HENRY V. PELTON. 35 
says ‘‘he seemed on such occasions to come with a rake 
to gather in and not with a shovel to scatter abroad.’’ 
Mr. Cabot says, this reticence was caused, to a large de- 
gree, by his nicety in the use of language. ‘‘ To give the 
thought just and full expression, he must not prema- 
turely utter it.” 
The increase of associations of this kind throughout 
this country is remarkable and without doubt, is signifi- 
cant. From the great centres and capitals they have 
spread to every city not only, but to many villages. 
Everywhere, in some form or other do we find the liter- 
ary club, or association, or circle, with its written paper 
and its verbal discussion. Of course in the large cities 
they are multiplied and classified. New York has a 
Greek club at whose meetings nothing but Greek is 
spoken. The ‘‘ Authors Club’? of New York is an or- 
ganization of importance enough to maintain permanent 
club rooms. Its aims are more social than literary, but 
it designs to bring the older men of letters into more 
intimate relations with the younger. No person is 
eligible who is not an author of a published work, proper 
to literature, or who has not a recognized position in 
other kinds of literary work. 
Evidently the verdict, growing ever more and more 
unanimous, is in favor of literary associations. There is 
no need of argument in their behalf. But the danger, 
that Emerson expressed, of premature utterance, is no 
imaginary one nor does it fail of frequent illustration. 
‘“The American mind’ he says, ‘‘is too demonstra- 
tive ; most persons are over expressed, beaten out thin, 
all surface, without depth or substance ;’’ and he re- 
commended a rule for such meetings that no one should 
reply to what had been said by another speaker. 
But the advantages clearly outweigh the dangers. 
How much delight and inspiration have even the 
strongest and brightest minds found in the talks which 
