March 1907 (18:7)

No book on Whitman was more mercilessly ravaged in The Conservator than Bliss Perry’s.  Here is a letter dripping with sarcasm from the redoubtable Edward Gordon Craig, “written from Florence,” which Traubel shrank not from sharing with his readers.  Some time later, the subject of Perry arose yet again, and Traubel himself ventured that “Perry’s book is vitiated by its malignant falsities and its clownish superciliousness” (19:188).

Perry Didn’t Come In*

            I think Whitman will survive all this torm foolery of the Perrys, as he survived all the two cent attacks of that queer Mr. James Harlan.  For Mr. James Harlan was queer—there is no doubt about it—and Mr. Perry is a bit of a joke after all.

I was looking at Mr. Perry the other day, reading his fun, and I dont quite see where he comes in in this game.  And I was looking towards the army which is gathering behind Whitman day by day and I saw that actually Perry didn’t come in. Why you want to drag him in goodness only knows.  It’s hospitable of you, I know, but it’s not kind. Why, you would make him feel ashamed of himself—awkward in a place in which he was not at home.

We sometimes hear reports over here of “battles” which are being fought round the invincible Whitman. To us it all seems a trifle preposterous.  We know that there was a bloodless battle fought in 1855 and that it was won.  The odds were about ten millions in arms to one man without arms. And the one man won.

What remains to be done, then, except for Mr. Perry and the like to take a leetle more care perhaps?  Yes??

Edward Gordon Craig.