The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-05-16
AMERICAN LITERATURE.

In an interview with a reporter Of the Pittsburg Chyonieie. zSlterePh Mark Twain said:
 "It seems to me, however, that there has been a wonderful advance of late years in the general tone of the maga- zines. There has been no 'Autocrat oi the Breakfast Table, to be sure, but what do you expect? You do not wan, more than one 'Autocrat' in a century you cannot hope for more than one Such men as Holmes, Hawthorne, Long, fellow, Fields and others of that school upheld the literary reputation of two gen. erations and made the Atlantic SO bril- liant. Most of these men have gone, but the general work in magazines is far su- perior to that of ten years ago. The trouble is that the two or three maga- zines which are a good market for a writer and which can aid him in his work for fame are over-crowded. The Century has perhaps Sroo 600 worth of accepted articles in its vault which may not ap- pear for years. They are pushed aside by articles on timely topices which can- not be delayed. There are other maga- zines, it is true. but when you send them an article you send them burial permit with it, for you know that it will b, en- tombed even if it is printed. These com oinations of newspapers which print stories and sketches once week will, it seems to me, give rising and capable writers the field they desire as well as the market. Charles Dudley Warner told me of one of these syndicates which is in charge of Thorndyke Rice, of the North American Review. lde has fifteen of the lea ding papers of the country which pay liberally for page of matter either for their Sunday issue or for any other day they may select. The idea is, 1 be, lieve, to give at least one sketch or story by some very we'll known writer in each issue, and give other articles on the same page by clever people not SO well known This will bring into Mir. Rice's han is about $Io 900 month to pay his corps of writers. He can pay them just as good if not better prices than any of the mag azines, and besides he can handle matters of passing interest before the magazine gets at them. MT. Rice has written to me and has offered me handsome terms for articles. He seems to think am A mags zine writer, but really am not"
 He has asked MT. Henry Irving to write for him, also."
 "Has he We'll, the idea is to have At his comm and the men who are eminent in all the branches of art, literature. dra- ma, the sciences and professions. There are few good writers O short stories now. and there never have been very many. Such men as Poe and Aldrich stand out so that you can at once recall them. I do not believe in the decrying of the books of the day, which is so common. I admit am not careful reader of novels. l read portions of them, but do not read them through with the care some of them deserve. Much of my opinion is based upon what hear of men and women of sound judgment whom l know inti- mately and whom l can rely upon. Take Hawthorne as an example of my pecu- liar literary bent of thought. It has been quite custom to speak of him as the greatest of all American romancists. I read him now and then for his style. the exquisite manner in which he writes. but l do not care for his stories, for do not think they are as great as many others by American writers. Howells' news. paper man, who is brought before the public second time in 'Silas Lapham.' is wonderful creation, photograph of many such men who do exist not cheerful, nice sort of a man to sit at a communion table, perhaps, but still a strong, living man. was in Europe when Henry James, Daisy Miller reached there. chanced to be where there was great many American ladies, and l must confess never heard liter ary production so roundly denounced as was Daisy Miller It was called an absurd exaggeration, gross libel on the American girls. and all so,ts of things. Nothing was too bad to say of it. And yet within few hours heard these same ladies allude to young American girls as perfect Daisy Millers,' and saw them point out to each other girls who just fit- ted into the description of that irrepres- sible young lady. The work has been caviled at and found fault with, but it is true, and just and close to the truth in spite of all that. The blemishes com plained of in recent American books are to be found just as readily in English works as those of other countries"