Show JOHN BULLS HUMOR It Is of the Fat Witted Kind What Americans Amer-icans Think of It Hawthorne observing Englishmen in England speaks of them as heavy witted Emerson alludes to their saving stupidity Howells has introduced intro-duced to us some typical specimens of English respectability and rank baffled in their chase after American humor but on the scent and arriving at tho point of appreciation after considerable silent thought sometimes lasting into the next day and here is the testimony of Lowell from his recently published Letters In a letter written in 1889 from England to Professor Norton he thus explains the warm reception given to Bs slaJBajLby London society I But I think the true key to this eagerness for lionseven of the poodle ortis tho dullness of tho average English mind I never come back here without being struck with it Henry James said it always stupefied him at first when ho came back from tho continent con-tinent What it craves beyond everything i every-thing is a sensation anything that will I serve as a Worcestershire sauce to its sluggish palate We of finer and more touchy fiber get our sensations cheaper and do not find Wordsworths emotion over a common flower so very Wonderful Wonder-ful People are dull enough on our sido of tho ocean stream also God wot but hero unless I know my people I never dare to let my mind gambol Most of them if I ever do look on like the famous fa-mous deaf man at the dancers wondering wonder-ing to what music I am capering They call us superficial Let us thank God dear Charles that our nerves are nearer tho surface not so deeply embedded in fat or muscle that wit must take a pitchfork pitch-fork to us Outlook |