The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-26
OUR LITERARY BUDGET.
ART or BOOMING IN LITERATURE.
People beginning TO See Through the Tricks
Of interruptions Pnblishers-Praise
Bestowed on Honae Geniuses.

When publisher advertises a book In the
usual way it is not hard for the reading pubic
to judge Of the chances when 1t comes to
buyingi but Of late years the practice OF
booming" has prevailed 10 an extent highly
injurious to the reputation of some good
publishing houses and certainly destructive
OF public confidence In the foundation upon
which some Of the belauded literary fame
fabrics have been built. Doubtless people are
beginning TO see through the trick by which
tbird-rate novels have been foisted into spe-
clOus popularity and fifih-rate writer's made
notorious If not truly famous all over the
world. Gladstone pulled Robert Elsmere'
in the way Of friendship and Immediately the
cue was seized by the publishers the same
thing happened IN similar way 10 the thln
little story Of "MademOlselle Ike" and 70 the
book Of Marie Ba5hSirtseff 1t was plain TO
a thoughtful and knowing observer that
(althOugh some Of these books going over the
sea and the land with banners before and
trumpets behind were well worth reading) the
main cause Of such sudden aud vast p0pu-
larty as certain English aud French writers
were winning in the United States arose out
Of just such manipuiations as caused the
popularity Of stocks in Wall street.
But why not boom home producers and
home pTOductsi The absence of International
Copyright was, perhaps, the beginning OF the
preference for aliens aud their work, for the
authors royalty was clear gain 70 the pub
Usher 10 the case Of foreigner, and the habit
once formed of landing aud pushing to the
front whatever came from the pirates feeding
ground got settled upon Us. We have Inter
national Copyright now and II booming must
20 on we see no longer any reason why
American authors should not have the heueut
Of il In their own country. II must be under
stood. however, that we condemn out Of hand
as deadly 10 the highest hopes Of literary arr
every application Of the wreckers and the
boomers methods TO the building Of literary
fame. What we do regard as worth keeping
in mind and laying close 10 heart Is that even
literary artists are human aud must eat II
they are 10 do good work. Moreover they
hnd strength in encouragement. We need
not praise "A poor thing because an American
did H.; but we must not take IL for granted
that American literary art Is necessarily OF
lower order than that Of Europe. Hearty,
honest encouragement waters the deepest
roots of genius and sends up through IL me
sap Of rarest energy. TennysOn has llYed
and flourished and wrought amazing thlngs
through d long and stiii meiodioasly leagth-
ening life fed 10y the loving praise oil tDe
English people, Continued heavy irosts OF
contempt and scOfing with the added INJURY
Of preference for alien poets might nave
shriyeled even his vigorous powers.
England has been called tight little island
She certainly has kept well the fame OF per
poets and rom ancers. We American boomers,
who never long for the time
"When the Rudyaris cease from hpiing
And the HAGgards ride no more
80 long as their kpling and their riding can
fetch "A dollar 20 the coher Of publisher,
might well take a lesson in that SOFT Of tight
ness: il is one of the elements OF national
greatness. And speaking OF England, now
that Alr. Gladstone has refused (as 10 is ssidl
10 do for another book what he did for "Robert
Elsmerev and "1lademoisele Ike" u may
be that such Of our American boomers az de-
sire 10 be truly British will follow suit and
we may hear less of the blatant, fog horn
noise about this and that foreign writer who
is always going 80 eclipse the syn and dazzle
out the stais. 10 is well enough 10 bestoW
praise with a safe reserve upon our nome
geuiuses: and much need is there OF wiser
discrimination than we now observe in melting
out Just dues and nothing more 10 the works
of much advertised alien writer's. IL rs TIME
TO quit b00ming.-Ihe Chauiauquan for June.