The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-07
OUR LITERARY BUDGET.
How a Modern Literary Review Is Edited
and Managed.
THE EVILS OF PREVAILING METHODS.
An Interesting Comment on a Recent Con-
versation With the Editor Of the
Torum-Items.

having said. in a farewell address before Bos-
toms Monday Literary Club, that there came
more of hindrance TO a pure literature, in its
highest sense, out Of the current journalism
of our time than from any other discoverable
cause Those who are not accustomed to
scan closely the drift Of current literature and
journalism may regard this as n very extraya
CANT statement. 1t has, however, received
curious confirmation in what may be called
on interyiew-it is called "the publication of
some notes OF a very recent conversation
with Lorretus s.. Metcalf. Mr.. Metcalf, as is
generally known, recently retired from the
editorship OF The Forum magazine. and his
retirement has been made the occasion Of a
detailed description OF himself and of his
methods in The Review Of Reviews. Beings
veteran editor Of the periodical press, and All
editor whose ability contributed greatly to
the success both of Tn North American Re
view and OF The Forum, Mr.. Metcalf speaks
with authority.
OF his course while editor Of The North
American Review Mr.. Metcalf says.
Il knew there was q certain preference lon
the part Of the late Allen ~1hOrndyke Reel
for articles which tended to be sensational,
and / allowed myself TO be considerably IN
fuenced by Dir. kice's undoubted belief IN
the practical business advantages Of such
CODlllDullOuS
Coming 10 his course while editor of The
Forum, Sir. Metcalf speaks very frankly OF
his struggle TO strike a happy mean between
his ideal of what a hlgh-class literary review
should be and his practical conception OF
what such Il periodical must be, IL maze 10
sell. lie says.
II have never made n number of The
Forum as good. or anywhere near as good, as
| could have made 1t, or as | wanted 70 make
it. have gone upon the plan Of publishing
three or four articles IL given number Whlcn
/ regarded as finished and important essays:
and as real contributions to the thought ana
literature of the time. These might be artl-
cles by great thinkers or specialists upon the
educational, theological, economic, scientific
or social problems of the day. Then have
felt it expedient to fill up the number with
articles OF more practical, commonplace sort
which would appeal 10 the ordinary reader.
cause newspaper discussion and make the
magazine sell"
After noting that the overwhelming major
ity of articles which appeared III The Forum
during his editorship were solicited articles,
out of from two thousand 70 three thousand
volunteer articles received IN a year Mr.. Met
calf accepted perhaps twelve"-he explains
on what principles editors do their soliciting:
We decide on the subjects which we be-
lieve ought 70 be treated. and then we en-
deavOr to select the best men III the whoie
world TO write US the articles upon those sub
iects. It Is by no means the men
whose articles are the most valuable who re-
ceive the most money. and my ideal magazine
would be no more eXponslyetO produce-even
less expensive, perhaps, u produce-than the
numbers Of The Forum which have ordlna-
rilv appeared. But what would meet ny ideal
would be in danger Of falling fiat and dead
upon the market. The men whose work com
mands a high price arc often men OF AFFAIRS,
eminent politicians or distinguished lawyers.
They are men whose time IS occupied, or men
who have no particular literary ambition, ana
whose time is valuable in their regular pur-
suits. so that it Is necessary 10 pay a large lee
in order 70 induce them to sit down and write
the article desired"
In this frank expose of the mechanism of
editing q literary review, Mr.. Metcalt places
before us. in undieguised boldness the con-
trolling principle Of it an-the principle OF ed
ting h down 80 as to catch the masses. This
is the principle which has been applied with
eucb eminent commercial success TO modern
journalism. Print anything. interview any
body, so long es II will interest the pubic ana
sell papers. Now, while this principle has
not been applied to anything like the same
avteut to ueriodical iournahsm-thO' he
would he q rash prophet who should venture
a prediction IF whit the future may nave IN
store for us-the controlling principle here, as
IN daily journalism, Is 10 interest the puOilc
and to sell the periodicals. This IS the
reason why literary men have 10 con-
feU0 al II QfftbtN unNNft ~ NA-h 49,
field with politicians and lawyers-Mr. Met
calf did not mention cleTgy1nen ana doctors
so we must suppose that they are included in
the same unfortunate class with the literary
men proper. The people know who these
LAWYERS and politicians are; they have been
talked about in the newspapers, they are
notorious. and the people will read what they
write often simply and only because their
names are attached TO tho articles. FROM
John L.. Sullivan, one might almost say, to
Ward McAllistet. the right OF royal welcome
to the pages of a periodical rs conaltloned
upon a genius of making ones sell suihclehIly
talked about 80 excite the curiosity OF the
people as TO what one may say, regardless OF
the subject OF of how one say II.
Admirers OF padded Sunday newspapers
sometimes extol Them, by.calling them maya
zines in miniature" The phrase is not lnapt.
although in compliment is hardly so high as
II il in good faith indeed 10 be; for the maya
zine and the padded Sunday newspapers are
edited on the same lines. and appeal largely
to the same perverted reading tastes. Both
have many redeeming features, but IN the
review as truly as in the Sunday newspaper
the supposed literary purpose suffers a more
than partial eclipse. The taste Tor the sensa-
tional class Of reading grows by what 1t leeds
ON. The increased demand for II IN the news
paper caus e. the literary review 70 be edited
down TO meet the taste of the newspaper
reader. instead of causing the newspaper 10
be edited up 10 meet the reader OF reviews.
Conscientious editors. such a. Mr.. Metcalt.
editors who cherish ideals Of what a literary
review should be and might be, deplore all
this because of its demOrallzing effect upon
literature: but like Mr.. Bietcalf. they frankly
acknowledge the fact.-New York lndepend-
ent.