Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-06-08
London asa Literary Centre.


sirce Shakespeare came up to town" from
the quiet nf Stratford not yet made famous
by his lame London has been the chief liter
ary centre of the world. II attracts, as by an
irresist ble gray tation. literary ssplrants
from all English-speaking peoples Edn-
burgh still urides Itself ON being "the Athens
OF the North" the university towns OF oxford
and Cambr lge are centres OF working schol-
Arship, Dublin counts It's quota OF wise and
witty scholars; but even these cannot resist
fate aud London, and sooner or later thev
give up their men, AT least for portion OF
the year, To- the all-absorbng metropolis
The faces Of American writer's are fam lar
on its streets there are said to be 1909
men and women In London who earn their
living by Their pens, although this estimate
includes newspaper writer's To speak sde-
quately OF the literary side OF many sided
London, SO rich In historic association, so
comprehensive OF present life, would be 10
essay history OF English literature and
h Z, neral survey Of present English letters
These papers have a more modest aim-to tell
the stay at home reader something OF literary
life In Lonauu, and To make known to him ia
some measure the men aud women OF to-day
who are part OF that life, whose books he
has read, aud whom he has loved or hOnorcd
through their books.
The road To fame used TO be Fleet Street.
This wan the literary thoroughfare OF London
long before DR.. Juhnson's historic phrase 10
Buzzf, LET Us take walk down Fleet street "
and many struggling author has sorrowed
over the grim Jest OF the streets name as be
found the stream OF success by no means
fleet Here, almost within stone s-thTON of
Temple Bar, the h0uses-or, alas sites
famous In The history OF letters are most to
Doe found; and here the pilgrim Americans,
tracing the steps Of Dickens and OF others Of
the past with that mingled reverence aud
transatlantic eagerness aud fresh appetite
for London which SO perplex their English
cousins, hui most TO stay them.
But as London itself has creDt out into the
green fields, aud surrounded within its circle
the commons and Nigh streets OF village ait
ar village until that same circle has centres
iuuumcrable, 50 the London Of letters has
UutgrOwn any single centre. IL Is good two
miles, dotted with publishing houses, from
Amen Corner Pdteruostcr Row, 5. Paul's
Churchy ward, where book sellers used 10 con
gregatc under the shadow of The church. to
Mr.. Murray's shop in Albemarle Street ia
nous in Byron verse, but ten mile radius
would no. compass the workshops Of London
authors. Many of them, indeed, live here
aud there about the Kingdom but are annex
Ell to London uy occasional residence ia cham
beers or lodgings Most OF the suburban VII
lagos have Their literary residents. llamD-
stead with It's stretch OF heath, has the
home charm for Walter Besant; Tennysou
lives AT Aldworth William Morris at Ham
mersmith, Swinburnc at Fulham; even such
a LoudOuer his Thsckeray's daughter now finds
Der home at Wimbledon Park; Mrs. Brandon
Maxwell lives at Richmond, Mr.. Blackmore
IN neigh boring Thames village, MIR DoUson
at Ealing; aud Mil Hin was Tor some wears
crowned with the curious little corrugated
iron On lding, adapted from chapel 10 be u
storehouse OF words, in which DIR. Murray
and his associates did their work on the great
Pathological Dictonar, before is removal 10
oxford.
OF the many thousand men and women in
London who live by literary work of one sort
or another, good number, some hundreds,
ar known 10 the public as writer's Of indiyidu-
al name and importance. The most care
full list Of hundred would leave out many
names which would at once spring at tue
thought of any general reader Some OF these
have been distinguished by the government
with the houors OF pension on the civil list,
ranging from twenty 10 three hundrd pounds.
1t is interesting to note also that good many
VT trrs are in the civil service, devoting their
pens 10 the public in one way by day, in an.
other way by night. To make adequate
mention Of those really well known would lie
q hopeless task Il. BOUker, - Larpsr's