrived at the expected
houses smiling； serenely jovial； radiating a bland gaiety from his whole
person； and ready to ignore any discomfort he might have occasioned。
Of course； people were glad to have him on his own terms； and it may be
truly said that it was worth while to have him on any terms。 There never
was a more charming companion； an easier or more delightful guest。
It was not from what he said； for he was not much of a talker； and almost
nothing of a story…teller； but he could now and then drop the fittest
word； and with a glance or smile of friendly intelligence express the
appreciation of another's fit word which goes far to establish for a man
the character of boon humorist。 It must be said of him that if he took
the honors easily that were paid him he took them modestly； and never by
word or look invited them； or implied that he expected them。 It was fine
to see him humorously accepting the humorous attribution of scientific
sympathies from Agassiz； in compliment of his famous epic describing the
incidents that 〃broke up the society upon the Stanislow。〃 It was a
little fearsome to hear him frankly owning to Lowell his dislike for
something over…literary in the phrasing of certain verses of 'The
Cathedral。' But Lowell could stand that sort of thing from a man who
could say the sort of things that Harte said to him of that delicious
line picturing the bobolink as he
〃Runs down a brook of laughter in the air。〃
This； Harte told him； was the line he liked best of all his lines； and
Lowell smoked well content with the praise。 Yet they were not men to get
on easily together； Lowell having limitations in directions where Harte
had none。 Afterward in London they did not meet often or willingly。
Lowell owned the brilliancy and uncommonness of Harte's gift； while he
sumptuously surfeited his passion of finding everybody more or less a Jew
by finding that Harte was at least half a Jew on his father's side； he
had long contended for the Hebraicism of his name。
With all his appreciation of the literary eminences whom Fields used to
class together as 〃the old saints；〃 Harte had a spice of irreverence that
enabled him to take them more ironically than they might have liked； and
to see the fun of a minor literary man's relation to them。 Emerson's
smoking amused him； as a Jovian self…indulgence divinely out of character
with so supreme a god； and he shamelessly burlesqued it； telling how
Emerson at Concord had proposed having a 〃wet night〃 with him over a
glass of sherry； and had urged the scant wine upon his young friend with
a hospitable gesture of his cigar。 But this was long after the Cambridge
episode； in which Longfellow alone escaped the corrosive touch of his
subtle irreverence； or； more strictly speaking； had only the effect of
his reverence。 That gentle and exquisitely modest dignity； of
Longfellow's he honored with as much veneration as it was in him to
bestow； and he had that sense of Longfellow's beautiful and perfected art
which is almost a test of a critic's own fineness。
III。
As for Harte's talk； it was mostly ironical； not to the extreme of
satire； but tempered to an agreeable coolness even for the things he
admired。 He did not apparently care to hear himself praised； but he
could very accurately and perfectly mark his discernment of excellence in
others。 He was at times a keen observer of nature and again not；
apparently。 Something was said before him and Lowell of the beauty of
his description of a rabbit； startled with fear among the ferns； and
lifting its head with the pulsation of its frightened heart visibly
shaking it； then the talk turned on the graphic homeliness of Dante's
noticing how the dog's skin moves upon it； and Harte spoke of the
exquisite shudder with which a horse tries to rid itself of a fly。
But once again； when an azalea was shown to him as the sort of bush that
Sandy drunkenly slept under in 'The Idyl of Iced Gulch'； he asked； 〃Why；
is that an azalea？〃 To be sure； this might have been less from his
ignorance or indifference concerning the quality of the bush he had sent
Sandy to sleep under than from his willingness to make a mock of an
azalea in a very small pot； so disproportionate to uses which an azalea
of Californian size could easily lend itself to。
You never could be sure of Harte； he could only by chance be caught in
earnest about anything or anybody。 Except for those slight recognitions
of literary； traits in his talk with Lowell； nothing remained from his
conversation but the general criticism he passed upon his brilliant
fellow…Hebrew Heine； as 〃rather scorbutic。〃 He preferred to talk about
the little matters of common incident and experience。 He amused himself
with such things as the mystification of the postman of whom he asked his
way to Phillips Avenue； where he adventurously supposed his host to be
living。 〃Why；〃 the postman said； 〃there is no Phillips Avenue in
Cambridge。 There's Phillips Place。〃 〃Well；〃 Harte assented； 〃Phillips
Place will do； but there is a Phillips Avenue。〃 He entered eagerly into
the canvass of the distinctions and celebrities asked to meet him at the
reception made for him； but he had even a greater pleasure in
compassionating his host for the vast disparity between the caterer's
china and plated ware and the simplicities and humilities of the home of
virtuous poverty； and he spluttered with delight at the sight of the
lofty 'epergnes' set up and down the supper…table when he was brought in
to note the preparations made in his honor。 Those monumental structures
were an inexhaustible joy to him； he walked round and round the room； and
viewed them in different perspectives； so as to get the full effect of
the towering forms that dwarfed it so。
He was a tease； as many a sweet and fine wit is apt to be； but his
teasing was of the quality of a caress； so much kindness went with it。
He lamented as an irreparable loss his having missed seeing that night an
absent…minded brother in literature； who came in rubber shoes；