Page 86 - Four Famous American Writers: Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe, James Russell Lowell, Bayard Taylor

There is another very interesting passage which is said to be an extract from
one of the Parson's sermons, describing the modern newspaper.

"Wonderful, to him that has eyes to see it rightly, is the newspaper. To me,

for example, sitting on the critical front bench of the pit, in my study here
in Jaalam, the advent of my weekly journal is as that of a strolling theater,
or rather of a puppet-show, on whose stage, narrow as it is, the tragedy,

comedy, and farce of life are played in little. Behold the huge earth sent to
me hebdomidally in a brown paper wrapper."

You see that what he says is very learned in its choice of words; but if you
read it carefully you will find it interesting.

But after all, Parson Wilbur is a humorous character, though he has his

sense, too. At the end of his introduction are some fragmentary notes which
are intended as a general satire on editors of books. He goes on at some
length to say that he thought he ought to have his picture printed in the

book which he professes to be editing. But he has only two likenesses, one
a black profile, the other a painting in which he is made cross-eyed. He

speaks of it as "strabismus," which sounds very learned of course, and he
goes on to explain that in actual fact this is not a bad thing, for he can
preach very directly at his congregation, and no one will think the preacher

has him particularly in his eye. He also says Mrs. Wilbur objected to having
a cross-eyed picture reproduced, and he is therefore driven to take the

position of those great people who refuse to have their features copied at
all. Then he puts in a lot of absurd genealogical notes.

At the beginning of the book there are also a number of imaginary notices
of "the independent press." Of course there are no such papers as those

mentioned, and the praise and the blame are alike satirical.

In the original volume of "Biglow Papers," part of a page at the end of these

"Notices of the Press" remained unfilled, and the printer asked Lowell if he
could not send in something to occupy that space. As poetry came easiest,

Lowell wrote a number of stanzas about "Zekle's Courtin'." There were
only six stanzas in the original edition. Lowell wrote more, but told the