First published in the October 1851 issue of
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, "The Town-Ho's Story" by Herman Melville was reprinted over two days in the Cleveland
Daily Herald, starting on October 23, 1851 and concluding on October 24, 1851. In November the Cleveland
Daily Herald briefly noticed the whole book:
Moby Dick, or the Whale,
by HERMAN MELLVILLE, New York, Harper & Bros. A fortnight since we
published from this work a most readable extract called the "Town-Ho's
Story," which was a fair specimen of the matter which fills a volume of
more than six hundred pages. MELLVILLE is a rapid and pleasing writer.
Much that emanates from his pen is worthy of preservation and much is
ill considered and lacks point. As a whole any work he has yet written,
save perhaps "Marde," will well repay the lover of light literature for
its perusal. -- Cleveland Daily Herald, November 20, 1851:
The following item appeared two days later:
Melville's Remedy.
While
sitting at home to-day, and waiting that seraphic sound, the ding of
the dinner bell, we read the following from Moby Dick. If the present
weather continues until Monday, we expect to see all Cleveland preparing
for a sea voyage. But hear what Mellville says:
"Whenever I
find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly
November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing
before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I
meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me,
that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from
deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking
people's hats off--then I account it high time to get to sea as soon as
possible. This is my substitute for pistol and ball." --Cleveland Daily Herald, November 22, 1851
Found in Artemis Primary Sources:
Artemis Primary Sources - Document
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