The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-22

StEt y o&h-Qt III OtAEIrs bE&e e&StAtBAs A0k
San Francisco. They viii stop At Omaha.
Denver. Salt Lake and Ogden.
LITERARY GrRMANY.
The Land 1t the Learned Proletariat-
Solid Reading.
New York san.
Recent statistics have again demonstrated
that in literary productivity Germany ex-
GELS ell other nations. The number of new
works issued each year in that country Is
greater than those of England. America.
and France combined During the year
1889 England published 4.6A new
books and 1873 new editions: Amer
lea published 4,014 new books and new
editions; the literary crop in France was
even smaller than that Of America or Eng
land: while Germany pnbliahed no fewer
than II 1858 separate works. This is an in
both England and America show smaller
returns for 1859 than for 1888. The
Germans make no distinction between en-
tirely new works and new editions. Ex-
cept in the case Of standard literature and
fiction. every new edition ID practically .
new work. II ID one of the most stringent
rules Of German literary ethics that every
new edition must bring the subject under
consideration down 70 the day Of publica-
ton. StereotypIng 10 accordingly the rare
exception and not the rule. In nine cases
out Of ten the new edition L. also . revision !:
. mere title edition IL looked upon as an
imposiure and deception; and . work
that 10 not in touch with current thought
on the subject presented, is considered
This remarkable literary activity of Ger
many is not at all accidental. Its causes
stand in close connection with the ideals
and ambitions Of the people. There il no
land under the sun where . literary repu-
tation stands higher in the estimation of
the public than In Germany. Literature
offers the most common and generally the
most effective way. OF securing and main
tanning public prominence. Its inst as nat
urai for . German owant to write book g
Il ID for m Americon to want TO make
money. In some spheres and callings .
mans Official and public standing il almost
entirely conditioned BY his literary
reputation. This Is notably the case
In university circlssL The prominence
and fame Of university teacher. % also
his advancement In his career, is depen-
dent not 30 much upon his ability TO teach
dent thought and research in his chosen
department.. - il n exhibited In bis books.
The most renowned university teachers are
often. according to American ideas, the
poorest OF teachers; but they are never
poorly equipped as authors. A university
man who does not By . new publication
every two or three years or oftener. con-
vince his colleagues that he 10 up to the
times In his speciality, u sure to bear the
This circumstance alone does not ex-
plain the extraordinary literary real of the
Germans; though ID shows Why the general
run OF publications I'm Germany Is OF .
more solid and substantial kind than In
other nations. In England, France and
America fiction leads ell other kinds of lit
erature- In America fiction vas in 1880
rspresensed BY sss works, nearly one,
new publications. In Germany. how
ever, pedaeogic or school and educational
books lead al the rest, the number
published in 1850 being 20SS. Fiction
is included In the same class with
bellies lettres and poetry, with . total Of
LIS. and Is closely followed BY such solid
departments as theology with 1852: law,
including politics and statistics. with l.5i9:
medicine with l.24s; history and biography
with SOC; and natural science with $50
Certainly no nation has Q larger proper
ton of competent literary men. The Ger
mans Justly call themselves 1.-THE nation of
writers and thinkers" They are also the
nation OF educators, and they count an in
creasing number of Americans among
their pupils. OF the - 49i students At the
German universities no fewer than Ito
are non-Germans and 40 are from Amer
lea In proportion 10 the population no
other land. with the possible exception Of
Greece and Denmark. has so large num-
her of university students as Germany.
There the question of . learned proletariat.
an overproduction of technically educated
men. is perple King social problem When
we remember that the whole tendency Of
university studies is toward specialization.
il is readily understood why even the most
obscure pastor or public official should
wish 10 be an author too. Ii Is the case
that the great majority OF professional
men in Germany. in addition 10 their gen.
ersl studies in the department into which
their lines have fallen, make the one or
the other section Of this department
the sphere for special research, and in this
particular field have comparative
ly complete library. and can speak
deed. Germany is literally . beehive OF
specialists. whose researches are as much
a. possible published TO the world. Some
of the greatest literary enterprises of the
day. however, are in the hands of modest
and retiring non-university men. A signal
example OF this II the great Wetmar or i'm
perial critical edition of Luther which the
Prussisn government In IsSS. the great
Luther year. inirusted To Pastor kaweran,
then q country preacher in Thuringia. but
since then called to the university OF Kiei.
The Germans are more liberal book buy
ers than their netsheors. This is not be-
cause they are richer than others, for thew
are not. the rule being sha, professional
men are poorly paid, while the representa-
lives OF wealthy families enter the army
or the diplomatic service as q rule. Blu.
the educated German considers books IS
belonging ~ the necessities OF life. PREFER
ing 10 foreso what others consider indis-
pensahle rather than TO do without the
latest and best works in the
line OF research that interests
him particularly. England is the
land ct circulating libraries, and the aver
~ American reader does no; take TO the
sihssantials OF literature ike the German.
The American prefers the rnaxsxines which
our generation 81 American publishers and
writers have produced. and Ia comparison
WITH which tie period cal Publications OF
Germany are 81 little moment But the
signi6ean, sscs remains ali the same that
Germany Is the paradise OF the book pao-
Usher, the hook writer and the book reader
TIE cen;ral T-ssse Aae Trunk Lac Assecsa
toss have agreed ca . rate Of tie per iac