Chapter V: Nooks and Fringes

ON HATING THE PROVINCES 83

WHAT THE FATHERS READ 87

THE KIND MOTHER OF US ALL 92

MOCHA DICK 97

FOLK-LORE IN KENTUCKY 100

PAUL BUNYAN GOES WEST 105

THE WORST AMERICAN BOOK 108

AT THE SATURDAY CLUB 114

THE SILVER AGE OF OUR LITERATURE 121

JOHN BURROUGHS 125

BROAD HOUSE AND NARROW HOUSE 128

GOOD NAMES 133

PICTURES OF THE PAST 142

THE GREAT LABORATORY 146

VI. LONG ROADS

THE COSMIC IRONIES 153

JUSTICE OR MELODRAMA 158

THE CORRUPTION OF COMFORT 162

“GOD IS NOT DEAD OF OLD AGE” 167

VII. SHORT CUTS

PETIT UP TO THIRTY 175

IN LIEU OF THE LAUREATE 180

“MURDERING BEAUTY” 183

CHAIRS 186

INISHMORE, INISHMAAN, INISHEER 189

SWEETNESS OR LIGHT 192

CROWNING THE BISHOP 195

VIII. A CASUAL SHELF

HONESTY IS A GIFT 199

GOLDEN LYRICS 202

THE CHRISTIAN DIPLOMAT 205

LAWYER AND ELEGIST 207

WOMEN IN LOVE 209

MOSES IN MASSACHUSETTS 212

BROWN GIRLS 215

INVENTION AND VERACITY 217

A HERO WITH HIS POSSE 219

MARIA AND BATOUALA 221

STUPID SCANDAL 224

THE MUSE OF KNICKERBOCKER 228

IX. POETS’ CORNER

GREEK DIGNITY AND YANKEE EASE 231

THROUGH ELLIS ISLAND 238

TAP-ROOT OR MELTING-POT 244

X. IN THE OPEN

AUGUST NIGHTS AND AUGUST DAYS 251

LAKE AND BIRD 256

FIREFLIES IN CORNWALL 258

GARDENS 260

THE ROVING
CRITIC