New-York tribune., 1876-08-08
p1Y FOR BRAIN- UORR.

The question of the rewards of literature IN
this country naturally suggests the Wholc SUD
icct of intellectual as contIastcd with physicai
labor, and The many singular phenomena winch
still arise from it. The world is to some eX-
tent governed by lOng-inherited IDEAS anu
habits and it frequently happens that one
form of human activity i3 already emanclpated
from the laws Of the Past and established
upon a truer foundation, while kindred 1orin
il sill firmly held in the old bonds The pro-
frssions of Law and Medicine, fOr ih9tnce,
being recognized az necessities OF orgaiNcu
society, find their claims to remuneration UNI
yersally accepted, and enforce them without
loss of respect; but when poor authof'
few years ago, brought suit IN Philadelphh'
co,,rt to recover some money due him from
the publisher of O magazine, his biH' Win i''
particulars of so-much for sonnet ana 80.
much for poem, was made the sliJcc1 oI
endless legal ridicue.
The distinction between forms OF lntI-
lcctual labor is kept up in many other ways
No man thinks of calling upon a lawyer ior
advice, or a physician for examination ana
treatment, or merchant for assistance Ill
busjncss. without rcndcIng full equlval"nt
for the service but one VINO deyotes hiilSeh
to Literature, and barely succeeds in subsiSt-
ig upon its scanty and uncertain returns Is
cXpccted to give his fullest professional alu, NJ
all times for the sake Of the compliment I'M
piled by asking it! Nay, more than TINS; the
lawyer who writes a series OF literary eSS'J''
the physician who produces tragedy, the re-
fired merchant who pondcrs an epic lsuch
things frequently happcnD, feel no scrupi's IN
Ginning two or three days OF an authors tlme
and thought, and would probably denounce
him a. mcrcenaIy, and untitled Tor his hlgh
calling if he limited at any payment for thc
technical Improvements suggested. Literary
rcputation thus brings with it a burden when
is rarely balanced by any worldly advah'agc.
Tcnpvson declared, few years after he had
been appointed POct-Laureate, that the salary
of = little less than 600 which he received
from the Office did not really pay for the time
lost in answering letters for aid and advice,
and the postage upon them.
In this country, distinction in politics brings
4 similar burden. although it Is generally ac-
compaurd by Surcr compensation IL vas
recently brought forward as a serious al
entirely miondcd) accusation against Mr.
Carl Schurz, that he took pay for his pollticai
services IN ONO, IN The ran oI Io''' INV
inference is that a man who is not wealthy
who has family to support, and who occupies
no political office. must leave his professional
and most necessary duties whenever called
upon. and generously refuse all remuneration
for the most cXhaustng labor known to men.
If lie accept, there is 10 honesty in his ad-
vocacy of any political principle Clersymen
and lawyers are exempt both from the charge
and the suspicion, in corresponding circum-
stances. To bc consistent, the public should
1T least take some interest in securing the
means of life to all from whom it claims so
much grituitous service. At present. the
popular idea in regard to payment for brain
work is too much like some I" donation parties
we have heard of, where the contributors bring.
a dozen doughnuts or peek Of potatoes, and
help devour the parsons only turkeys.