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the OVERLAND MONTHLY would furnish the requisite articles for the to refer to its earlier his more than fourteen years her of this magazine was number having been

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On the other hand, it was urged that the truth of these propositions could not be demonstrated without an experiment. There was no other way of finding out how large a reading constituency could be obtained, what solid sympathy and encourageinent the enterprise would receive, and especially how large a number of contributors might be found who would give interest and character to the magazine. There had been a time when the proportion of educated men to the population in California was greater than in any other State. This condition had not greatly changed. Scholarship and culture were concealed in mining camps, in logging camps, and on remote ranches. The professions only represented a fraction of the whole number. There were bright and ready writers in the army and navy represented on this cost; and there were not a few women who in nooks and corners of the great, State Lad the intellectual freshness and inspiration of a new and better environment. Here was the dormant capital; could it be made available for the new monthly?

As it was a part of the plan of Mr.

Roman to tender the editorship of the magazine to Bret Harte, he was early sounded by the prospective publisher as to his views. Harte liked the plan, but had no great faith in its success. His doubts were such as had already been outlined. His own experience in the publishing business was still fresh in his recollection. At a later day a contributor to the OVERLAND described it in this way: "It is a curious fact that when Harte had brought forth his first book, with the modest title of 'Outcroppings,' it was pelted from one end of the State to the other. It did not contain a poem of his own. But it did contain samples of the best poetry other than his own, which had been produced in California. His critics, catching the suggestion of the title, flung at him porphyry, granite, and barren quartz, but never a rock containing a grain of gold. He might have put a torpedo into a couple of stanzas, and extinguished them all. But he saw the humorous side of the assault, and enjoyed it with a keener zest than any of his assailants."

When it was evident that the publisher would go on with the enterprise, Harte agreed to become the editor, but not until he had sounded a number of his friends, and obtained a conditional promise to become contributors. The condition was that, in case there was a lack of other contributors, these friends would fill the gaps for six months. Some of their names are recalled; viz., W. C. Bartlett, Noah Brooks, Samuel Williams, George B. Merrill, Benj. P. Avery, and W. V. Wells. Three of this number have since deceased. It is probable that some others made like pledges, but their

names do not occur to us now.

There were many conferences about the typographical appearance of the monthly, even to the shade of its cover, and especially as to the vignette. Harte had early selected the name, OVERLAND MONTHLY. But the bear on the railway track gave him much trouble. A number of figures were cut and stereotyped, before a genuine Californian bear could be made to assume the right position and the right expression on the track. Harte

was as fastidious abou: this choice as he ys about a sentence of hs; most telling pr or a line of his poetry. At last, the righ bear was found, and was figured upon the OVERLAND cover for many a year.

Arrangements having been completed in June, it was settled that the OVERLAND should appear early in Jaly, and should, at least, be carried through the six months of that year, the numbers forming a sing! volume-the first, and perhaps the last Harte entered upon his editorial work, not at all sanguine of success. He could not quite forget the rocks thrown at his "Outcroppings." But he was fortified, with pledges of help. He held the position of private secretary to R. B. Swain, then superintendent of the mint in San Francisco. The duties were not onerous, and the compensation was liberal. Mr. Swain had himself said that he had installed Harle in that position "in order that he might have better opportunities for literary work." About the first thing which the new edito did after settling the mechanical details of the OVERLAND, was to call upon all those who had made specific pledges to come forward immediately and show their hands in the first number. That was a "stunner" for some of them, who pleaded for delay. But the aditor was inexorable, and brought his victims into line at once.

It may be of some interest, ater a lapse of fourteen years and six mons to nole here the contents of this init number. Some of the contributors whxpected to be last found themselves near the front, where, in their view, they would be exposed to the full fire of criticism The subjects and arrangement we're as follows A Breeze from the Woods.. Longing....

High Noon of Empire.
By Rail through France.
Art Beginnings on the Pacific

Portland-on-Wallamet..

In the Sierras..
Charles
The Diamond Maker of Sacramento

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Family Resemblances and D
San Francisco from the Sea.
Favoring Female Conventuals.

Hawaiian Civilization...
Dos Reales....
Eight Days at Thebes.
A Leaf from a Chinese Novel.

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Then came the "Etc.," with the touch and flavor of Harte. He gives some reason for the name which he has chosen for the magazine: "I might prove that there was safety, at least, in the negative goodness of our present homely Anglo-Saxon title. But is there nothing more? Turn your eyes to the map made but a few years ago. Do you see this vast interior basin of the continent, on which the boundaries of States and Territories are less distinct than the names of wandering Indian tribes? Do you see this broad zone reaching from Virginia City to St. Louis, as yet only dotted by telegraph stations, but of whose locality we are profoundly ignorant? Here creeps the railroad, each day drawing the West and East together. . . . . Shall not the route be represented as well as the termini? And where our people travel, that is the highway of our thought. Will the trains be freighted only with merchandise? and shall we exchange nothing but goods? Will not our civilization gain by the subtle inflowing current of eastern refinement? and shall we not by the same channel throw into eastern exclusiveness something of our own breadth and liberality? And if so, what could be more appropriate for the title of a literary magazine than to call it after this broad highway?

"The bear who adorns the cover may be an 'ill-favored' beast, whom 'women cannot abide'; but he is honest withal. Take him, if you please, as the symbol of local primitive barbarism. He is crossing the track of the Pacific Railroad, and has paused a moment to look at the coming engine of civilization and progress-which moves like a good many other engines of civilization and progress, with a prodigious shrieking and puffing-and apparently recognizes his rival and his doom.. As a cub, he is playful and boisterous; and I have often thought was not a bad symbol of our San Francisco climate. Look at him well, for he is passing away. Fifty years, and he will be as extinct as the dodo or dinornis." In that way the bear was dedicated and consecrated to OVERLAND literature.

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It is noteworthy that the first two books reviewed were written by Californians; viz., "Going to Jericho," by John F. Swift; and "The Natural Wealth of California," by Titus F. Cronise.

When the first number of the OVERLAND was laid upon the counters of the bookstores, the contributors were admonished to "walk softly and to hold their breath." Where were the rocks which had been pitched at "Outcroppings." Not a single missile was thrown. The magazine passed the ordeal of the critics, and was received with generous commendation. Harte himself breathed a little freer. The literary craft had not stuck on the ways. It had been successfully launched, and floated handsomely. But how long could it be The publisher was sanguine Curiosity would stimulate purchasers of the first number.

kept afloat? of success.

Harte had contributed two poems to this number-both good, though not his best. They can be found now in the latest edition of his works. The poems had a local flav and besides other qualities were speciale adapted to the initial number. Some of stanzas in "San Francisco from the S contain an indictment, and others a pro 1ecy. They are clean cut in expression, a are here and there thrust strongly aga the horizon; these especially:

"Upon thy heights so lately won
Still slant the banners of the sun.

"Thou seest the white seas strike their tents, O Warder of two Continents.

"Drop down, O fleecy Fog, and hide Her skeptic sneer, and all her pride! "Wrap her, O Fog, in gown and hood Of her Franciscan brotherhood.

"Hide me her faults, her sin and blame;
With thy gray mantle cloak her shame!
"So shall she, cowled, sit and pray
Till morning bears her sins away.

"Then rise, O fleecy Fog, and raise
The glory of her coming days;
"Be as the cloud that flecks the seas
Above her smoking argosies."

Mr. Harte contributed at least one poem for each of the first six numbers of the OVERLAND, although only four of them are indexed, two or more appearing in "Etc."; viz., “Returned,” and “The Arsenical Spring of San Joaquin." That was about the average of his poetical contributions for many months thereafter. Ina D. Coolbrith contributed a poem to each number of the first volume, and Charles Warren Stoddard con. tributed the same number. These, with one exception, were all the poems which appeared in that volume. Harte's critical taste was sure to arrest a weak or doubtful poem. These accumulated in his "Baalam box," or were returned "with thanks." He was alike critical and severe in his judgment of his own poetry. He would frequently hold a poem of his own back for weeks, with doubts about its actual merits. "The Heathen Chinee" seasoned many a day in his drawer before it appeared in type. If his poems were lodged and waited long in the court of his own conscience, it was not surprising that the same judgment sifted the poems of contributors, or that the average quality of such as appeared in the OVERLAND was frequently higher than poems appearing contemporaneously in eastern magazines.

"The Luck of Roaring Camp" appeared in the second number, and occupied the last place in the list of prose contributions. The printing had been delayed by a question which had been raised about the expediency of including the article in that number. Some ludicrous accounts have been given from time to time of the conferences held touching that contribution. Some of them have the color of truth in them, and the rest were pure fiction. The first number having been well received, and in a quarter, too, where the least favor was expected, the publisher was naturally anxious to retain his hold of the public, and to advance to a still stronger position. He had most at stake. His money was in the venture, and the reputation of his house was in a sense pledged for the character of the magazine. He was without experience in that department of literature, and the writers

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The "three persons" to whom the article was submitted were all warm friends of the author. They saw at once that, in miners' parlance, he had struck a new vein, and that it was very rich. But they did not see at once what estimate a Californian public would put upon this uncovered treasure. They were fully justified in the doubt by the assaults which had a little while before been made upon the author's venture in 'Outcroppings," and by an extreme forwardness on the part of many good people to raise a warning cry against "ungodly literature." Antagonisms which would be quite harmless at a later day might be nearly or quite fatal just then. How would a new community treat the new evangel of literature? Would they caress him, or would they stone him? The prophet is not always honored in his own country and among his kindred. Was it a wonder that these friends, while they did not doubt the transcendent genius which had inspired the article, and that some day it would be recognized, had a conservative doubt about the manner in which it would be received in a community where as yet there was no certain standard of literary judgment? Up to that date the magazine was not known abroad, and no reference could be made to any judgment which might be formed of the article at a distance. They were anxious that this literary infant should not be killed until it had reached some maturity, and was able to double up its fists and strike back with good, sturdy blows. These "friends," a unit as to the merits of the article, referred the matter to the publisher and editor, where it properly belonged.

The article was published, and it neither.

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