The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1885-09-02
LITERARY LIFE.
Conditions of Literary Life I'm England
and America.

anu America.
Tho conditions of the literary life i'm
America are less determined than they
are in England. The only organization
within which authorship may be said
to find substantial shelter is journalism,
and this profession is so cXacting and
so inimical to most forms of literature,
that those who have most serious
thoughts of tho literary life arc rather
desirous Of escaping from journalism
than of using it rs 4 vantage ground.
1t might seem at first blush rs if the
universities and colleges would offer a
desirable fastncSS from which to send
out ventures in literature; but the
academic life is a somewhat sterile one:
it is with us so identified with the pcda-
gogic that the energies of the prolos-
sor, if they move the production of
books, are most likely TO be occupied
with tho tools OF the profession. Text
books in abundance issue every year
from college faculties, but very fcw
contributions to humane literature.
The academic life again is so special
lied that even the professor of English
literature rarely produces work upon
which his successor or associate may
comment. His attitude toward tho
subject of his teaching is too critical to
allow him much freedom of mind, and
he Is besides SO conscious of his posi-
ton that he is undermined in his rcso-
luton, and rendered abnormally scnsi-
tive TO the criticism of others rs we'll as
of himself
The constitution Of the English uni
vcrsltics, on the other hand, directly
encourages and Sustans the literary
life. This is not to say that literature
in its frccst expression is not there. rs
here, outside the walls Of the college.
but that man of literary taste and
ambition may deliberately possess HIM
self of academic situations which will
mako it possible for him to lead a
literary life, free from fret and carking
care; and also that tho prizes for
scholarship offered by the universities
distinctly suggest to the student liter
ary occupation. A man, in other
words, with fortune enough to secure
him university education, may hope
to win Fellowship which Will demand
only slight academic duties, leaving
him free to devote himself to literature;
and n student devoted to learning who
falls into such Il place will, by tho very
lorco OF his own nature, be urged into
literary production. Thus the uniycr-
sity, by provision which cnlarges tho
scope of university life, is moro than Il
training school for immature minds; it
is society Of scholars, and as such,
directly encourages and sustains the
literary life.
The university, however, is not the
only English organization which fosters
literature and makes vantage ground
for the man of letters. -. it is demon
strably more efficient IN this respect
than its American congcncr, SO the
civil service of England has offered a
more convenient $! "ltcr for the littcra-
teur than the same service in America.
Our government, indeed, has not been
slow to recognize authors, but it has
been chiefly in the way OF rewards in
diplomatic service for those who have
already won Il certain distinction. Now
and then, notably in the case of the
New York Custom House. government
offices have served us means to hard
working literary men, but the general
insecurity which has hitherto attached
to this employment and the peril to
ones sclf-rcspect in seeking appoint
mcnts have hindcrci such men from
counting upon this resource. One of
The probable results of q service organ
lZcd upon the merit system is the at
traction to it of men capable of clerkly
labor but chiefly ambitious of literary
lame. The freedom from concern
which enables one to lay aside his busi-
ness mind. like an Office coat, when
tho clock strikes three, and don the
literary habit, is especially necessary
to tho calm and cheerful pursuit of
literature. Such u state of things cX-
lists in London to-day and may be con-
lidcntly predicted of Washington, New
York, and other cities, in tho near fu-
turc-Juiy atlantic.