New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-26

IN OUTB URST From THE HUE.
From The Boston Transcript

From, The Boston Transcript
Literature literary! were ever words so aoused
and distorted An advertISement-maher might as
easily pass for a hterateur 10" oIten 90 We o heJr
fine common observation, " He's literary, shes
literary" Take up your nioriner on 'n rn w sGn
know them as such. In nine cases out OF ten you
will be asked to read some nonsense rhymes poor
limitations OF Mother Goose. some mardiin poem
STYLED blank verse where no two lines are OF the
same length, or something styled humorous, "hlch
makes you weep for the author. Inc immense ue-
mand for Juvenile literature has created q Standing
.Tmy OF writers who are classed among literary
catalogue. and as grows apace, IN confse Of
time they rank with persons OF real liseraty pre-
tensions. There is such deal Of namby-pamoyism,
what Byron called shabby-genteei writing, now
arrived nc shabblest genteel. There is no slftng I'D
things written. We pretend to discriminate between
persons of birth and education ana the lower
classes We read the signs of the lady or the gentle,
man by manner, dress or bearing; we know and
recognize easily any vulgarity IN expression or III
tone bur when it comes TO literature, the same
good common mother sense OF discrimination
deserts and we praise and read and talk IN a
serious way-as II II had any real bearing upon real
literature-the sort or thing that receives the ac-
ceptance of the press that would not take rank VITA
the regular school exhibition performance
This is The age OF multiplied medlocrIty III writing,
and an age that deceives itself into belief through
this very multiplication table, that lt is a remark
ably brilliant one The diamonds and pearls of lit
eraIure are with the few. not the many. The truly
accomplished woman III this age, to my thinking IS
the one of whom II cannot be said she does any
thing. She Is everything. - 1t ~ coed enough Tor
magazine" SAID of an article or poem that
appeared IN weekly paper. "A magaZineV was the
reply The daily press prints every day original
poems which far superior, measured by the crti-
cal standard, than most Of magazine poems'
TINS IS very near the truth. In magazine one ex-
poets more ard gets less; in daily paper one ex-
poets nothing az all and gets more.
Is il not a common wonder IN scanning the maya
zines how certain things get in there how any
ever the audacty 10 send such things after hav
ing written them and how, by what binding OF the
intellectual judgment the editor sees ft 10
accept and PRINT themf L fancy hear
the echo of many voices asking this ques-
ton "You ask me that question" said
one who is connected with Of the foremost mag
azines in America. and reply that what you read
IN the monthhes Is the very cream OF what Is sent
IN" The cream! What must the skim-mllk BET
And this is why cant has become the pJ1Ruia mobile
of this present time. There is no criticism IN
America. Pure literary criticism is thing unknown.
Praise takes lis place; indscrlminate, pc ,nlcious
praise. false ITS beginning. evil in MS effect and
fatal honest literature III It's result. We are such
an easy-gOinC gOOd-natured people. We have had
our war. We have SAID Let US have peace" and
we want peace-literaTy well as National peace.
These literary (sO-callcdl folks are all one family.
They belong to Il set, clique. Writers are so beau
hfuily bound together by one great family tie IN
America they are so kindly, so humorous! II would
lie cruel to criticise them. 1t would give offence
Who is willing to east the first stone at a wrterf
1he consequence IL, the world is like to be denged
to destruction by tribe of pen-wleders who might
through the saving grace OF some just criticism, ID
time attain TO something above medocriJy.