New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-05
MR.. LOUELL ON LITERATURE.
From hts speech at the Society of Authors Dinner
london. July %

From HIS speech at the Society Of Authors Dinner
London, July 20.
am 10 answer to literature; and must confess
that person like myself who first appeared in print
fifty wears ago. would hardly wish TO be answeTable
for all his own literature not TO speak OF te hera p
your auton Ia sixty years ago reminded me of some
Thing which struck me ! looked down these tables
and Cooper. were the only two American authors OF
whom anything known IN Europe. and the knoVI
land II is true that Bryant's Water Fowl had al
ready begun its fight in immortal air. but these were
tho only two American authors that could De salu 10
be known in England. And what Is even more re-
sSy we're S and q SaG benz
us al home-who capable OF earning thcir pica1
by their pens o Another Go sne tsbs and that IS the
singular contrast they afford between 'he tme s whc b
assa the life of the scholar and by the schoaf he
meant the author
"Ton envy want the patron, and the gaol"
And confess when I remember that verse it strikes
me as a singular contrast that l should meet with a
body Of authors who were able 70 ofer dinner IN
stead % OF begging ny G fcdnr IKE whn 100
ago the fed like forty when they had me chance
CLaushterJ You have alluded. also, Mr. Chairman,
in terms which shall not qualify, to my own merits
You have made me feel little as II were ehost
ing with considerable wonder my own epltapb; But
you have done me more than Justice In auribntlnS
And since could not very we'll avoid touching upon
the subject Of international copyrights must say that
favor Of It the moral ground, the ground OF sim
PIE Justice to English authors. (Chcers) But there
wce great many al topical considerations, as our
ancestors used to call them that we were obliged 10
take intc account and which perhaps you do not feel
as keenly here as VIC did But think we may say ina,
the almost unanimous conclusion OF American authors
attcry has been that We should be thankful to get any
bill that recognized the principle Of international copy
would so recommend II 70 the American people that
that we desr at least every one that Is humanity
possible Hear, hearl think that perhaps itiio
Injustice has been done 10 our side OF the question
think a little more heat has been imported
into 1t than was altogether wise. Qiear near
fishers were much moro wicked than their English
brethren would have been II they had had the chancc
daughter and Hear, hear.") l cannot confess
accept with patience any imputation that implies that
there anything In climate or In our form OF gov
morai,ty than in other countries The fact is that
has been partly due to ccran-may speak oil our
ancestors having been qualihed by certain dui
ness? mean no dlsrespcct but think II IS due 10
the stupidity Of ancestors In making distinction
between literary property and other properly. tear
hoar1 That has been at the root OF the whole OWL
I of course understand. as everybody understands
that all property Is the creature of municipal law
But you must remember that tno 1 rddd )"
boundaries Of that muDi6pum II Is sun sacred. ~
IS not yet sacred in all respects ana cohdtlons
Literature, tho property in an idea. has been some
tlGng that It is very difficult for tho average man 10
comprehend. II is not difficult for tho average man
10 comprehend that there NAV be property IN form
which genius or talent gives TO an idea He can 80
f. 1t Is visible and palpable this properly IN an
idea when It is exempted IN m 7,SGn Du'
eubly nerfused in literature Books have always ''
bern looked somewhat fcrae naturao. ana II you
have ever preserved pheasants you know that when
they fy your neighbours boundaries he may take
a not shot at them. ! remember that something moro
than thirty years Iongfeow. friend and melt Oh
Dor asked me 10 come and eat game pie with him.
IOngfellows books had been sold In England by the
tens OF thousands. and that game pie-and you VIII
observe the felicity Of I've being pie ferae natu-
rye always you see-was the only honorarum he had
ever received from this country for Ieprnting his
works I cannot help feeling as stand here that
there Is something especislv-I might almost
cant word and say monumentally-interestinp in
meeting like fhs II is the first time that English and
American authors. far as ] know, have come to-
rether In any numbers. I going 20 say 10 fra
fernize when remembered that ought perhaps. 10
add to sororize.S G.aughterl We. OF course. have
no desire. sensible man In England or America has
any desire 10 enforce this differentiation at fhc point
Of the bsyonet; let us go on crihcisng each Other;
sometimes charged with being little too sensitive;
but perhaps little indulgence may be due 10 those
who always have their faults told 10 them daughter
and cheers and the rcferoncc 10 whose virtues per
hspe, is sometimes conveyed in foot-n9te IN small
print n.sughtcr) think that both countries
have q sufficiently good opinion OF themselves to
have fairly good opinion NJ each other. ChoersJ
think have been told often enough 10 remember
that my countrymen apt 10 think that they are
IN the right, that they always IN the right that
they apt 10 look s their side OF the question only
Now, ths conducos certainly TO peace OF mind and I'M
psrt1rbahdity Of judgment Whatever Other merits 1t