The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-20
INTELLECTUAL LABOR.
ITS pEcuNlARY REWARDS ARE CON-
pARATIvELY SMALL.
There Are Many Reasons why IL we"
TIM, Th,. should lie so-Undere"rrents
., r,,ovment-Tbo Superficial Way ri
v.,,,,a the Works OF Men.

r,, This should lie so-tnhere"''e""
Of Enjoyment-Tho superficial Way ''
x,,,,,a the Works Of Men.
The tendency OF the present age Is 70
Mace n pecuniary value upon everything
and 10 underestimate. or hold III con
tempt, ANYTHING which cannot at viii he
urned into cash. That this is superficial
incorrect and vulgar way Of estimating
the value Of things cannot be questioned
but it Is equally true that nowhere Is tins
tendency more pronounced than in thu;
country Millet's "Angelus IS likely &c
attract wider public attention ana o'
valued more highly than any other paint
80. simply because ii has cost more,
40, mo- u,iier iu,ails o. aGseitsIng could
have been more effective.
THEY NEVER STRUCK.
Intellectual labor can claim no such
advantage to give it charm in the popu'
Iar eve. nor can il hold out the attrac'
ton of great pecuniary rewards 10 young
men choosing career. such as many oi
tie commercial activities Of the present
time can safely promise When 1t Is
remembered that clergymen. lawyers
phvsicians. writer's Of all kinds and art
lists are picked men, with more than ay'
erage talent. and of many years OF ex'
pensive discipline and experience, 1t Is
evident that their pecuniary rewards are
small compared with those OF many
other callings requiring no greater talent
and far less preparation.
The moment such a topic IL suggested
countless illustrations come to mind OF
the inequality between the service rem
dered to the world and the pecuniary
return that the world has been willing
to give. Milton received 6 for " Para
disc LOST" host Of authors whose
names are inseparably connected with
the chief glories Of English literature,
including johnson and Goldsmith. al
most starving in London. Ileine and DE
Musset dying in garrets in Paris. with
the financial straits to which Carlyle.
Matthew Arnold and even Emerson were
often reduced. are striking examples OF
the truth running all through ancient
and modern history that great thinkers
are not rewarded in money by the gen
Grafton which they adorn.
OF a certain class Of literary workers
this is always true. The works Of Her
bert Spencer. widely as they are known
and great as has been their influence
upon contemporary thought. have never
yielded their author an annual support
Great pecuniary prizes are frequently
won by striking some popular chord
and the growth Of habits and OF taclli-
ties for reading have made the rewards
OF literary labor greater now than ever
before. but. nevertheless. the worlds
thinking is still largely done Tor it gratu'
itously The greater number OF literary
aspirants are obliged. like the Edinburgh
reviewers. to cultivate literature upon
a little oatmeal. and the majority Of
professional men are compelled TO live
in modest circumstances and with the
practice Of a rigid economy.
There are many reasons why it is well
that this should be so There is a certain
degree OF self denial which seems neces
sary TO the attainment Of the strongest
influence over mankind The thoughts
and labors Of many a man. living in pov
erty and sacrifice. have a weight which
would never be given them If it were
known that they were well paid This
has always been recognized by the great
majority of literary workers. and con
sidering the degree Of their deprivations
they have not been Disconnected at giving
their labor to the world without ade
quate return They have never struck
for higher wages.
THE REWARDS.
Few Of the great writers Of the world
have not been more or less under subjec
ton 10 this stern mother Of invention
Whether this was best for them or not
the world has freely left them 30. Ill
has often refused bare existence to It,
most richly endowed members. except on
condition Of earning by manual labor
the rewards which the fruits Of their In
tellectual toll were not thought worthy
TO receive
1t might have been thought that the
latter part Of the eighteenth century
could have made a better use. for itself
and posterity Of its most exquisite genius
for song than to have made him an tx
ciseman in the Scottish lOwands OF
that Charles Lamb or Nathaniel llaw
thorne could have been better employed
than the one as clerk in the India Office
and the other as custom house officer
in Salem. Ii was poor discernment, az
well as inadequate reward OF genius, a.
have left ThOreau with the larger part Of
the edition Of Walden on his hands
and to have allowed Corot 70 have re-
tanned an almost unbroken collection OF
his own paintings until lie was 60 years
old
1t would be unjust. however, 10 speak
as if the rewards OF intellectual toll were
confined to. or mainly represented by
either the recognition OF mankind or Pc
cuniary returns In no other sphere OF
life can 80 much happiness Of high and
noble kind be- found Whoever has fitted
himself by whatever expenSe Of time and
toll To appreciate the best that has been
said and done in the world. 10 take part
however humbly. IN molding public pm
ion. and IN contributing 70 the advance
OF the race toward better conditions. has
entered on a career which may have it,
depriyations. its perplexities and dlscour |
agements. but has also an undercurrenl
Of enjoyment that nothing can wholly |
disturb The physician who has saved a |
valuable life. the clergyman who clears
away the mists of superstition from the
minds Of "A large congregation. and gives
them vision OF religious things in their |
true nationality ana beauty. or the states
man. author or editor who aids in lifting |
MS generation up above itself. can afford
to be i'll paid IN mere money.
Such mems payment cOmesin different |
coin-in n daily increasing personal
worth. in the satisfaction OF thinking the
best thoughts of the time. in the con |
seriousness Of contributing to the worlds |
advancement. and in the increasing graft !