The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-01-24
Ghe1 Star
A, BAD YEAR FOR LITERATURE.

Inc OF. LDutS UtOUC- l/CHtOCf Nt, III
a well written resume of The lilera.
~ records Of The past year, says
that the resilt indicates, III a most
distinct and dlscOuragIng way, our
want of great writers OF OF writers
who promise to become preat.
Among all the thousands of books
published during The twelve
months there is not m OF first
class merit in any department. A
general lulI pervades the situation
so far as the production Of really
valuable works is concerned. The
flood of trash was v more
abundant or nor proilless. What
they call in Congress "lelve to
print is exercised at a rate unpre-
cedented since ink and type were
invented and from Il mechanical
point OF view the books excel
those of any preceding lime. II
Is an easy thing for the poorest
scribbler TO have his efforts pre-
sented in an attractive garb The
cost of paper and printing is so
low that he can afford the best.
Thus it comes about that many
readers are misled, and countless
books are sold simply by their out
ward appearance. They look so
we'll that the purchaser thinks
there must surely be something IN
them, when the fact is that the
handsomer they are the less reason
there is TO suppose them worth
buying, as a rule. However, where
m~ediocrity has full sway, as al
present, tins counts for little, and
one may as well shut his eyes and
make his selection 10y the sense Of
touch alone.
We justly boast that this is the
most intelligent period in all the
history of civilization but we
dare not undertake to prove it by
showing what is being done for lit
erature. There is infinitely more
reading than has ever been known
before, but practically nothing is
being achieved for the credit of
authorship. That is TO say the
permanent literary treasures of the
world are receiving no additions.
We must 20 10 the past for all our
specimens in that line. The books
that command general ownership,
that stand the test of repeated
reading, have been inherited, and
not evolved from our own ele-
ments of opportunity and pro
gress. We have books enough of
current production, but they do
not count, they are not literature.
The most notable one of the past
year was Mr.. Bellany's fantastic
ELOoking Backward ;" and next to
that was the hysterical autobi0gra-
phy of the Russian girl, Marie
Bashklrtseff. If we except these =
two, and Robert Elsmere, the whole
publications for 1889 may he 9
said 10 have merely rippled the
surface and passed quietly out Of T.
And what must be said OF a '
product in which three such d
took the precedence and
were most widely purchased, pc
rused and discussed?
There are reasons for This I'M :;
fortunate lnlI in literary creation,
we are bound TO believe; but the
task of furnishing them is not an
easy one. The doctors disagree,
and we cannot certainly know
where all the REFRESHING influences
lie. One thing is manifcstly true,
however, and that is that the news u
papers have seriously Interfered
with the production Of great books,
by their effect both upon readers
and upon writer's. They have ,
gradually monOpellzed the literary |
market, and provided a new field !
.Or literary talent. Their vast re-
sources enable them TO supply the
with all that it has time to
either for profit or for pleas
are, at a nominal cost, and in an
inviting manner. In a certain
sense, they bride authors not 10
write books by giving them better
)ay and larger audiences in anoth.
r direction. The people have
earned to look 10 The daily and
weekly press for the latest aud
choicest things in every branch
If literature (; and the work of :
meeting such a demand leaves 4
)ook-making for The most part in
superficial and %unpracliced hands. u
This is not the whole secret of the
iluatiOn, to be sure. There are T..
'lher cooperating causes which
iced 10 be taken into account, but ST
he newspapers are undoubtedly Al
he most iorcible single agency in N.
he case-and is it not equally true 5
hat their service is beneficial and a.
.onstanily growing more praise I