Herman Melville: The Contemporary Reviews, ed. Brian Higgins and Hershel Parker (Cambridge University Press, 1995; paperback 2009) has the very favorable review of
Moby-Dick published in the New York
Spirit of the Times on December 6, 1851. The humorous contribution by "Providence," transcribed below, appeared one year later. From the
Spirit of the Times, December 11, 1852:
A COUPLE FROM "PROVIDENCE"
Passing by the wharves, the other day, I heard two honest tars discussing the merits of Herman Melville's work, "Moby Dick," as follows:--
"Jack," said one, "I don't see the reason why this fellow don't tell his story without so much palavering, and out of the way work?"
"Why, you see, Tom," replied the other, "them chaps what writes them books gits so much a line for all they writes, and so, in course, they spins it out as long as they can."
Tom appeared satisfied, and I have no doubt your readers will be, with this very lucid explanation.
I was reading a book the other day where the individual "wot did the pirate" was described as having "iron lips," and then on the next page as "biting them till the blood came." What penetrating grinders that young man must have possessed.
Yours ever,
PROVIDENCE.
Citation:
“A Couple from ‘Providence.’” Spirit of The Times, vol. 22, no. 43, Dec. 1852, p. 508. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hss&AN=51528169&site=ehost-live.
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