Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-12-21
MARK TwAIN's ADVICE TO
YOIfNO AuIHORS.

the law. aud al other occupations, 10
ersmped and hindsrsd for van, OF men
TO do the work, no, want OF work to DO.
When people tell you the reverse, they
speak tha, which Is no, true. II you de-
sire to is., this. you need only TO hunt
up frst.elas editor. reporter. business
manager, foreman OF q shop. mechsnie,
or artist in any branch OF Industry, and
NV 10 hire him. You will fad that be
/. already hired. lie 10 sober. inda'iri-
Gus. capable and reliable, and Is always
Ia demand lie cannot get a days holi-
day excsp, At the courtesy Of bis employ.
er, or Of bis city. or Of the great general
public. Bu, ifyou need oilers. 'hirssr',
half.in. iruei,d. unambiiiOus, and CON-
fort.seekipg editors, reporters. lawyers,
doctors and mechanics. apply anywhere.
There are millions Of them 10 be bad at
the dropping Of handkerchief.
No, must not. and will not, venture
any opinion whatever as 10 the Literary
men, Of your productions. The public
/. the only critic whose judgment !.
worth anything at all. DO not take my
poor word Cor this. but reflect moment
and take your osn. For instance. II
Sylvan. Cobb or I. $. Arthur had sub.
mi,isd their Mss. 10 you. you would
have said with tears ia your eyes, "Now'
please don't write any more " But you
see yourself how popular they are. And
II il had been left 10 you. you would have
said ,ha, The Marble fAun" was tire
some, aud thai even paradise Lot
lacked eheerfulnes.; bu, you know they
sell. May wiser and better men than
ysa pOoh.pOohed Shakespeare even :"
late I. two esn,urie. ago, but s,lll that
old party hl. ou,lived those people. No,
| will no, u, in judgment upon yorr H.
era,ure. II | honestly and eon'cisnliou'-
y praised It. Nigh, thus help TO inlet
a lingering and piiile,, bors upon the
public: II | honestly aud eonseehilou'ly
condemned IL. | Nigh, thus roo the sorld
Of an undsveloPed aud unsa'Pse'sd DIX
e.. or Shaks'psa-.
shunk from hunting up literary ia
Dor fr you 10 do aud receive pay Zoe.
Whenever Jour literary predictions have
proved for themselves that they have q
real value You will never have 10 20
around kuniing for remusrAii'e literary
~oik 10 DO. You will require more
hand. than you have nov. and more oraia'
than you probably ever will have. 20 do
even half the work ihA, will b. offered
YOU. Now. IN order to arrive a. the
proof II value hsfsinbefofe 'poken ". one
need. only 10 adopt a very simple aud
certainly very .src process-snd that H..
10 ,rriie without pay until ioH'body ogni
pay II nobody offer, pay within three
years. the candidate may look uPon the
eiieam,tanee With the mos, implicit con-
a!enee iha, saving wood i What be vas
intended for II he has Any wisdom a.
eli. then he will retire with dignity aud
s.gms b., he.,en.Appoinisd vocation
The young literary a'pirAni u very.
very curiou, creature. tie kno~s that
II be wished 10 become q timer the mas
,sr,miih would r,qaire bin to prove the
possession Of good character aud would
require him 10 promise 10 stay IN the shop
three year-pos,ibly four-and would
make him sweep out And bring water And
build fires all the first year. And let him
learn 20 black stove. 10 the Intervals. II
he wanted 20 become = mechanic Of any
other kidd. be would have 20 undergo
tie same ,sdiou, ill.paid apprenticeship.
II he wanted 20 become lawyer OF a
doctor then be would have fiiy time.
worse. for he would get nothing al all
daring BIZ. long apprenticeship. and in
addition would have 10 pay large sum
for tuition, aud have the privilege u
boarding and clothing himself. The IL.
er.ry a,pirani know, all this. aud ye, be
Ia, the hArdihood TO pre'en, himself for
reception into the literary guild. And ask
70 share Il, high hoaor AID emolumenis
without single twslve'mon,hs appre-
tiee.hip TO show In excuse fof BIZ pre'ump-
ton. lie would .mils pleasanlly II be
wefe asked even 10 make - simple q thing
as ten cen, diPper without previous Ia.
.tue,ion. 10 the att but. all green and
isnorAni. wordy. pomPously ssseriiye,
ungrammaiieal, aud with vague, dis
,or,sd knowledge Of men aud the world.
acquired 10 a back country village, be
will ,ersnely take up 80 dangerous a
weapon q" pen. and attack the most
formidable subjects that hnsnee, COM
merce. war OF politics can furni'h him
wiihal. Il would be lAughsble II !, were
no, 90 sad and pi,isble. The poor fellow
would no, inrude upon the iin.shoP
wiihoa, an apprenticeship, bat u willing
TO seize and WELD with unpraetiesd hand
an instrument which is able TO overthrow
dynssiis.. change religion, and decree the
veal on wee II nations.
II my eouepondsnl vii! write free Of
charge for the Newspaper. Of his neigh'
borhocd IL will be one Of the s,rsnge',
things that ever happened Il he dos no,
s,i all the smploymen, he can attend to
on those terms. Aud a. soon As ever BIS
writings ate worth money, plenty Of Pso'
pie will hasten 10 oher Il.
And. by the way Of serious aad we'll
meant encouragement, wish to urge
upon him once mor the truth that &C
eep,Able writers fo' the press are 50 scarce
thu, book and periodical publishers are
seeking them constantly, aud with Wig
lance that never grow. hssdlsU Tor =
moment.
ESrERrRIsE AND SESsE-Some people