The New York herald., 1877-09-01
REPLY. TO BOUCICAULT.

To THE EDITOR rHE HERALp-
Mr. Dion Bouccault contributes to the last number
OF the North american Rcresr article the "De-
cline of Drama" II is probable that many Of your
readers already familiar with this article, which.
whatever may be Its value in same rcspecia is sur
prrsngly inconsistent in others do not wish to ind
fault with Mr.. Boucicaut's comments the Drama
though several these open criticism. But
when this writer makes sweeping ssatements about
purely literary subjects, statements thai pcrver-
sons OF facts a little criticism can do him mo harm.
He will pardon me- therefore, II call particular atten.
ton to the following paragraph.-
"As the newspaper press has pFuspcred> SO In pro-
portion havo the poet tho novelist the druma;st
disappeared. In the commencement OF this century
the list Of authors headed by Byron Shelley, Moore.
but lew OF the phaanx Where are their compcers
OF this period? They are private soldiers IN the ranks
OF tue press Have you ever examined mcdiiattvely
the counter OF bookseller? Have you not found nno
OF ten Of hction displayed there for sale
TO be the product of female brainsY Why do women
almost monopozc this branch ot liter 'turep The
is that recruited tor The ranks OF the
press That is wherefore VIC soc women doing their
work In tho fields oi literature"
1t is hard 10 believe that any familiar with
temporary thought ana literature could have written
this paragraph II IS undeniaoe that the progress OF
the press often ohst sce 10 the progress Of
literature But t Is equally true that shc latter por.
stands out prominently as an active literary nnd in
tellectual perioa II Mr.. Boucicaut wishes Few do
tails upon this head cannot do bostcr 'han recr hfm
10 a WORK by EDsland's greatest thinker. Herbert
Spencer refer to tho study oi Sooology,"in IN which
Mr. Spencer quietly reiuies tho arguments Of MIR.
Matthew Arnold and Others VITO are 1evout believers
in the utter degeneracy OF the present. Mr. spencer
proves usvcy that at NO time IN the history OF
England original thought reached such an elevated
plane now This lact Is evcn true Ia TACO OF rc-
pcacd assertions that the newspaper press absorbs
the leading thought Of the day.
Mr.. Bouccault Kindly renarks:-"ln thecommence-
ment oil this century the list Of authors headed by
Byron, Shelley Moore, Scott Sheridan, Colman. BuL
wcr and Knowles formed but few or the phaianx
Where their compecrs Of thls pertod2" Tho ques
tion is an ingenious one and We are not forced to
search long or answer Where arc their conpeers
OF this periody' / roply, everywhero Has Mr.
Boucicaut ever heard Of Tennyson, Browning, Swim
burne, Carlyle George Eliot, not to mention others
equally eminent the highest branches OF eraturcf
Lot him also turn nus eyes toward America. wbere he
Will discover Emerson, Longfeow, Bryant, Whit
tier, Lowell and valiant crowd OF younger
people, who are sale promise ior the
future. II names could satisfy Mr. Bouctcsut,
could easily accomplish this desirable result But III
Mr. Bouccaut Is lent 10 shu his eycs TO facts and
throw out random statements at pleasure ho must ex
pect that hts views will meet with some opposiuou.
The time has not yet como when the whole influence
Of the ncwspaper press upon literature be pointed
out In black and white. The for this 10 evident
While the power OF tho prces Is increasing day BY day
literature ~ at the timo essentially actfvA Wh6
this activity lasts literature B safo fev moro ysar&
Will show, predict, that great poets and great wrera
are still possibilities In these degossrate dayA am
sir, very respectfully, yours
GEoRGE EDGAR MONTGOMERY
New YoKK, August 81. 1871