The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-10-06
Literary Men In Public Life.


The new British Parliament will
contain an unusual number of men
who have gained distinction il the
literary world. Mr. Gladstone. who
may be considered, on the whole. its
foremost member has written several
books, beginning with work on
Church and State, when he was a
young man, which had the honor OF
being handsomely cut up in one of
Lord Macaulay's vigorous critiques,
and ending with an elaborate work on
Homer The novels of Bulwer and
Disraeli have made their names more
famous than any Of their political
achievements are likely to do. Among
the other old members OF literary re-
puto who have been re elected, may
be mentioned A w Kinglake, the
brilliant author Of "Eothen and the
History of the Crimoan War;" A. II.
Layard, famous for his Nineyeh ex-
( plorations; Sir George Bowyer, author
of 'Commcntarios on the Modern Civ
il Law;" Sir Rounded Palmer Edward
Baines, William i. Baxter, Charles
Buxton, J. f. Mcguire, and several
others. This literary cohort will be
strongly reinforced among the new
members. There is John Stuart Mil
who probably stands at the head Of
living English thinkers, and whose
published works are very numerous
There is Thomas Hughes, whose
tom Brown books have won for him
the kindest regards Of the rising gen
Grafton, both in England aud in this
country. There are Mr. Ohphant, who
was in this country as the secretary Of
Lord Elgin, and whose books Of travel
have been widely read; Mr. Forsyth,
author Of an excellent Life OF Cicero,
recently published; Mr. Faucet,
blind man, bat an able writer and lee
turer on political economy; Mr. Tor
rens, author Of life of She'll the Irish
orator; and two or three others Of re-
spectacle standing as literary men.
Contrasted with this array, the lit
erary element in our new Congress APP
pears of a very humble character
Mr. Raymond, Of New York, has writ
ten a History of President Lincoln's
Administration; and IS the author of
many published addresses, to say moth
ing Of his editorial productions. Mr.
Randall of Pennsylvania is, we believe,
the author OF n Lilo OF Jefferson.
James Brooks, Of New York, won con-
siderable reputation in early life by his
letters from Europe Gov. Boutwell,,
Of this State, by virtue of his numer-
Gus reports on education and his work
on the internal revenue, we suppose is
fairly entitled to rank as an author.
II may not be generally known that
Hon. J. d. Baldwin, the worthy rep
resentative Of the Sth district once
published a volume Of poems. That
puts him among the literary men,
But take among our Congressman
who can make the least claim to the
title, and they may be counted on the
fingers. The truth is, literature and
politics, in this country, are things
separate. Whether the fault is that
our literary men have not the practi-
cal qualities and the boldness for en-
ga9ing IN politics, or whether politics,
or whether political life has been
made thoroughly distasteful and re-
pulsiye to literary men, we cannot say
1t ought not to be either way; and we
trust the time is coming when, with
the professions and the different
branches of trade and business, the
literature of the country will be fully
and ably represented in Congress-
SpriRQdeld R,pubiicQa.