The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 2, May, 1851Various
History
The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 2, May, 1851
Various
Art, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- History -- Periodicals
post-office himself, never dreaming that Cranberry would publish it, but
merely anticipating the wrath of the little-great man on receiving such
a communication. It chanced, however, not long before, that Benson, in
the course of some legal proceedings, had been to sign papers, and "take
fifty cents' worth of affidavit," as he himself phrased it, before Mr.
Fuster in his legal capacity. The latter gentleman had thus the means of
identifying by comparison, the handwriting of the pseudonymous letter.
In a vast fit of indignation, not unmingled with satisfaction, he
brought out next day Harry's letter at full length, to the great peril
of the Latin quotations, and then followed it up with a rejoinder of his
own, in which he endeavored to take an attitude of sublime dignity,
backed up by classical quotations also, to show that he understood Latin
as well as Benson. But the attempt was as unsuccessful as it was
elaborate, for his anger broke through in every other sentence, making
the intended "smasher" an extraordinary compound of superfine writing
and vulgar abuse.
When in the course of human events (he began) it becomes necessary for
men holding our lofty and responsible position to stoop to the
chastisement of pretentious ignorance and imbecility, we shall not be
found to shrink from the task. The writer of the above letter is Mr.
Henry Benson, a young man of property, and a Federal Whig. He
insinuates that we are very stupid. It's no such thing; we are not
stupid a bit, and we mean to show Mr. B. as much before we have done
with him. Mr. Benson is a pompous young aristocrat, and Mr. Grabster is
more of a gentleman than he is--and so are we too for that matter. He
says the Bath Hotel is a badly kept house. We say it isn't, and we know
a great deal better than he does. We have dined there very often, and
found the fare and attendance excellent: and so did the Honorable
Theophilus Q. Smith, of Arkansas, last summer, when he came to enjoy the
invigorating breezes of this healthful locality. That distinguished and
remarkable man expressed himself struck with the arrangements of the
Bath Hotel, which left him no cause, he said, to regret the comforts of
his western home. But this establishment cannot please the fastidious
Mr. Benson! _O tempora, O Moses!_ as Cicero said to Catiline, _quousque
tandem_?
And so on for three columns.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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