The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-06-20
The Disease Of Msdern Writers.

Egotism. that il the prevailing dis
ease of modern writers. Such. Is the
conclusion of a thoughtful article on
The L in Contemporary Literature" in
q recent number Of the Retue Politique
ct Litter0ire, which may we'll be taken
to heart by writers on this side the
channel. M. Guillemot, denouncing
the growing tendency of authors and
dramatists and artists to thrust them
selves and their private life before the
public, traces the origin of the malady
to America. Unless it is checked, he
declares that it must of necessity lower
the standard of all modern literary pro-
auctions. 1t is natural enough that an
author, an artist, or poet should be
ambitious to leave an honored name to
posterity; but that is an altogether diff
ferent thing from craving to be talked
about and marveled at while in the land
of the living. Formerly the poet sang
his song, the author told his tales. and
the artist completed his work without
ever thought of putting himself to
the front Whether he was married or
single, whether tall or short, fair or
dark, sanguine or bilious-what had this
to do with his work? No one knew, and
no one cared to know. They gave their
spirit, their mind to the world, and be-
side this they were nothing to the pub
lie at large. They remembered Con-
fucius' words: "Do nottalk of yourself,
either good or evil; because in the
former case no one would believe you,
and in the latter everybody would"
Within the last two centuries all
this has changed. At present all
houses are built of glass. the in
habitants themselves being the archi-
tects, throwing open to the gaze of the
public even those chambers which have
hitherto been held sacred in their pri-
vacy. "And is not this fact" asks M.
Guillemot, 1.-The characteristic of mod
ern society? A curious society, thanks
to which the term private life is nothing
but vain phrase. and Paris an inn
mense crystal palace" Fortunately for
France these evils do not originate with
in its frontiers, but come, like tempests,
across the Atlantic from ''that powerful
nation which in turn astonishes the
world by its grandeur and its folly, its
refined civilization and red-Indian bar
barities, its love for liberty and its con-
tempt for inferior races; from the United
States. which let Lincoln die and
Barnum live" Audacious, resolute
Americans exercise the same influence
on the French which every firm spirit
does on the weak and undecided. 1--WE
are as wax in their hands," 1t was in
America that conferences and lectures
originated, the Yankees having always
had a great desire to approach the per-
sons Of great men. That, however, is
due to physical defect, which inca
pacitates the American from seeing the
difference between Justly celebrated
poet and two-headed Gala remark
which Mr.. Arnold will perhaps not be
slow to appreciate. 1t is by no means
the deep interest in the works of a great
man which exctes this curiosity among
the people: in the same degree as art
declines, the personally of the artist in
creases in interest. American journal
ism and reporting strengthen this ten
dency to pry into the private life of
public characters, and France has eager
" taken up the evil habit.-PaH Mall
Gazette.