. The life and genius of Nathaniel Hawthorne . to hisown clerks, were made by outside politicians,and when a reduction of employees was necessary,Hawthorne consulted with the local DemocraticCommittee, and followed their advice. Such amethod was not to the advantage of the publicservice, but it saved Hawthorne from an an-noying responsibility. His strictness and im-partiality, however, soon brought him intoconflict with his more self-important subordi-nates, who were by no means accustomed toexactness in their dealings, and this finallyproduced a good deal of official unpleasantness;and the un
. The life and genius of Nathaniel Hawthorne . to hisown clerks, were made by outside politicians,and when a reduction of employees was necessary,Hawthorne consulted with the local DemocraticCommittee, and followed their advice. Such amethod was not to the advantage of the publicservice, but it saved Hawthorne from an an-noying responsibility. His strictness and im-partiality, however, soon brought him intoconflict with his more self-important subordi-nates, who were by no means accustomed toexactness in their dealings, and this finallyproduced a good deal of official unpleasantness;and the unfavorable reports which were after-ward circulated concerning Hawthornes lifeduring this period, probably originated in thatquarter. All the poetry that Hawthorne could extractfrom his occupation at the Custom House isto be found in his preface to The ScarletLetter, but he withholds from us the prosaicside of it,—as he well might. At times he comesclose to caricature, especially in his descrip-tions of those venerable incumbents who 204 H 2. I NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE hibernated during the winter season, and thencrawled out during the warm days of springto draw their pay and perform those pretendedduties, for which they were engaged. Therewere formerly large numbers of moss-grownloafers in the government service, with whiskey-reddened noses and greasy old clothing, whowould sun themselves on the door-steps, andtell anecdotes of General Jackson, SenatorBenton, and other popular heroes, with whomthey would intimate a good acquaintance atsome remote period of their lives. If removedfrom office, they were quite as likely to turnup in a neighboring jail as in any other is no satire, but serious truth; and instancesof it can be given. Hawthornes life during the next three yearswas essentially domestic. In June, 1846, hisson Julian was born—a remarkably vigorousbaby—at Doctor Peabodys house in WestStreet, Boston; Mrs. Hawthorne wisely pre-ferring to be with her own moth
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