Itisdoubtfulwhetherthesurvivorofanyorderofthingsfindscompensationintheprivilege，howeverundisputedbyhiscontemporaries，ofrecordinghismemoriesofit。Thisis，inthefirsttwoorthreeinstances，apleasure。Itissweettositdown，intheshadeorbythefire，andrecallnames，looks，andtonesfromthepast;andiftheAbsencesthusentreatedtobecomePresencesarethoseoffamouspeople，theylendtothefondhistorianalittleoftheirlustre，inwhichhebasksforthetimewithanagreeablesenseofcelebrity。Butanothertimecomes，andcomesverysoon，whenthepensivepleasurechangestothepainofduty，andthepreciousprivilegeconvertsitselfintoagrievousobligation。Youareunabletochooseyourcompanyamongthoseimmortalshades;ifone，whynotanother，whereallseemtohavearighttosuchgleamsofthis’dolcelome’asyourreminiscencescansheduponthem？
　　Thentheygathersorapidly，astheyearspass，inthesepalerealms，thatone，ifonecontinuestosurvive，isindangerofwearingoutsuchwelcome，greatorsmall，asmetonesrecollectionsinthefirsttwoorthreeinstances，ifonedoesone’sdutybyeach。Peoplebegintosay，andnotwithoutreason，inaworldsohurriedandweariedasthis:"Ah，hereheisagainwithhisrecollections！"Well，butiftherecollectionsbysomemagicalgood—fortunechancetoconcernsuchacontemporaryofhisas，say，BretHarte，shallnothebepartiallyjustified，oratleastexcused？
　　I。
　　MyrecollectionsofBretHartebeginwiththearrest，ontheAtlanticshore，ofthatprogressofhisfromthePacificSlope，which，inthesimpledaysof1871，wasliketheprogressofaprince，intheuniversalattentionandinterestwhichmetandfollowedit。Hewasindeedaprince，afairyprinceinwhomeveryloverofhisnovelandenchantingartfeltapatrioticproperty，forhispromiseandperformanceinthoseearliesttalesof’TheLuckofRoaringCamp’，and’Tennessee’sPartner’，and’Maggles’，and’TheOutcastsofPokerFlat’，weretheearnestsofanAmericanliteraturetocome。Ifitisstilltocome，ingreatmeasure，thatisnotHarte’sfault，forhekeptonwritingthosestories，inoneformoranother，aslongashelived。HewrotethemfirstandlastinthespiritofDickens，whichnomanofhistimecouldquitehelpdoing，buthewrotethemfromthelifeofBretHarte，onthesoilandintheairofthenewestkindofnewworld，andtheirfreshnesstookthesoulofhisfellow—countrymennotonlywithjoy，butwithpridesuchastheEuropeans，whoadoredhimmuchlonger，couldneverknowinhim。
　　WhentheadventurousyoungeditorwhohadproposedbeinghishostforCambridgeandtheBostonneighborhood，whileHartewasstillinSanFrancisco，andhadnotyetbegunhisprincelyprogresseastward，readofthehonorsthatattendedhiscomingfrompointtopoint，hiscouragefell，asifhehadperhaps，committedhimselfintoogreatanenterprise。
　　Whowashe，indeed，thatheshouldthinkofmakingthis"Dearsonofmemory，greatheiroffame，"
　　hisguest，especiallywhenheheardthatinChicagoHartefailedofattendingabanquetofhonorbecausethegiversofithadnotsentacarriagetofetchhimtoit，astheallegedusewasinSanFrancisco？
　　Whethertrueornot，anditwasprobablynottrueinjustthatform，itmusthavebeenthisrumorwhichdeterminedhishosttodriveintoBostonforhimwiththehandsomesthackwhichtheliveryofCambridgeafforded，andnottrusttothehorse—carandthelocalexpressmantogethimandhisbaggageout，ashewouldhavedonewithalessportentousguest。Howeveritwas，heinstantlylostallfearwhentheymetatthestation，andHartepressedforwardwithhiscordialhand—clasp，asifhewerenotevenafairyprince，andwiththatvoiceandlaughwhichweresurelythemostwinningintheworld。Hewasthen，asalways，achildofextremefashionastohisclothesandthecutofhisbeard，whichheworeinamustacheandthedroopingside—whiskersoftheday，andhisjovialphysiognomywasaswinningashisvoice，withitsstraightnoseandfascinatingthrustoftheunderlip，itsfineeyes，andgoodforehead，thenthicklycrownedwiththeblackhairwhichgrewearlywhite，whilehismustacheremaineddarkthemostenviableandconsolingeffectpossibleintheuniversalmortalnecessityofeitheragingordying。
　　Hewas，asonecouldnothelpseeing，thicklypitted，butafterthefirstglanceoneforgotthis，sothataladywhomethimforthefirsttimecouldsaytohim，"Mr。Harte，aren’tyouafraidtogoaboutinthecarssorecklesslywhenthereisthisscareaboutsmallpox？""No，madam，"hecouldanswerinthatrichnoteofhis，withanironytouchedbypseudo—
　　pathos，"Ibearacharmedlife。"
　　ThedriveoutfromBostonwasnottoolongforgettingontermsofpersonalfriendshipwiththefamilywhichjustfilledthehack，thetwoboysintenselyinterestedinthenoveltiesofaNewEnglandcityandsuburb，andthefatherandmothercontinuallyexchangingadmirationofsuchaspectsofnatureaspresentedthemselvesintheleaflesssidewalktrees，andpatchesofparkandlawn。Theyfoundeverythingsofine，sorefined，afterthegiganticcoarsenessofCalifornia，wherethenaturalformsweresovastthatonecouldnotgetoncompanionabletermswiththem。TheirhostheardthemwithoutmisgivingfortheworldofromancewhichHartehadbuiltupamongthosehugeforms，andwithasubtleperceptionthatthiswasnoexcursionoftheirstotheEast，butalifelongexodusfromtheexilewhichhepresentlyunderstoodtheymustalwayshavefeltCaliforniatobe。Itisdifferentnow，whenpeopleareeverydaybeingborninCalifornia，andmustbegintofeelithomefromthefirstbreath，butitisnotablethatnoneoftheCaliforniansofthatgreatearlydayhavegonebacktoliveamidthesceneswhichinspiredandprosperedthem。
　　Beforetheycameinsightoftheeditor’shumbleroofhehadmockedhimselftohisguestforhistrepidations，andHartewithburlesquemagnanimityhadconsentedtobeforthatoccasiononlysomethinglessformidablethanhehadloomedafar。Heacceptedwithjoythetheoryofpassingaweekinthehomeofvirtuouspoverty，andtheweekbeganasdelightfullyasitwenton。FromfirsttolastCambridgeamusedhimasmuchasitcharmedhimbythatairofacademicdistinctionwhichwasstrangertohimeventhantherefinedtreesandgrass。Ithasalreadybeentoldhow，afteralistofthelocalcelebritieshadbeenrecitedtohim，hesaid，"why，youcouldn’tstandonyourfrontporchandfireoffyourrevolverwithoutbringingdownatwovolumer，"andnodoubtthepleasurehehadinitwastheeffectofitscontrastwiththewildCaliforniahehadknown，andperhaps，whenhehadnotaltogetherknownit，hadinvented。
　　II。
　　Cambridgebeganverypromptlytoshowhimthosehospitalitieswhichhecouldvalue，andcontinuedthefableofhisfairyprincelinessinthecuriosityofthosehumbleradmirerswhocouldnothopetobehishostsorhisfellow—guestsatdinnerorluncheon。Prettypresencesinthetie—
　　backsoftheperiodwereseentoflitbeforethehomeofvirtuouspoverty，hungeringforanychancesightofhimwhichhisoutgoingsorincomingsmightgive。Thechanceswerebetterwiththeoutgoingsthanwiththeincomings，forthesewereapttobesohurried，inthefinalresultofhisconstitutionaldelays，astohavetherapidityofthehomingpigeon’sflight，andtoaffordhardlyaglimpsetothequickesteye。Itcannotharmhim，oranyonenow，toownthatHartewasnearlyalwayslateforthoseluncheonsanddinnerswhichhewasalwaysgoingoutto，anditneededtheanxietiesandenergiesofbothfamiliestogethimintohisclothes，andthenintothecarriagewhereagooddealoffinalbuttoningmusthavebeendone，inorderthathemightnotarrivesoverylate。Hewastheonlyoneconcernedwhowasquiteunconcerned;hispatiencewithhisdelayswasinexhaustible;hearrivedattheexpectedhousessmiling，serenelyjovial，radiatingablandgaietyfromhiswholeperson，andreadytoignoreanydiscomforthemighthaveoccasioned。
　　Ofcourse，peopleweregladtohavehimonhisownterms，anditmaybetrulysaidthatitwasworthwhiletohavehimonanyterms。Thereneverwasamorecharmingcompanion，aneasierormoredelightfulguest。
　　Itwasnotfromwhathesaid，forhewasnotmuchofatalker，andalmostnothingofastory—teller;buthecouldnowandthendropthefittestword，andwithaglanceorsmileoffriendlyintelligenceexpresstheappreciationofanother’sfitwordwhichgoesfartoestablishforamanthecharacterofboonhumorist。Itmustbesaidofhimthatifhetookthehonorseasilythatwerepaidhimhetookthemmodestly，andneverbywordorlookinvitedthem，orimpliedthatheexpectedthem。ItwasfinetoseehimhumorouslyacceptingthehumorousattributionofscientificsympathiesfromAgassiz，incomplimentofhisfamousepicdescribingtheincidentsthat"brokeupthesocietyupontheStanislow。"ItwasalittlefearsometohearhimfranklyowningtoLowellhisdislikeforsomethingover—literaryinthephrasingofcertainversesof’TheCathedral。’ButLowellcouldstandthatsortofthingfromamanwhocouldsaythesortofthingsthatHartesaidtohimofthatdeliciouslinepicturingthebobolinkashe"Runsdownabrookoflaughterintheair。"
　　This，Hartetoldhim，wasthelinehelikedbestofallhislines，andLowellsmokedwellcontentwiththepraise。Yettheywerenotmentogetoneasilytogether，LowellhavinglimitationsindirectionswhereHartehadnone。AfterwardinLondontheydidnotmeetoftenorwillingly。
　　LowellownedthebrilliancyanduncommonnessofHarte’sgift，whilehesumptuouslysurfeitedhispassionoffindingeverybodymoreorlessaJewbyfindingthatHartewasatleasthalfaJewonhisfather’sside;hehadlongcontendedfortheHebraicismofhisname。
　　WithallhisappreciationoftheliteraryeminenceswhomFieldsusedtoclasstogetheras"theoldsaints，"Hartehadaspiceofirreverencethatenabledhimtotakethemmoreironicallythantheymighthaveliked，andtoseethefunofaminorliteraryman’srelationtothem。Emerson’ssmokingamusedhim，asaJovianself—indulgencedivinelyoutofcharacterwithsosupremeagod，andheshamelesslyburlesquedit，tellinghowEmersonatConcordhadproposedhavinga"wetnight"withhimoveraglassofsherry，andhadurgedthescantwineuponhisyoungfriendwithahospitablegestureofhiscigar。ButthiswaslongaftertheCambridgeepisode，inwhichLongfellowaloneescapedthecorrosivetouchofhissubtleirreverence，or，morestrictlyspeaking，hadonlytheeffectofhisreverence。Thatgentleandexquisitelymodestdignity，ofLongfellow’shehonoredwithasmuchvenerationasitwasinhimtobestow，andhehadthatsenseofLongfellow’sbeautifulandperfectedartwhichisalmostatestofacritic’sownfineness。
　　III。
　　AsforHarte’stalk，itwasmostlyironical，nottotheextremeofsatire，buttemperedtoanagreeablecoolnessevenforthethingsheadmired。Hedidnotapparentlycaretohearhimselfpraised，buthecouldveryaccuratelyandperfectlymarkhisdiscernmentofexcellenceinothers。Hewasattimesakeenobserverofnatureandagainnot，apparently。SomethingwassaidbeforehimandLowellofthebeautyofhisdescriptionofarabbit，startledwithfearamongtheferns，andliftingitsheadwiththepulsationofitsfrightenedheartvisiblyshakingit;thenthetalkturnedonthegraphichomelinessofDante’snoticinghowthedog’sskinmovesuponit，andHartespokeoftheexquisiteshudderwithwhichahorsetriestoriditselfofafly。
　　Butonceagain，whenanazaleawasshowntohimasthesortofbushthatSandydrunkenlysleptunderin’TheIdylofIcedGulch’，heasked，"Why，isthatanazalea？"Tobesure，thismighthavebeenlessfromhisignoranceorindifferenceconcerningthequalityofthebushhehadsentSandytosleepunderthanfromhiswillingnesstomakeamockofanazaleainaverysmallpot，sodisproportionatetouseswhichanazaleaofCaliforniansizecouldeasilylenditselfto。
　　YounevercouldbesureofHarte;hecouldonlybychancebecaughtinearnestaboutanythingoranybody。Exceptforthoseslightrecognitionsofliterary，traitsinhistalkwithLowell，nothingremainedfromhisconversationbutthegeneralcriticismhepasseduponhisbrilliantfellow—HebrewHeine，as"ratherscorbutic。"Hepreferredtotalkaboutthelittlemattersofcommonincidentandexperience。HeamusedhimselfwithsuchthingsasthemystificationofthepostmanofwhomheaskedhiswaytoPhillipsAvenue，whereheadventurouslysupposedhishosttobeliving。"Why，"thepostmansaid，"thereisnoPhillipsAvenueinCambridge。There’sPhillipsPlace。""Well，"Harteassented，"PhillipsPlacewilldo;butthereisaPhillipsAvenue。"Heenteredeagerlyintothecanvassofthedistinctionsandcelebritiesaskedtomeethimatthereceptionmadeforhim，buthehadevenagreaterpleasureincompassionatinghishostforthevastdisparitybetweenthecaterer’schinaandplatedwareandthesimplicitiesandhumilitiesofthehomeofvirtuouspoverty;andhesplutteredwithdelightatthesightofthelofty’epergnes’setupanddownthesupper—tablewhenhewasbroughtintonotethepreparationsmadeinhishonor。Thosemonumentalstructureswereaninexhaustiblejoytohim;hewalkedroundandroundtheroom，andviewedthemindifferentperspectives，soastogetthefulleffectofthetoweringformsthatdwarfeditso。
　　Hewasatease，asmanyasweetandfinewitisapttobe，buthisteasingwasofthequalityofacaress，somuchkindnesswentwithit。