Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-31
THE AGE OF INSPIRATION.
Why the First Work of Many an Author
is His Best
New Orleans Picavure.

New Orleans Picayune.
The great names in the history OF litera-
ture are found for the most part associated
in widely separate groups. The manifes-
tation of literary genius has been neither
continuous nor solitary. The sources of
inspiration. peculiar 10 the fortunate
age, awake the creative impulse
in few active and powerful
minds. which react upon and stimulate each
other until each has produced its best, and
then follows long interval of mere imita-
ton and criticism. Il is so with the mind
OF the individual thinker. No one mind is
continuously creative through long series
Of years. \ few writers have achieved
emlnence in early life. and for lustrum or
decade have produced works of exceptional
merit in swift succession, and then
have either become altogether mac
tive or have betrayed an obvious
loss of originality ana force Occa-
sioually an authors first effort in his only
successful one. But sooner or later in
every mind the lead is exhausted by con-
slant working. The health, the :eXuberant
vitality, the abouudNg hopefulness of
youth, are IN themselves springs Of inSpira-
ton; but later on, when the physique has
lost its recuperative energy. when the
intellect is faded, and when the Imagination
has grown blaSe the most resolute industry
is poor substitute for enthusiasm The
writer Is as smooth as ever; he has per-
hapS, better mastery over the
technique of his art: but his invent
ivenesS and his old gift Of discovery are
gone. He would have been more prudent
had he turned his back upon his publishers
at the first symptoms of fatigue and failing
elasticity. To keep the mind productive It
IS necessary to indulge it with seasons OF
repose, and sometimes il may be best 10 let
il lie fallow for years; thOugh-to take an
other hint from the farmer-it may be
better plan to resort TO q rotation Of crops.
II is certain at least that every harvest
must be preceded by seed-time The
youthful stock of ideas Is soon used
up, the freshness of first impress
sion IS speedily worn of, and
lhen the mind requires time 70
acquire new iuterests-tine to take up and
assimilate new material. The world is full
OF suggestion, but it is impossible to force
or hurry the discovery. We refer only TO
creative work, for a man may 90 on making
shoes indefinitely. Tie mind Of mankind.
considered as Il unit, is like the mind of the
Individual author in this respect. 1t began
without model and without school, and AZ
the dawn of It's development it was perforce
original. 1t was thus, moreover, spriChtly
and alert; for there was uothin" anywhere
trite or commonplace. and fancy was borne
by her every flight to fairy land. But,
after so long a time, the genius of antiquity
lay exhausted, prone and power,cSs. amid
the splendOr Of its own creation 1t had
worked out its own lead, and the human
mind could do nothing more until it had
found L fresh inspiration from a new point
of view. That happened with the renais-
sance-that was the secret, the explanation
of the renaissance. There ancient art was
brought to light under altered conditions.
Christianity had succeeded organism, and
printing. sculpture and architecture pros
pered under a revival Of faith. The old
love of beauty returned to life III a service
which furnished it with new ideals and new
enthusiasm, aud the failow field responded
once more to culture. The Old art inspired
the new, but could nat have done so had not
the world attained new point Of view.
Other periods succeeded, each after an in
terval. Christianity, chivalry, loyalty,
ecclesiastical, civil and political revolution
have each replenished the human mind with
creative conditions and changed the color
and cOurre of human thought We have
now entered upon new era, but creative