Smyrna times., 1888-09-19
MHAr IS LITERARY MERIrf
What Is the Agreed Upon Standard2-II
trinsic Literary Worth.

trinsic Literary Worth.
What constitutes '1iterary meritT
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 a sort of agreed upon standard, known
in a 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.
If 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 l have done" For instance, several
years ago a little poem appeared in one of
our daily papers from local author.
cannot think he was paid for it, nor can
l think any other paper ever thought 1T
worth copying for its own columns. l
well remember glancing over it with a
little bit of contempt in my mind and
good deal of indifference, and feeling sure
It was quite without 'literary merit" 1t
was about the ''baby boy" very hack
neyed subject, you will all agree.
Well, the other day my pride of judg-
ment received a 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
tucked it into the sewing machine drawer,
and learned it, line at a time, as she sat
at work. Nor did it stop there; around
among the neighbors it went, and brought
many blessing to the little babies in the
poor, crowded houses.
| Question: "Did the poem have literary
merit2' Certainly; its simple phraseolOgy,
it's humble truth, its honest purpose,
spoke 20 the mind as well as the heart of
these people as one of BrOwning's sonnets
could not have done.
Again: There is a housekeeping paper
| published in one of our western cities
every ordinary, have been won't to pro
nOunce it, and after a cursory, Indifferent
perusal have sent away my numbers tC
q little housekeeper on a Virginia farm
She is q brave little woman, left, at tho
age Of IA, by the death of her mother, t.
bring up the three younger children NnC
do the housework Very limited was he
schooling, of course. For two years, now
she has had this housekeeping journal
and have had her occasional letters, AnC
how she has grown mentally 1t mus
have been the Literary merit" in tina
paper that called ordinary, and could no
/ waste my time upon.
, There is apparent literary value and al
intrinsic one, l feel bound to admit
J There may be two ways of considering
whether poem or a book lives. If 1t
: printed over and over again at the dc
mand Of the people, all the world know
| it lives. But it sometimes happens tina
it is printed only once, is caught up b
/ some heart, passed on and on in word q
: influence, and the good it does never dies
Is it not really literary merit" that make
, it ive-the mode of its expression as we
> as its inherent thought2 lam asking; fc
: at the very end of my remarks, with
full recognition of the value Of hig
3 standards, with just respect for editor.
! critics and cultivated readers, but wit
, an equally ardent appreciation of compal
! ative value, humbly confess that l
- not know what literary merit" really il
, -Juniata Stafford in Belfords Magazin,