The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-09-11
BALTIMORE.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER II, 1860

An English writer, complaining of the multi
tude of ignorant and incapable critics who now
infest the literary world says: ''The fact is,
'honest and impartial criticism is almost unknown
Sin our day. The system tselfis radically vicious
authors not works are reviewed, and for one in
''stance that may be quoted Of fairness and Impair
tiality, fifty examples injustice every where
apparent" In support of this assertion be main
tains that party spirit always dictates the judg
mens which are passed upon historical and politi-
cal works, by the leading English Magazines; and
that the popularity of an author rather than
the merits of his book generally determines, the
decisions of the most influential periodicals. Nor
are these structures applicable solely to the writers
who furnish weekly and monthly reviews of cur
rent literature. At the critics connected with the
daily journals some severe and not undeserved
censures are levelled. After abiding to the dis
graceful, though undenable fact, that very many
newspapers will unscrupulously puff whatever is
advertised extensively in their columns, whether
1t is poem, a novel or a quack medicine, the au-
thor from whom quote thus speaks of the
character and quality Of the critical notices 10
which the reading public is usually treated.
'of interest to form or guide the reviewers iudg-
''ment, he contents himself with adopting the first
'notice that comes in his way. Some journal of
weight originates an opinion respecting the new
'work; and the minor reviewer, without giving
himself the trouble to read the book adopts that
'opinion with such alterations as may be neces-
'sary to make it tally with the known principles
"of his journal. Should there be any gross er-
'rors, any palpahle blunders, in the original no.
'tlce they are copied without suspicion of their
existence, and often go the round of the press
without detection"
That the estimate here placed upon the perfume
tory ia6ors of the newspaper critics is in the main
correct one, no one doubt who will turn to
the lists of favorable notices which are usually pre-
liked to every new book of any Importance. The
fulsome and indiscriminate praise which some
journalists lavish on every worthless volume that
appears. proves their incompetency for the task
they have undertaken; and the stereotyped
phraseology of these complimentary para
graphs shows how negligently and dishonesty the
reviewer has discharged his appointed duty.
While we are not prone to aud the olden times at
the expense of later generations, we are compelled
TO admit that the evil complained of is of compare
lively recent growth. The older authors flattered
their patrons and were more subservient to prin-
ces, but what they wrote for the public had usually
a hearty, honest flavor about it, Men very seldom
wrote in those days unless they had, or thought
they had, something 10 say. They had views and
convictions OF their own, aud hence their works
were apt 10 give evidence Of earnesness and origi-
nality. But now hundred men live by the ben
for every one who did so a hundred years ago
century since an individual printed an essay or
article because he had written it and desi red to
publish 1t, but now scores of hands and brains are
busy producing articles and essays, simply because
thousands Of magazines reviews and journals are
to be printed at certain specified periods and they
must have something in them. Under these cir
cumstances, authorship has become more me.
chanical craft than it was once, and myriads of
people live reputably by it, who would have
starved in Grub street not very many years ago.
1t is no wonder, therefore, that knavisl1 and igno-
rant pretenders should have multiplied among the
followers Of this among those of all other intel
iectual callings. But when the public recognizes
the existence Of an evil, and sees clearly lis cause
it is very apt to be speedily remedied; and we
have no doubt that the honorable vocation of
journalism Will, in good time be rescued from the
incompetent hands into which it has too far fallen.
The Press has noble mission to fulfil, and we are
satisfied that whatever may he its position to-day
it will ultimately rise TO the elevated level upon
which it must take its stand before it can ade-
quatey discharge the grave obligations it has
assumed