Marshall County Republican., 1872-09-19
Magazine Writers.


The other day observed statement
that Bret Harte had made an arrange
ment with the proprietors of the Atlan-
tic, by which he was to receive $1,000
a year for twelve articles to be con-
tributed-one month-to that maga-
zine. 1 venture to say that the founda-
ton for this story is very slight. The
atlantic people are not inclined to pay
any such price for contributions; and,
though they gave Mr.. Harte very ex-
travagant rate last year to write ex-
clusively for their periodicals, neither
they nor he, understand, were satisfied
with the engagement, and both were
glad to discontinue it at the close of
the twelve-month. The literary men
ard women who have written exten-
sively for certain publications have, so
far as l know, been much pleased at
the expiration of the time of THEN con-
tract. They say that they always feel
not only cramped and confined, but as
if something extraordinary were ex-
pected of them. They lose, to large
extent, the stimulus and motive for
composition, and feel convinced that
under the circumstances they cannot
do their best work.
One of tho most desirable engage
ments follower of the quill can make
q have long been looking for just such
q one), is to be restricted to a single
publication, and not TO write even fol
that. Were immensely wealthy, and
phil nthropic at the same time, l shou d
certainly buy up, in this way, many in
dustrious and conceited scribblers, who
in season and out of season, inhict then
productions upon a patient and long
suffering public.
To return to the Atlantic. 1t is not in
the habit Of bestowing any such mu
nifcent price upon authors as that asso
ciated with the name of Mr.. Harte
The highest rate which it allows to its
most favored contributors, like Emer
son, Lowell, Holmes, and others, never
if | am rightly informed, exceeds $25(
an article, while 800 is regarded by
them as handsome figure for a first
class contribution.
Few things are more delusive thar
writing for the magazines, unless one
likes to write for pleasure, which as
suredly is not the feeling Of a profes
sional. | hear almost every day amhi
tious desires and rash menaces to make
a livelihood by this sort of labor. The
livelihood so made would, opine, bt
meager and unremunerative indeed
In the whole country there are no
more than eight or ten monthlies, anc
Of these only five or six are really pros
porous, and capable of purchasing man
Lscripts at fair rates.
1t is hardly possible, under the mos
favorable circumstances, to get mor'
than three printed year in anv on,
periodical, so that, at the very highest
fifteen would be the amount of achieve
ment. The contributions would no
average more than $50 apiece-in al
probability not so much-and conse
quently their authors would realiz
81 300 per annum. He or she VIII,
should have fifteen articles year in al
the magazines would seem to be pei
petual scribbler, and however well the
might be written, might provoke hostil
criticism from their frequen y.
| question if anybody has any sucl
number printed, and | am sure that ia
majority of HHerateurs who are consid
cred regular contributors to the month
lies do not usually earn $1,000 or eve
5000 per annum in that particular felo
can't see how any one not lifted abov
daily wants and weekly needs can afior
TO pursue literature save as recreation
Whenever | hear man talk of livin
by his pen, outside of journalistic pc
sition, l have shuddering suspicio
either that he is vaporing, or that b
has found some extremely economics
method of supporting existence.-Bo
ton Cor. Chicago Tribune.