The New York herald., 1875-10-23
LITERATURE AS AN ART.
LECTURE BY BAYARD TAYLOR.

LECTURE BY BAYARD TAYLOR.
The first of series OF lectures in connection with
the Young Mems Christian Association was deliveret
last night in Association Hall, by Mr. Bayard Taylor
on "Lterature Artn The hall was filed In every
part, and the lecture which repete with nforna
ton and frequently enlivened by touches OF quiet hu-
NOR and irony, was listened TO throughout with the
deepest attention.
Mr. Taylor, who was introduced by Mr. yanderlp,
spoke slowly and distinctly and with great impressive.
ness. 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 a period in which recreation
and amusement chiefly sought after
to period which moro solid mental
food and more earnest literary work
required. The frvoty OF tone and ooseness OF style
characterzing national literature during the past
twelve years he attributed to the destruction Of
the most earnest and enterprIsng minds Of
the community during the war. The principle
OF reform at present nfuslng itself into
the action OF both the great political parties
must react upon literature, causing it to
become more serious, more searching in thought and
more accurate in style. The highest Developments OF
contemporary American humorous literature is to bo
found in the sketches and poems OF Bret Har1e, in
which humor upon its only true foundationhat
of pathos and feeling A step lower down We meet
with Mark Twain, whose wit is wholly superficial without
any underlying current of sentiment and thought Low
est IN the scale come Jnose
sack heaven and earth to lind theme for their absurd
tiles Virtue we'll as degradation murder much
suffering, prayer and death, turned into the
CHASTITY materials for their jesting Notwithstanding
the tact that Mrs Southworth is still the novelist most
IN demand at circulating libraries, Mr. Taylor was con-
hdent that the lowest point of literary de-
moraliZation had boon reached and passed.
minute comparison instituted between
the great characteristics OF English and American
speakers and writer's Tho Englishman Is intellectual
in thought and precise in language, while want of
curaoy marks the American. The stanmers for
words express the thoughts that rush In upon his
mind, the other repeats himself until he finds
thought the former Is staid and dignhed the later IS
easy and conversational During long course of re-
porting Mr. Taylor said he found only public
speaker whose words II necessary to report
bdttm--Danie Webster The faults OF American ltera-
ture attributable to two causes-sovenliness in
early instruction and careessness ON the part Of the
public who do not exact from their speakers
and writer's The remainder of the lecture taken
up with statement of the laws Of style and lustra
tions of the theories stated Clumsy and duse utter
involves clumsy and dil1use thought Hence tho
first requisite of good style Us logical coherent
thought which partly by nature partly by edu
cation and study; the second capacity or expression
involving that plastic OF change only TO be gained
by study and practice. Moreover, words TO be oiiec
tive, must possess ythmcal cadence. This point was
illustrated by several readings from eminent writer's
The necessity of study insisted upon
in style of writing generally con-
sidered easy as the descriptive John Ruskin
being cited the powerful and beautiful OF descrp
tive wrtors The highest art Is the attainment OF tho
clearest purest and most appropriate expression OF
thought The beginning and tho ending of the sentence
well the whole work. require to be most attended
IL the starting point and the goal fixed the course
ture concluded by eloquent picture OF the elo
walton conferred upon man by intellectual attain
ments; but the highest manliness only be reached
through earnest endeavor and steady Development