Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-01-08
DONORS AND RECIPIENTS OF LII
ERARY IDEAS.

of the press have ~endeavOred to de,
piet rightly the nobility OF giving
They have used persuasive e%loquence'
harmonious diction and the many charms
genius has at its command to rouse mer
TO personal exertion. Minds whose rich
productions woke the worlds applause
have acknowledged, when seated upon
the pinnacle of fame, that their begin
nings were as nothing, and their success
due only to their c%easeless endeavors'
Following such suggestions, attempts
have been made by persons OF all classes
gifts. or abilities who, looking for per-
manent fame, reaped only the bitterest
fruits of authorship-the cruel criticism
which proved their works superilucus'
Particularly is this true OF the present
ace. 1t is said that there are one
thousand verse-wrlters in the United
States. And it is certainly with little
difficulty that we lay our hands upon
magazines and newspapers of every
description which are daily issued
from the press. We find them on every
side, no matter where we turn, contain
ing articles in every style, to suit all
tastes. The supply far exceeds the de
mand. Says a writer of a leading paper
in the South: "One-half, three-quarters,
nav, ninety-nine one-hundredths OF the
volumes of poems published to-day are
so much trash, worse than worthless,
vanity their cause, and ~vexation ofspirit
their result" But it seems that powers
of sarcasm, however great, effect no
remedy-in fact suggest none. Their
aim, perhaps, being relief by the express
sion of personal spleen. These objec-
tors remind us of the inconsistent class
who desire women to be occupied about
the smallest concerns of life, and are
then indignant OF discovering that their
minds are not filled with great and lofty
projects. The sole cause in both cases
being interference with personal ease.
1t requires slender ability to detect er-
ror, and unless some endeavor to effect
:: cure come with such detection. it had
best remain unspoken.
1t is certainly blessed to give, and to
be SO gifted as to be capable Of giving;
while TO present worthy Inducements 10
the seemingly indolent and succeed in
calling forth talent and ability. must ever
be cause for seif-congratulation. But
being aware that in SO doing we open
the lists to those whose lives in the end
must be crowned with disappointment.
we should feel it incumbent upon us TO
point 10 some other destiny, equally eN
allied and free from such attendant cha
grin. If all were donors, who would
constitute the recipients? After Il book
has been written and passed through the
press, its work is exactly half accom-
plished. Unless it can be critically re-
ceived by an intelligent public it is 4
failure. We then, who constitute the
public, have 4 part to perform just as
majestic rs the authors. For the genius
which compelled him to create was not
50 difficult to master rs the labor which
alone can lead us to appreciate his eff
fort. One person reads 4 book, lays it
down contemptuously, saying, this is
not entertaining Or even amusing !; there
is nothing in it." Another reads the
same book, and exclaims, sswhat a mag
nilicent creation! what a knowledge of
the human heart or. how exquisitely
the authors words convey his intended
m~eaning!" The difference exists in
the iacts-the nj being satisfied in be-
ing able to comprehend the photography
of the words; the other having spent
years in learning to decipher the signifi-
cation Of the language. The Intelligent
recipient actually exerts 4 greater influ-
ence during his own age than the donor
himself. The English must blush for
their progenitors when they remember
the reception Of Paradise Lost" Even
Shakespeare was not aware of the mag
mtude of his task, for many of his works
were not published until after his death,
and from their strange and unmerited
reception serious doubts have constantly
agitated the literary world with respect
to their authorship.
Shall we be unworthy of the genius
existing in our midst? Rather let US
employ every means in u power to re-
cognize the light from heaven, and be-
suVw uouur wuere IL IS uue. we "
experience before US to make evident
that according to the prevailing tone of
thought and feeling, the spirit of the
age, as it is called, writers will mould
their talent and adaptthemselves to their
readers. We thus have the responsible
ity of enriching Or impoverishing STAN
dard literature, and causing posterity
either to bless or curse our very exist
ence. While we may not have the gift
of suggesting or ~instructing equal to the
authors, W. may be much more compe-
tent to carry out his ideas and execute
his plans. And in so doing surely we
undertake a sufficiently onerous employ
ment. Eloquent speakers declare them
selves unsuccessful when speaking toan
nmappreciative audience. They can de-
tect 4 want of sympathy with them in
their work, which acts like 4 cloud and
prevents the breaking forth of their glo-
rious sunshine. We have many instan-
g an record of works which would
never have been written but for the de-
Sires. suggestions and announcements
Of those who never appeared before the
public. To urge the necessity of at
1rInpts in literature, and then ridicule
the abortive efforts that are made in
good Faith on the part of the writer's, is
mol only outrageously inconsistent, but
involves Il waste of intellect that could
he turned +" better account. The decree
OF originality which would allow of auv