In 1859 or 1860, Mr. Burroughs began to contribute to the columns
of the "Saturday Press," an organ of the literary bohemians in
New York, edited by Henry Clapp. These were fragmentary things
of a philosophical cast, and were grouped under the absurd title
"Fragments from the Table of an Intellectual Epicure," by "All
Souls." There were about sixty of these fragments. I have
examined most of them; some are fanciful and far-fetched; some are
apt and felicitous; but all foreshadow the independent thinker and
observer, and show that this "Intellectual Epicure" was feeding on
strong meat and assimilating it.
I assume that it will interest the reader who knows Mr. Burroughs
only as the practiced writer of the past fifty years to see some of
his first sallies into literature, to trace the unlikeness to his
present style, and the resemblances here and there. Accordingly I
subjoin some extracts by "All Souls" from the time-stained pages of
the New York "Saturday Press" of 1859 and 1860:--
A principle of absolute truth, pointed with fact and feathered with
fancy, and shot from the bow-string of a master intellect, is one
of the most potent things under the sun. It sings like a bird of
peace to those who are not the object of its aim, but woe, woe to
him who is the butt of such terrible archery!
For a thing to appear heavy to us, it is necessary that we have
heft to balance against it; to appear strong, it is necessary that
we have strength; to appear great, it is necessary that we have
an idea of greatness.
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