Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-30
October 80. 1873

LITERATURE AND Art is the subject o.
lecture delivered recently in New York,
By Bayard Taylor. He commenced by
reviewing the present state OF American
literature and the position of American
people regarding it. We are, he said, in
transition state. passing from period
in which recreation and amusement:
were chiefly sought after to period in
which more solid mental food and more
earnes. literary work are required. The
frivoiity of tone and looseuess Of style
characterizing our national literature
during the past ten or twelve years he
attributed 10 the destruction of the most
earnest and ente-prisiug minds of the
community during the war. The prin-
ciple of reform at present infusing itself
into the action of both the great political
parties must react upon our literature,
causing it to become more serious, more
searching in thought aad more accurate
in style. The highest development OF
contemporary American humorous lit
erature is to be found il the sketches
and poems of Bret Harte, in which hui
NOR rests Upon its only true foundation,
that of pathes and feeling. A step lower
down We meet with Mark Twain, whose
wit is wholly superficial. without
any underlying current of sentiment
and thought. Lowest IN the scale come
those newspaper iestsrs who ransack
heaven and earth to tiud a theme for
their absurdities. Virtue As well as |
degradation, murder as much as suffer !
ing, prayer and death, are turned into |
the CHASTITY materials for their testing. |
notwithstanding the fact that Mrs. |
SOuthworth is still tie novelist most il /
demand at circulating libraries, Mr. Tay- |
lor was confident that the lowest point !
of literary decentralization had been |
reached and passed. 4 minute compar-
ison was instituted between the great i
characteristics o: English and American
speakers and writer's. The Englishman
IS intellectual in thought and precise in
language, while want OF accuracy marks
the American. The one stammers for
words to express the thoughts tina. rush
in upon his mind, the other repeats him
self until he finds thought; the former
is staid and dignifed, the latter is easy
and conversational. During long
course OF reporting Mr.. Taylor said he
found only one public speaker whose
words it was necessary to report verba-
Webster. The faults Of
American literature are attributable TO
two eauses-slovenliness in early instruc-
hon and carelessness on the part of the [
public, who do not exact accuracy from |
heir speakers and writer's. The remain {
der of tie lecture was taken up with n
statement of the laws of style and illus
rations of the theories stated. Clumsy
md diffuse utterance involves clumsy
md diffuse thought. Hence The first |
'eGuisite of a good style is logical, CO. '
lerent thought. which comes partly by t
nature, partly by education and study: p,
he second. capacity of expression. in
'olving that plastic power of change only
o be gained by study and practice. t
Moreover, words, to be effective, must c
possess rhythmical cadence. This poin. |
vas illustrated by several readings from
,mlnent writers. The necessity of study
vas insisted upon even in q style of writ
ng generally considered SO easy as the 4
John Ruskin being cited as t
be most powerful and beautiful of de- !
criptive writers. The highest art is the :.
attainment OF the clearest. purest and
most appropriate expression of thought. a
he beginning and the ending OF the
entence, as well as of the whole work, a
eguire to be most attended. If the !
tarting point and the goal are fixed the
curse between is likely to be smooth T
nd straight. The lecture was concluded
y an eloquent picture of the elevation
onferred upon O man by intellectual
but the highest manlinsss V
an only be reached through earnest en- b
eavor and steady development. .
Ar meeting Of the Relief Committee Il