New-York tribune., 1890-05-31
POLICE DUTY AND AUTHORSHIP.

An apparently dyspeptlc correspondent wrl.ihS
from New Haven and signing himself CoHe9e
Professor makes the old complaint that litera-
tire does not meet with its proper reward In thls
country Authors cries this Connecticut teacher,
are starving while politicians godchildren are
cutting papcr-dolls out Of thousand-dollar Dllls
and much more to the same effect is added by
orr dissatisfied correspondent. The nppant re-
,I,, IN this would of course bc that unless au-
thors prefer to sarve they should go INTO
politics. the godfather branch preferred; nut
this is not the right answer-nO self-rcspcctlhg
author would want to go into politics we
have insisted right along, and we SUN lhSlst
that there is money for authors in grocery store
on good corner, but this involves the giving up
of authorship 10 a large extent; what our cor
respondent wants, we suppose Is some way whcre-
bv authors may still remain authors and avoid
the disagrecablc features of the public charitable
institution. We believe that make a sug-
rcstion Of value when say that the aspiring
author should get appointed to that hotbed OF
literature. the New-York police force.
There has been. of late. much written about
the small rewards of authorship One valued
cssayist. in a recent issue of leading magazine,
demonstrates to his own satisfaction that there
will be no more poetry written in this world,
and seems greatly tickcd over his discovery
The conclusion he arrives at is that authors should
stick to works of "A severely practical nature ana
bc happy Several others have expressed The
oninion that writer should avoid the use of his
IMAGINATION. if 50 unfortunate as TO be provided
with such an article, and give his whole attention
10 practical and scientific productions, the idea
being that our authors are behind the times, Tor
though this is "A painfully practical and codIy
scientific age, they continue 10 act as II thcy
thought that shephcrdcsscs and that sort ot thlnS
,,ere still in existence Mr. Gladstone has also
EXPRESSED the view that the nineteenth century
authors are barking up the wrong tree. But be
this as IL nav we believe that great many
authors 20 at their work wrong, whether ms
work DC the practical novel or the imaginative
invest cation into the descent Of prehistoric man.
They settle in Boston, or some other similar re-
treat. whereas, as int!matcd, they Should
strive to get on tie Ncw-York police force. Inc
reader Will remember that the Ncw-Iork police, as
a body. first began its literary work some three
or four years ago. Of late. volumes from th't
source have not been so numerous. hut now We
note an apparent revival superficial observer
might say that the life ~ the police officer IS not
one conducive 10 literary success hut he would
bc mistaken. The police officer has much cisHr
for thourht and a superior chance for obscrya-
tlon.
While tie Boston author sits IN his literary
nursery trying - describe the actions ana
cmotions-cspccialy tie cmotons-ot man
IN a certain emergency, the Ncw-iork unforinel
writer goes ont and cracks % man over the head
with his club and studies his emotions at ms
leisure oar authors shut themselves mp i'"
much while waiting for inspiration, which has
lost their number and Will never ind them
They need a Ucat In good inspiring neghhoI-
hood, aud novels and even poetry Will How from
their pens with the greatest ease. Let our an-
thors get n club In one hand and pen IN the
other and 20 In and win. Our Correspondent
should remember that the nineteenth century
authors work under changed conditions. 70 when
they must adapt themselves or stop complaining