Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-10-13
Prom the Ediasurg Journal.
THE LITERARY PROFESSION.

| great mistake. We are not aware OF snse one
the eonspieuoos literary Of England Of our tim
who has 70, had reason to thank his pen Tor VIA
il ha. done for him. Indeed, the literary has bee'
scarcely behind the legal profession, during the a'
age in respect 10 the cases Of advancement, fsou
one gtade OF society to another, which have beer
achieved by It. Its young sdsealurers have not sc
cured any peerages, and not very miny oaronetase
or knighihools; but It's disadvantage in this part Q
the contrast is from mere formal cause aGeeiin:
the leg profession. Great lawyers necessarily com
into great political situations, in which these honosi
are matters OF course. Great authors are perhap
as well with their honored names uneelpsed by ii
ties and the universal esteem in which they are HEX
when their morals not unworthy of their fame
We have only to run over some Of the principa
names, and TO reflect the histories connected
with them, in order be assured thai the case is al
| here represented.
Sir Walter Scott cn'ered life as the son ola Scottish
solicitor, and promised TO be nothing better than
sxth part of employed barister, I'LL his pen brought
him place torture aud title. II I'D he not unfortunate
ly involved himself in business fairs, Tor which his
original motive dread at pGeeariousness OF IL
terary gains-had he trusted in short, TO literary
gains alone, he must have died man worth EIOO,-
OOO and made good his wish TO found landed and
| titled family.
MIR Campbell, as is generally kaowp, was an un.
friended youth studying at Scottish university with
perhaps only the life of poor teacher or preacher,
before him, when his first poem obtained for him
friends and fame. He has not perhaps, realized
wealth but he has always lived in the style of a
gentleman and moved IN the hishestcircle OF socie-
| ~.
| Messrs. Wordsworth and Southy are not re-
marka ole for the gains they have made by era-
tuFe; but they have been able TO live rs gentlemen
in tho indulgence Of all their pecuer tastes, especial
ly the love of study; which Just the tastes OF all
iOFhe DAYS leaS ~ o n w
are not entirely independent.
| IL we are not mistaken, Mr. Moore has been rails
ed in fortune by the aid Of his muse. IL was said,
| a few days ago that he enjoyed $4,000 per snuum
on accoun, of one portion OF his wrtugs alone; and
| he has since been endowed with pension of $500.
the express reward of his literary merit.
The English Tibullus may not be rich; but a
monsst the various fates of the of Dublin eii
zens, there are worse than that of enjoying a mo-
dcrnte competency, with the Society OF the most
fined part of the first nation on earth.
Mr. Washington Irving originally a merchant,
and did not succeed IN business; but devo;ed himst II
to letters and il was only the other day tta' he at
tanned unquesionably in Consequence of literary
distinction the office Of MS country ambassador TO
Spain.
MIR Jeffrey has, believe, reason to regret his
political writings. His birth and original prospects
we're not superior TO those oil Scott. He is now
man of large fortune, and Judge, fully es much
through his literary celebrity, as anything else.
The Editor OF the opposite critical organ is the
son OF q Scotch cefgyman-a respectaDle oeSree IN
society, but not one which endows its children with
muck fortune 10 him literature has given large in
come as we'll as personal importance. IL Is no ds-
credit 10 him TO say that he would have remained
comparatively poor as well as obscure, IN hls orsi
nal profession. His early associate, Mr. Wilson,
has been not less indebted 10 his literary talents for
station and income; let the horde Of "the unempoy
cd" WIN daily pace the Parliament House in Ed
inburgh, be,r witness.
Within the last few years we have had an extra,
ordinary example OF Eisn in aif renee and conside
ration IN consequence Of literature, IN the person of
Mr. Dickens. Society sees lew revolutions IN per
sona fortune greater more rapid that that which
this mos. meritorious person has passed through
since 1886, when he published his first sketches in
the Morning Chronicle. He walks the world more
in the manner OF Roman couquerer than any man
since the days Of Rome.
Look az I'm TO Sir Edward Ly,,on Bulwer-no>
wells written probably in a few weeks, paid at the
rate OF fifteen hundred pounds eAch-politca aris-
ing from a literary disiinction--a haronecyl Are
these things significant OF 4 miserable profession
In short, II appears that literature, far from being
necessarily associated with vexaton and penuty, is
entitled TO take place snsongsJ the means which
talent arises itself IN the world. Nor has It been
otherwise since there was printed literature IN
/ England. Ii we look back the list OF those
who were more particularly dependent on their lite
rary abilities, VIC shall find thu, there have been at
all times rising opulence, or al least comfort
and TO personal distinction, by these means.
the position OF Johnson, after his early strug
/ gles were over, was not an unenNiaOte one Hume,
from almost nothing raised himself by his writings
I to cousd cradle wealth, aud TO high Offices VIII ch
brought HIM more; so that he died in the enjoy
ment Of thousand yenr, and lett El5.O 600. Pupe
go; wealth by his muse, and Swift attained TO con
siderable ecclesiastical preteTment, though not 10
what he aimed st-a bshoprek. Addison rose 20
he Secretary Of State; and Prior from pot house
/ boy, bscame, ike Irving, an ambassador. Dfyden
with such ftcundity OF Drain Us he possessed, must
I have been well enough Off hut for the silly woman
7 hat tfeI hI nd n M u-h
OF rare Ben, but many surmise that scottish habits
alone prevented him from being rich fellow enough.
In Shakespeare, elevated from a voOlstaplet's son
to absolute fortune and style Ct a country gentle
man, have n striking case OF Advancement by
means of literature; for certainly 1t mainly
through that he attained wealth, seeing that
his quail hcations as a player was so poor. We
stop with Spencer, who may be thought unfl- |
vourable instance he died IN Distress but are
not satisfied that this distress was connected in any
way with his postry. Elizabeth employed. patroniz
ed, and endowed him; and that grant OF land IT. the
south OF Ireland must have been no small matter.
II only transient disturbance Of the peace OF
the country which damaged the poets spirits and
brought him to his grave.-Probably, If he had sur
WED the confusion for a Little II might have been
well with him.
When we consider these things, it is difficult 10
account for the tendency which is every where
shown 10 whine about the poor rewards Of literature
and the doom Of iniigsrce AMI starvation which
hangs over the heads Of all who give themselves 70
pen and ink. Cin il DC owing TO our actual
known instances OF poverty-s,rUck scribblers and
starved poets7 No doubt some mon OF letters have
come TO miserable ends. The mind lights in a mo.
ment on ChatteT;on, Savage and Otway. But are
these casua ties 10 be found 10 all racks OF men,
and all professions Are there net many starved
apoihecariss Are there not many miserabiy poor
solicitors Has not the church, also, its army Of
mityrs- curates stepped in poverty, and poor pro
baiioners who live upon pro;rac.ed hope all their
dlys7 We do not hear Of these uen; but we al
ways hear OF unfortunate authors; aud hence, per-
haps, the notion that misery Is tie almost exclusive
associate Of genius IL il also to be observed
that many Of the mishaps and sad ends Of literary
men are to be traced to their own imprudenee-
that thing Of power which nothing can ovsrcoms or
| gains1y.
When any Of the ordinary children Of men hap
pen TO be desiiu'o o. a Of the value 81 money
and consequently spend in one day what they gain
in six, they usually 20 10 wreck. IL were unrca.
| sonabe TO expect that men o.! genius 10 be eI-
empied from the same rule. Goldsmith lived IN
difficulties and died three Thousand pounds IN deb'
but Goldsmith prosperous and we'll pad
author. lie might have been comfortable n he
only could have used hi5 gains with common discte
ton. There are many literary men in the present
day whose case Is precisely the same. They reaizs,
for yolrs llrgc incone-ihey live beyond it-they
got into debt and difficulty; and them perhaps, they
join IN the cry about The inadequate rewards 81 the
/ pross, and the woes Of literary men. Every per
/ con Of common feeling would deplore the poverty
and difficulty Of sui ~ and be disposed Judge
| lightly Of the cause, for the sake Of the talent ard
| tie suffering; but every one must a. the same time