The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-06-21
Authorship in America.

The United States Census, two or
three decades ago, in its summary of
persons engaged in various occupations
included poet. He lived in Arkansas,
if remember rightly, but may have per-
ished from want, for | have looked in
sain for him in later issues of the census
reports. have often thought of him,
however, when specializing about the
conditions of authorship in America,
and have admired the courage with
which he made his confession. He was
the only poet in America to stand up
boldly and be counted The rest of us
sheltered ourselves in the census behind
such evasive titles as journalist, or edit
or, or professor, or, if especially cour-
ageous, literary man. Mr.. Carlyle, in
bis celebrated petition, wrote himself
down as maker of books; but every
one feels that Mr. Carlyle's was case
OF affected humility and bluntness. If
he mad had the nerve of the man from
Arkansas, he would have subscribed
himself genius, or man that turns
the world upside down.
There is unquestionably a reluctance
on the part of all of US, whether poets,
or American humorists, or men of gen.
eral genius,-for since I am not going
to sign this paper, l am as bold as Snug
the joiner,-there is reluctance, | say,
on our part to be classified. A guild of
authors could exist only as mutual
burial society; though there would seem
to be many interests which authors
might combine to defend or resist, as q
llatter of fact there is, | believe. but on.
literary club in the country which makes
the authorship of books condition of
membership, and this Authors Club ha.
been derided for its arrogance, as ii il
were another instance of the three tai
lors of Tooley Street. When any move
ment is to be made which affects the
whole body of literary men, what mem
Der has the boldness to marshal his fel
lows into any phalanx of remonstrants
or petitioners? Even in the matter Of
international copyright, the views of au-
thors have been reached only by indi-
vidual solicitation from publishing hous.
es or trade journals.
The truth is that this individuality o.
authors, which seem to some to spring
from jealousy or a suspicious habit oil
mind, is an essential characteristic OF
their vocation, and necessary result
from the material conditions of then
profession. There can be an associa-
ton of artists, with the object to main
tain school of painters, or to conduct
an exhibition of paintings; there can be
an historical society to collect material
for history. to discuss and criticise his.
torical writings, and to print papers
but there cannot be anything more than
social basis for an authors league, be,
cause the individual interests of every
author are vastly greater to him than
the combined interests of all authors,
but chiefly because there exists for him
already a complement organization
which no voluntary association with
other authors could supply. An author
with his manuscript is an incomplete
figure; a hundred authors associated are
osily hundred times more incomplete
and the various authors unions andpub,
LEGATION societies which have attempted
to disprove this have invariably proved
it.-Jupe atlantic.