, 1888-11-01
WHAT Is LITERARY MERIT.
The Numerous Ones who Know 1 n Wha
1t Consists.


1t Consists.
What constitutes literary merit?'
Each editor thinks he 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 u sort of agreed upon standard, known
in vague way by literary people and rep
resented 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 while. let your mind
dwell upon the lesson contained in the
parable of the widows mite
IL poems or prose writings had intelli-
gence, 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: "Only remembered for
what have done" For instance, several
years ago little poem appeared in one of
our daily papers for a local author. | can
not think he was paid for it, nor can |
think any other paper ever thought it
worth copying for its own columns. |
well remember Rancing over il with a
little bit of contempt III my mind and Il
good deal of Indifference, and feeling sure
it was quite without "litery merit" II
was about the "baby boy very hack
neyed subject you will all agree.
Well, the other day, my pride of ludg-
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 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 it out of the paper and
put it into the sewing machine drawer,
and learned it, line at a time,
as she sat at work. Nor did it
went, and brought many blessing to
the little babies in the poor, crowded
houses.
Question: Ibid the poem have liter
airy meritp" Certainly its simple phrase
oogy, its humble truth, its honest pur-
pose, spoke to the mind as well as the
heart Of these people as one of Browning's
sonne.s could not nave done.
Again. There is housekeeping paper
published in one. of our western cities.
"Very ordinary have been wont to
pronounce it, and after cursory, indif.
ferept perusal have sent away my num-
bers 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 house-
keeping journal, and have had her oc-
casional letters. And how she has grown
mentally! 1t must have been the liter
ary merit" in that paper that called or
dinary and could not waste my time upon.
There is apparent literary value and an
Intrinsic one, | feel bound to admit.
There may be two ways of considering
whether poem or book lives. IL it is
printed over and over again at the demand
of the people, all the world knows it lives.
But it sometimes happens that it is print
ed only once, is caught up by some heart,
passed on and on in word or influence, and
the good it does never dies. Is it not real
ly Literary merit" that makes it live--the
mode OF its expression as well as Its inher-
ent thoughtP am asking; for at the very
end of my remarks, with full recognition
of the high standards, with just respect
for editors, critics and cultivated readers,
but with an equally ardent appreciation of
comparative value, humbly confess that
| do not know what literary merit" real
ly is.--Jnanita Stafford in Belford's Mag
azine.