SOURCE: "John Erskine: An Appreciation," in Columbia Library Columns, Vol. VII, No. 1, November, 1957, pp. 4-12.

In the following essay, an address given on the presentation of Erskine's papers to his widow, Helen Worden Erskine, Cane offers his personal reminiscences regarding the author.

I am deeply mindful of the honor of being invited to speak on this occasion. It will, however, be an impossible task, within the imposed time limit, to do even scant justice to the rich and manifold personality we knew and remember as John Erskine. At best I can only sketch out and suggest the range of his interests and his durable impact on the life of our time.

John was, with one exception, my oldest friend. Our relationship covered 58 years. It was close from the start and never suffered the slightest lapse in warmth or depth. We first met in the fall of 1893, when we...