New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-15

ton concerning the literary history OF their own Dor.
tons OF the city, and lie found in them remarkable
knowledge OF books and familiarity with the lives Of
the Edinburgh writers OF past generations. mo
citizens anywhere he says, show much respect
and much fondness for the history and traditions
of their literary men, This had its root not 50 much
in feeling for literature, perhaps, in that loyabs
"cannsh" instinct Of the scot; but whatever its
origin, the result is good With all bumpiousness
as to the diffusion Of culture" in America, and the
universal Intelligence D ,h. people, it Il doubtful
II similar facts could be recorded of any city under
our flag. How many poor and uneducated persons
the Hub, the home Of culture could point ont the
dwelling Of Oliver Wendell Holmes, for exampei
"small things express the man. Among the con.
sentative foIies Of the time TO which Tolsto has risen
superior is the comb it is gravely stated that he
dresses his hair with his five fingers. His morning 10
gives to sweeping away snow, making boots, etc.
the afternoon he gives to the instruction Of his
disciples. He writes only two hours day.
One Of the most entertaining and valuable papers
in the March "Atlantcran excellent number, By the
way-is An photographic fragment from the pen Of
the late James Freeman Carke-a vivid description Of
his youthful schooling. Every paragraph brms with
suggestion for those engaged in developing the brains
Of children. Clarke owed his intellectual start in
life to his grandfather Freeman. The theory OF In
struction Of this wise that real discipline
comes to the mind when it acts not anguidly but with
its full energy and it acts with energy only when 10
is interested in what it does. Therefore when am
unable 10 keep up their interest in what they do,
turn their attention to something else send them
out 10 play" Mr. Clarke has added to this quotation
that the excellence OF his grandfathers method may
be from the fact that before he was ten years
old he had read good deal OF Ovid, some Odes OF
Horace, a little OF Virgil the Gospel Of Matthew in
Greek, and had gone far as cubic equations IN
algebra.
In the course Of conversation the Copyright bill
with representative Of The Baltimore American
Mr. sedman said Within the last ten years literary
piracy has indeed declined not so much because pub
fishers have been brought TO the error OF their
WAYS as from the fact that the larger publishing houses
have found that it did not pay. No matter what re-
duction they would make from the price OF the all
thorzed edition in issuing reprint, there were Always
numbers Of much cheaper reprints sure 70 ioilo" IN
consequence American publishers have largely led ther
presses with American productions and home authors
have had the richest kind OF a time This fact eA'
plans the great mass Of American literature that has
accumulated during the last decade. Now the effect
OF the Copyright bill will be simply to throw open tho
American market 10 English writers. The influence on
our literature will certainly be benehclal, but our
authors must expect to feel the press OF literary CON-
petition OF much keener degree than ever before mo
greatest benefit will be derived by American publishers
cordngly The only alternative afforded the latter viii
he 10 establish at great risk and expense. American
branchesp This is a dreary forecast; may IL not 10
possible that the taste for native literature having been
established the American writer will maintain his
groundl
When asked why American authors have so unani-
mousy urged the passage Of the BILL If 1t promises 20
materially to affect their interests. Mr. stedman an
,Scrcd: Well partly from tradition; that Is. because
havo immpmOrial urged the passage OF
such a bill-and partly because they. more than any
other class. recognize the injustice OF literary piracy
The bill itself think is on the whole fairly sa'slac'
tory 1t would have been better had the clause re-
quirng simultaneous issue been omitted inasmucn AZ
il is difficult for author known only in one country
" find a transatlantic publisher"
There is a wholesome comment in "Scribner' tins
month on the So-called poems OF Emily Dcklnson-
a protest against their lack of form which Is refresh
ing even though it might we'll have been stronger.
For il is hard to why there should be any conteh-
ton that in all departments OF art substance is more
important than FORM one is no more important than
the other: without the other is makeshft ana
an imperfecon. There /, such a thing as poetic
thought doubtless but when the poetic thinker is in
capable OF clothing the bones Of his thought with 'e
beauty of poetic form he should not consider hmSeh
poet but should give himself 10 poetic prose which Is
good in its way II is pity that Colonel HlsEhSoh
as critic should allow himself TO say 50 i0OHsh
thing as when thought takes your breath away
lesson in grammar is an impertinence.' The reader
may focgo an ordered elegance in his poet ouI
no asks NJ least that the breathtahng thoughts shall
not be disfguId BY rags OF grammar taters OF rhyme
and hobbling measures.
What nv the wuy does Fourth Edition" mean on
the title page OF Miss DickinSons poems -Four l
Thousand or four hundred or four times two nun
drd and fifty Editions are vague things nO"ads3S'
High aim and insstance upon right ought assuredIy
10 be considered evidence OF religion; and That
theologian recognized this in Horace Greeiey's case
would have given keen pleasure 10 that true soul.
We lind this paragraph in The Andover keVlcw
:" William s. Karr, the late professor Of theology III
Hartford seminary being asked by the present writer
during the Rebellion what he regarded rs inc oeS'
religious paper in the country, declared that ne gave
his verdict for The New York Tribune. THIS Judgment
of a stanch High Calvinst in favor OF newspaper
called secular, edited by Unitarian and lnNer'ns''
WAS well warranted. For those lGmbe1ns obstacles
to the Gospel known denominations, Horace "ieeiey
had M occasion TO plead though he seems 10 have been
sincerely attached his own. nut MS Sun Nd ~.
fire with the desire to see es'aDi>eu on caat ' 80
Kingdom OF God, this is realized ana re'eaiod ~
Jesus Christ
What would have been said fifty years ago OF
clergyman who could see in shelley's socied scep-
ticsm matter partly for acqu!escence ana applause
partly for pity The Rev. Howard MscQueary III l'e
Arena discusses sheeys opinions and presents sach
views on the debated questions Of Biblical criticism Us
oud certainly have satisfied the ebellious author Of
:. Queen Mabp The youns cergyman's beliefs con-
corning the creation prophecy miracles ana tne IN
sprati0n OF certain portions OF the Bce are I ae
"a M many good people Win hOrVV'' III 4S a. ''@'s
is honest and worth reading
,o hi,orian ~ the Pacific Coast asks (as quoted by
eThe Magazine of American History "When VIII men
~ csnips learn 10 write, and those who aspire "
GREATNESS cease TO be ashamed Of fair penmanship"
Th, assumption is not wclleonsidered. There have
hn mos, If genius who wrote an arocious hand; ous
,o arc inclined to think that they have been the ex'
ceptlons and that of genius have had as rule
neat and legiblc chroggaphy
, In Mr. Tuckermans pleasant little paper (also 10
~ ,o,pd in this perodcaD on the other and elder Ban
croft there is quoted unsuggestive bit OF hhmor.
1he nj torlan's visitor referred recent magazine
nnnor entitled why | ASnostlc. W MAJ