The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-28 00:00:00

39URNALDS.11 AND LITERATURE,

THE professions of the journalist and of the
littiratoir are frequently combined, but they are
as frequently distinct, and it is possible to pur-
sue one with success without achieving reputation
in the other. Almost every great writer of the
day has done good work in journalism, and there
are authors of high reputation who, like Miss
MARTINEAU, Mr. LEWES, Mr. FORSTER, and
Mr. CARLyie, have devoted to it some of
their choicest labour. But there are many'
men distinguished as journalists who have
I failed in gaining, or have never attempted
to gain, a literary reputation. They have de-
voted themselves to the interests of the day, and
have written upon them with consummate ability ;
but their knowledge of politics, or of great social
questions, has been expressed solely in the columns
of the newspapers. They have done, it may be,
' noble work as citizens ; but they have done no
work which deserves to be ranked as literature.

In the present day, the force of journalism seems,
upon the whole, greater than that of its more dig-
nified rival. Life is so much more rapid, more
interesting, more earnest, even, than in former
times, that every day brings with it important
subjects for controversy and discussion. The
electric telegraph and the steam engine have placed
us ru rapport with the whole civilised world ; and
the interest in public events is first stimulated
and then gratified by the newspaper press. Our
daily paper has become as necessary to us as our
breakfast. To be for four and twenty hours with-
out news is to relapse into the realm of chaos and
old night. A newspaper keeps its readers
civilised—it takes them out of the narrow world of
business, or the still narrower world of pleasure—
it gives them a variety of interests and breaks up
the selfish isolation which is as hurtful to indi-
viduals as it is to nations. The seed it sows
springs up with tropical rapidity. The service it
renders is of instant value, and perhaps the main

Wonnsworan observed with critical sagacity
(although the remark once made appears obvious
enough), that there is a literature of power as well
as a literature of knowledge. Great writers do not
so much convey information—small writers may
do that—as they suggest thought. They inspire
rather than instruct, and it is this inspiration
which gives to what we may term pure literature
an influence entirely distinct from that exercised
by journalism. It has been said that the two can-
not act together harmoniously, that the one is a
trade, the other a dignified profession—in other
words, that a newspaper is a mercantile specula-
tion, while a good book is, in !Mixon's language,
" the precious life-blood of a master spirit." If
this be true it is no reason why the journalist
should be separated from the man of letters by
any distinct line of demarcation. Indeed, although,
as we have said, it is possible to be a journalist
without being in the strict sense of the term a
literary man, yet it is evident that up to a cer-
tain point the powers exercised by each are of
necessity alike. Both, to be successful, must be
men of culture and refinement—must have read
much and thought more, must possess command
of language and felicity of diction, and both after
parting company and choosing different roads are
again and again attracted towards each other by
mutual interests.

Call journalism, if you will, a trade, and litera-
ture a profession, or call both by the same name ;
yet it is evident that in both cases one of the main
objects in view is to make money. This may be a
blunt statement ; but it is perfectly true, just as
the object itself is perfectly legitimate. Physicians
do good, and do it gladly, in the exercise of their
calling ; but they would never enter the profession
if they did not receive as much as they bestow ;
and we do not fear to assert that the literature
that has been produced, in the best sense of the
term, professionally, in as good as, if not better than,
the literature from amateurs and wealthy die,t-
tantes who have never received a penny for their
labours. Money may, of course, be sought after
too eagerly in this profession as much as in any
other, and an avarice of pence may result in sterility
of thought ; but on the whole, men write best who
are paid the best for writing ; and on the whole,
too, though there must of necessity be exceptions,
men who can demand the highest fees are the best
entitled to receive them.

When Mr. DISRAELI affirmed the other day that
literature was as well organised as it is honour-
able, he stated what he would find it very difficult
to prove. On the contrary, we may assert, and
with gratitude, not that it is disorganised, as Mr.
FROUDE stated at the Royal Academy dinner, but
that it is still—as in this country it ever has been—
without organisation. No possible kind of cor-
poration would be of the slightest service to litera-
ture. Enough that the man of letters is free from
the degradation of being forced to seek a patron,
and can rely upon the verdict of the public. All
he requires is that he shall not be hindered by un-
just laws from receiving the full fruit of his
labour ; and there can be no doubt that an inter-
national copyright with the United States would
be of more essential service to him than any
attempt to raise his status by an official recognition.
He does not want an academy ; lie does want to
have his work protected from the plunder ..f en-
terprising pirates.

THE minority clause which it is proposed to
insert in the Scotch Reform Bill in order to secure
a Tory member for Glasgow is, we hear, to be
strongly opposed. The scheme is disliked in all
the large towns, and the Tories in Parliament
chiefly favour the novelty from their belief that it
is so distasteful to the Liberals that they will cease
to call for the disfranchisement of any more small
boroughs lest the spare seats be transferred to
large towns with the condition of the Cumulative
Vote attached. The Opposition intend, we learn,
to press for a committee to inquire as to the
amendments needed in the Registration Act in
order to allow of a dissolution in October.

THE question of contributions by the State for
religious purposes is provoking unusual attention
in New York. The Common Council of the city
have, fortunately, no power to assess taxes or
make special appropriations, but are compelled to
submit their estimates to the State Legislature.
For some years past grants have been made for
sectarian objects—the Roman Catholic churches
alone obtaining annually some £45,000. This
year an attempt is being made to largely increase
the charges on that account, and the better to suc-
ceed, increased sums are offered to other denomi-
nations. It appears, however, that these grants
have much more to do with politics than religion,
and are given to the work of incresaing the demo-
cratic majority in New York City rather than to the
labour of Christianising the poor. The expendi-
ture, by its very recklessness, may possibly oome
to an end altogether. Some of the institutions
have refused the grants proffered by the bill ; and
the newspapers begin to demand a discontinuance
of all the grants. It is not just, they now argue,
to raise money by taxation to support any eccle-
siastical or theological system, organisation, or
school. No money should be raised by taxation
for private expenditure ; and no institutions, not
managed and controlled by persons appointed or re-
movable by the government, should be the recipient
of public money.

The Right Hon. Sir Stafford and Lady North li
-
cote bad a dinner party yesterday evening at their resi-
dence in Harley-street, at which the following were pre-
sent : —Viscountess Midleton and Hon. Miss Brodriek,
Lord and Lady JoeelimPerey, Sir Francis and Lady Gelds-
mid and His Jekyll, Sir H. Montgomery, Colonel sad
Kn. and Mile Pape, Mr. and Mn. Ashley, Mr. Faner,
. Mr. Frederick Ferrer, Miss Richmond, Mr. Sekter-Booth,
M.P.. and Mrs. Booth, Mr. GUrdOD, Mr. Hardy, he.
Ting JATANBU TROUTS AT THE LYCEITH.--The
Prime sad Prisms of Wales sad ..it, and the Crown
Primes of Denmark went to the Lyman& Theatre last
evening to triton!' the performances by the Japanese
troupe.

The committee say it is evident that the receipts, end
some of the payments of the fund, arise from regulations
of much importance and nicety, forming links in the
chain of the purchase system which it will be impossible
to deal with satisfactorily without entering upon the
merits of that system ; but this question was beyond the
scope of their inquiry. They observe, however, that the
recent regulation entitling en officer after 2.1 years'
service to retire, without bringing back another from
half-pay, has had the effect of increasing the flow of pro-
motion, and the rule laid down by General Peel, when
Secretary of State for War, under which any difference
exceeding 4501. between the regulation price paid to •
retiring officer and that received front his successorotould
be applied to the grant of • first commission without pur-
chase, confers advantages on candidates for such commis-
sions ; but, on the other hand, it is urged that if to a
greater extent than now commissions in succession to
officers retiring on half-pay were granted without purchase,
advantages at the expense of the fund would result
both to the retiring and the succeeding officers.
Whatever opinion, however, may be entertained
on this question, the committee are of opinion that the
fund should be wound up. They think that no public
monies should be at the disposal of a minister (aa in this
case, in which the Secretary of State has power to levy
charges on persons seeking commissions or pro-
motion in the army and to apply the proceeds
to public objects at his own discretion) except
such as are voted by parliament or charged on the conso-
lidated fund. Although the reformation of the Yeomen
of the Guard, the Gentlemen-at-Arms, and the Military
Train has no doubt been beneficial to the public service,
that consideration does not appear to the committee sufll-
' dent to warrant the application to such purposes without
the authority of parliament of sums received from sales
of commissions in other branches of the service.

The committee therefore recommend that any p►y-
ments which may in future be made for purposes now
charged on the reserve fund should be defrayed from
monies appropriated to such purposes by parliament ; and
that future receipts, together with the balance at the
credit of the fund, should be paid into the exchequer.
They are also of opinion that any regulations for the com-
position of half-pay should only be made under the
authority of a statute.