Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-09-01
WHAT is LITERARY MERIT,


trfnsio Literoxy worth.
What constitutes literary meritr'
Each editor thinks be knows. So does
each literary critic. So do the people who
will tell you that the poems or essays or
books that live are possessed Of It. There
Is o sort OF agreed upon standard, known
In vague way by literary people and
represented by our best periodicals. By
all means keep this standard high, and
keep yourselves up to the standard; but
at the same time, once In q while, let
your mind dwell upon the lesson con-
tanned In the parable Of the widows mite.
II poems or prose writings had intelli.
gencc, and could think for themselves,
there would be one infallible test for IN
trinsic value that they might append to
themselves after they had stood the fur
ther test Of time: "0nly remembe. .ed for
what have DONE" For instance, several
years ago little poem appeared In one Of
our daily papers from local author. I
cannot think he was paid for II. nor can
i think any other paper ever thought IL
worth copying for its own columns.
we'll remember glancing over Il with q
little bit Of contempt in my mind and a
good deal Of Indifference, and feeling sure
1t was quite without Literary merit" II
was about the baby boy" very hack.
neyed subject, you will all agree.
Well, the other day my pride of judc
ment received humiliating blow. A
woman, good and true, In the humble
ranks Of life, had seen this poem. Her
own baby boy was only few weeks old,
and perhaps she had let creep into her
heart the thought that he was something
OF q burden. with poverty and hard work
pressing upon her each day. The little
poem struck higher. better chord than
that, and the tune Of her thoughts grew
sweeter. She cut 1t out Of the paper and
tucked 1t into the sewing machine drawer.
and learned 1t, line ut a time, as she sat
ut work. Nor did 1t stop there; around
among the neighbors II went, and brought
many blessing to the little babies In the
poor, crowded houses.
Question:: did the poem have literary
meritr Certainly; Its simple phraseology,
Its humble truth, its honest purpose.
spoke TO the mind as well as the heart Of
these people as one Of Browning's sonnets
could not have done.
Again: There is housekeeping paper
published In one of our western cities
Very ordinary" have been won't to pro-
nounce 1t, and after a cursory, Indifferent
perusal have sent away my numbers to
little housekeeper on Virginia farm.
She Is brave little woman, left, at the
age Of IA. by the death OF her mother, to
bring up the three younger children and
do the housework Very limited was her
schooling, Of course. For two years, now,
she has had this housekeeping Journal
and have had her occasional letters. And
how she has grown mentallyi It must
have been the Literary merit" in that
paper that called ordinary, and could not
waste my time upon.
There is apparent literary value and On
intrinsic one, / feel bound to admit
There may be two ways of considering
whether poem or book lives II It Is
printed over and over again at the de.
mand Of the people. all the world knows
1t lives. But 1t sometimes happens that
II Is printed only once, Is caught up by
some heart, passed On and on In word or
influence, and the good 1t does never dies.
Is IT not really literary merit" that makes
1t live-the mode Of its expression as we'll
as its inherent thought2 lam asking; for
at tho very end Of my remarks, with a
full recognition Of the value of high
standards, with just respect for editors.
critics and cultivated readers, but with
an equally ardent appreciation of compar-
ative value, humbly confess that do
not know what 'literary merit" really is.
---Juniata Stafford in Belford's Magazine.