The sun., 1890-01-26

son Burnett but twelve, and Elizabeth Stuart
Phelps but eight Henry George, whose writ
ings are read wherever mon speak the English
tongue is allowed three pages, and precisely
tho same number is awarded to Rose Eliza
beth Cleveland. John Fiske. one Of the fore
most historical scholars and students OF
science on this side OF the Atlantic. is rep
resented by five pages whereas seven
are allotted TO Frances Courtenay Bay
| lor OF whom we are ashamed to con-
fess that We never heard. We gre glad that
| eight pages are assigned to Prof. Hardy. but
We regret that the editors could only afford ton
| for Edgar Fawcett. Neither do we comprehend
the principle on which only i've pages are
awarded to John Boyle o'Reiy whilo four ape
bestowed upon Knte Field. That only seven
pages are given to II. w. Glider and
but four to Charles De Kay indicates
q disposition to narrow the space de-
voted to writer's OF verse. but the gen.
eral purpose seems carried too far when only
five pages are assigned to joaquin Miller who
has probably larger audience In EnRlish-
speaking countries than any other living
American poet, with the exception OF James
Russell Lowell. Coming, finally, to the humor-
lists, we are by no means inclined to quarrel with
the editors for giving eleven pages to Joel
Chandler Harris but.would not Just sense OF
proportion prescribe n larger allotment than
have had occasion to say repeatedly In review
ing the successive installments OF this Lii
brary." 1t Is not we or readers generally who
were invited to perform tho invidious task
OF compilation. but Mr.. Stedman and Miss
Hutchinson; and. although their judgment
may be open to discussion in minor details, 1t
will be denied by no one conversant with tho
difficulties overcome that the work. considered
as whole. has been admirably done.
Admirable this compilation seems. provided
we keep In view the fundamental purpose.
which, because 1t differs materially from the
common aim Of oompilers, needs to be restated
from time to time. When a compendium OF tho
literary achievements Of past generations is
projected, extracts are usually mado from
those authors whose mort has been tested by
the lapse OF years and acknowledged by pos
terty. When the eclectic process is extended
TO contemporary writers, those are normally
chosen who. in tho opinion Of the editors aro
most likely to exhibit the same voucher OF
longevity From the outset 1t has been evident
that the editors OF this Library" arc not
guided by such principles OF selection. Had
they been 30 guided, the material adapted to
their programme could have been packed in
comparatively narrow compass. 1t was not
their intention merely TO indicate by excerpts
the masterpieces of American literature. or
even to commit themselves to the assertion
that at a given epoch the American people
possessed IL literature properly so-called
Their design. in other words. was historical
rather than critical. They meant to exhibit
the kind OF composition which at this or that
period was supposed by the American COM
munity, or q section OF it. to belong to ltera-
ture A searching light would thus bo thrown
on the stage of tasto and cultivation attained
by our countrymen at particular time. II
some OF the work which passed for literature
seems crude and rough and thin-and most OF
tho work produced on this side OF the Atlantic
before Washington Irving deserves those
epthets-it does but mirror in q faithful
and instructive way. the contemporary state OF
American society. 1t is not in fine. gallery
of master works which tho editors have con-
templated. but collection of documents.
chronoloRically classified. which will prove. in
our opinion, OF inestimable value to the future
student Of American civilization. Only by
bearing steadily in mind this primary object |
will the reader be enabled to account for the
multitude Of authors quoted in the volumes
allotted to the period from 1861 to 1888. and |
also for the seemingly inadequate claims OF
many OF the persons deemed worthy Of repre-
sentation. In the volume before us. for ex-
ample, out Of the lat names enumerated no |
less than rs are seen by us for the first time, |
although it is our business not to be wholly |
blind to the dawning OF new luminosities on |
the literary horizon. Mother does candor con- |
strain us to acknowledge, after an inspection |
OF the work attributed TO these rs strangers |
that not to know them argues yourself un- |
known. Considered merely as q compend Of |
what used to be denominated elegant ex-
tracts" this tenth volume would be decidedly |
improved Utmost ofthe contributions furnished |
by the seventy-flve writer's in question were
excised. Regarded. however. as truthful and
aNhnuqtiva aNnOstiOD ha nd nf
material which in the generation succeeding
the civil war the American people were willing
not only to read but to pay for, this volume Is
all the better for including scores OF authors
not very widely known to fame We take to
be sure, for granted that no person has
been permitted to figure in this Library"
from the first volume to the last. whose
claim docs not rest on the favorable opin-
ion OF the community at large or OF n
measurable fraction of it. If the claim rested
solely on the opinion OF the editors they
would obviously have abandoned In that in
stance the function OF historian for that OF
critic. We may safely assume also. that how
ever unexpected to ourselves may be the en-
counter with the seventy-1ve authors whom
we now meet for the first time, every ono OF
them is known to the compilers to have some
whore in this broad land his audience. his
nook and corner recognition. and to really
represent, therefore. one OF the side currents
or eddies Of public prediction.
The same considerations help us to under
stand why some of the writer's grouped In the
tenth volume are not men of letters In the tech-
nical meaning OF the phrase. but journalists.
The two terms should not be confused merely
because much newspaper writing in our day
undoubtedly displays more cultivation. moro
intellect and more eXpertness in the manipu-
lation OF the written word than much Of the
composition that is put forward In book form.
Is not literature because 1t do
serves to be, fundamental element in the
definition OF literature is the possession of
durability. either unequlvocaly or provision
ally conceded. By the nature of the condi-
tions under which 1t is produced. most Journal
ism Is cut off even from aspiring to this quality.