Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-22
LITERARY GENIUS AND CITIES


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LITERARY GENIUS AND CITIES.
II the literary annals of Great Bril-
tain show anything, they show that
literary genius has been much more In
timately associated with cities and
crowds than with the seclusion OF ths
country. A history Of London and
Edinburs would be history, to very
large extent, of English literature so
far ~ that literature is involved IN the
lives OF British authors. One OF the
principal explanations Of this TACT 10
that it was in cities alone that they
could expect to fiud that remuneration
for their literary work which IS Ju.t IA
essential to authors Us to ths members
of any other profession. So far. there
fore, as pecuDiary compensation IS con
cerned, society, signifying large COM
munity of men. IL certainly better
nurse for genius than seclusiOn. Ii IL.
however, impossible to believe that all
OF the authors who have gone up from
every part of the British islands to Lon
don. were influenced entirely by de-
sire for a wider pecuniary field than
was furnished by the provinces. The
i'm pulse was no doubt, due,l IN very large
measure. to the innate sympathy of the
great ma i)rity Of authors with those
varied interests of humanity. WHICH
find their highest exempItication and H.
Illustration in populous communities OF
men.
II will be interesting TO glance over
the list of British authors with view
to discovering what proportion Is
associated with cities and what with
the country. Chsucsr was born IN Lon
don, and passed his life in cities. Spen-
ser. also, was born in London, aid
only during his residence in Ireland,
can be said to have lived in state APP
d .oaching ssclusion. Shakspere was
born in a small town, and settled IN
London at the age of twenty-five
.Jopsop. Beaumont and Fletcher, Bacon,
Raleigh, Cowlsy, Waller. were all inti-
mately associated with the llfeot city
during the course or their literary
careers. Butler pissed his life in SONS
of the most frequented country house
of England. Bunyan was brought by
his profession into the closest and most
constant contact with the people al
large. Dryden was eminently "a man
of society and the world.
All the dramatists of the age OF
| Charles III. were very notable men OF
the town. Including Wycherley, Farqu-
bar. Vanbrugh, and COngreve. The
most useful part of Newton's life was
passed in Trinity College. Pope. Add
son Swift Prior. Cav Fielding. Steele,
and Richardson, produced their Dss'
work in town. And SO with Gl6b0n'
Johnson. Burke, Goldsmith, oherlcan
Robertson, Moore, Hood, Dickens
Thackarey, George Eliot, and ID Israeli
Byron. who pretended TO be one Oh the
most misanthropical of men, was never
so happy as when he was IN the mlds'
of the world and actively Interested IL
It's affairs.
OF the great authors of England whC
lived i'm seclusion, whether they were
residents of town or country, the mrs
and most famous is John Milton, who
though born in London, aud taking .
most prominent part IN the active iii'
OF his time, yet lived alone, without IN
timacies. almost without friendships
so that Wordsworth has justly referred
TO him as one whose soul was IKE
star, and dwelt apart. hilton. no"
ever. was exceptional in the gravity 0
his mind and solitary elevation OF al
genius. e
Second only to him in fondness 10
. seclusion was the poet Cowper. who's
, soul. however. was morbid ana WHO'S
! mind often unbalanced. II Is remark
= able fact that the most famous apps
/ trophe in the language rejecting on IN
nature of solitude Is to be found in' I'll
} writings Of this author, Tor IL va
Cowper who produced the line 30 OILS
quoted. Oh! solitude where are IN
. charms? but it was also Cowper "n
, asserted in the Task that God mad
, the country and man made the town.
l Among the English authors who's
hyes are connected almost sxciuslYel
, with the country. sre Crabbe, tn
Z author OF the Village; Chariot
. Bronte. whose whole nature was tings
a by her local surroundings IN Yorkshire
I where she pasted her life; Wordsworth
I who lived in the retirement OF poeli
philosopher and sage at Grasmefe,
the celebrated Ltko DiS'tiSs
land: Burns, who followed his piow l
. AYRSHIRE, but at the same time llstene
;, to the voice Of the muse.
All the leading authors oil Ams
!. lea are associated with cities. Franz
lin was born in city, lived Ia cltie
|, and died in q city. Irving was born
y New York, and passed his whole ~
= in intimate contact with men liza
, leck was known as the poet OF the tow
Bryant lived during The course OF u
greater part OF his life in New foi
city. Poe was born in Boston ana aie
J. in Baltimore. Longfellow waas cit,z'
8 Of Cambridge throughout bis III
% Holmes was born in Cambridge al
II has always resided in Boston. nav
le thorne was born in Salem, ana was
ID ways an inhabitant Of towns. Lowe
% is sminsntly man of the world; al
10 so was the historian Motley. All !,
biographies of Emerson show tnas y
Concord Sage did not 1--we seciuI
from his fellows, however much "a
philosopher may have counseled rem
ment. Henry James Jr StoddaIu a.
Stedman are all men Of the world "a
', the list might be extended inuen
o. itely.
The spirit of DR.. johnson; VINO
serted that he had always Iouha
greatest inspiration in pavemsn'ss;, =.
shared by a vast proportion OF tue III
.rv c,;Id -hsther English or Amerlci