The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-13

,rrrruDE or ENGLISH CRITICS.
.,.. ,oint Of Wow From which They Regard
tho Achievements OF American
Literary Mon.

.h.eh auimates the breast OF the English
...,,c when lac contempatos the achievements
y, American literature. lie looks at that
,,eramrc, not in the prophetic spirit Of
P..hop Berkeley, who was gaz' into the
n,uge. but with the hardness and exactness
ofa man who is prepared to confne his ex-
animation only 10 what has been accomplish
a He begins this examination with the
eager hope OF discovering that America has
contributed an entirely original literature
ofrs own 10 the general stock OF the world.
Literature not simply racy Of anew soil and
objective Of physical and social conditions
hitherto undescubed, but representing the
literary spirit OF an age FAR in advance OF
re present age in Europe in force Of
thought and bnlliance OF imagination. The
frrfest survey viii reveal the error into
which be has fallen. He Will find literature
which is As a whole, "A mere reelection of the
schools OF thought and the habits OF workman
ship with which he j. familiar from his study
i, the literature of his own country. Not
,rr,e generation in the literary history OF
Tland ip the last TWO hundred years mas
passed without the appearance ON me stageOi
-rt8t original writer. The English critic
finds upon an examination of the same period
in tle history OF America that in the course
of Two hundred years America has only pro-
duced two writer's who have an extraordinary
claim TO originality, and that both OF these
writer's show not tie slightest indication OF
belonging 70 a new civilization.
There has been something equally ludl-
crUls and melancholy IN the manner ia winch
ile English critics have hailed the appear
auce Of every American writer who gave
rr mise Of belonging 90 new genus OF
authors. When Walt Whitman published
J. Unt nj .ral It4. accented
English critics as the iorcrunBeT Of new
school which was 20 remove from American
letters the repr0ach OF lmitStNeness ana
seulitv. the typical American writer was
soon 20 discard the irapplngs ana cOnNen-
t0lalities Of the modern age, and TO return
f1 The absolute freedom Of the creek. The
,anOus of art were 10 be leNOluuOnlZcd;
6ature alone was 20 be the mother and nurse.
America was al last on the point OF fulfilling
fhe prediction OF Berkeley and becoming "A
beacon IN literature as il was already in pO-
Itcal government. This anticipation was
coon dissipated. bat the hope entertained in
England of receiving from literary America
something new, If not in form, then in sub
stance. is shown by the popularity OF the
stories of Bret Hare, the poetry Of Joaquin
Miller and The humorous descriptions OF
Mark Twain.
As the wealth and population of the United
States expand. we discover no indication that
the literary authority of England is declining
in this country. There are many evidences
that 10 is increasing For half a century, all
of our principal historians, with the eXcep-
lion Of Bancroft, went abroad for their sub
jecis largely because Europe was thought to
furnish a more varied and picturesque field
for historical writing. but also because
notable history on foreign subject attracted
q larger degree Of attention abroad, and the
reputation thus won was reflected 10 the
e. Ita mil. xr.I
This was the case in the instances Of Pres
colt, Motley and Iicknor. Since the late war,
q struggle which did much to raise the United
States IN the esteem of its literary men. there
has been a disposition IN both American
historians and poets TO choose American sub
jecs but so far, this has had very little effect
towards weaving American writers from the
literary influences OF England. In the whole
range OF American literature, and that is
eayiAg a great deal, there * no more con-
spcuOus instance OF its marked provincial
and colonial spirit, which IS a subserNient
spirit, than the history of the American
people by Professor MacMaster. II Is Gu
f1uslv appropriate that the most elaborate
history which has been written OF the Ameri-
can people as a people should reflect t3eir
greatest literary weakness IN lis execution.
lH STYLE, ln arrangement and IN substance II
is a very happy parody of Macaulay. Mac
Master belongs TO the most recent school o.
themselves upon their American spirit. and
vet be is one Of the most striking examples
which We have Of the American inclination
81 follow with the precision OF Indians in the
footsteps OF English masters. Such work
as the history OF the American people would
have been received with derlsiOn IN England
nPI0fessOr MacMaster bad been an English
man by birth and residence. simply because
in England literary imitauVeness is con-
sidered 10 be only form Of literary unmanli-
ness.
10 does not seem TO be difficult to discover
ile principal motive which led Mr.. HOwells
20 speak SO disparaglngly of Dickens, 1hack-
cray and Scott. lie is q. man of sufficient
culture TO have very just conception OF the
greatness Of these writers, and do not be-
le}e that his well-knOwn criticism in depre-
citation Of their merits was an unaffected
reelection Of tie conclusions of his own liter
any judgment. The attack was largely an
expression OF revolt against the disposition
O. his cOuntymen 10 eXalt the English
writers until they now dominate the whole
tone Of American literary life. Personal
reasons may have somewhat cOlOred the at
tack, for 20 lessen the popularity of the Eng
l.n nOYelists was 10 increase the popularity
C the American nOyeiists. which was TO en-
lauce the prosperity of Dir. HOwels himself.
he may also have been fatgued as an author
by hearing these modern literary representa-
lives OF the altltul AIlSllUCb HelpeludiN
lauded. Whether, however, his motive was a
patriotic or a selfish one, it was nOtunnafurai
That as an American writer be should have
lost an patience while contemplating the
eagemess with which the American public
submit 20 the dictatiOn Of English literary
sentiment. III the leading statesmen Of
America in a body were 20 commend an
American or English book it would not ac-
fure iu consequence, the popularity among
American readers which invested Robert |
L.smere on this side Of the Atlantic as soon ss /
6iddstOne's highly favorable criticism Of that |
book was published. Previously neglected.
81 became at once the chief object OF literary
attention in America. Mrs. Smedes' Me
MORALS Of a Southern Planter" which lau-
glished for a long time IN undeseyed OBJ
security, sprang Immediately into fame
which has led 10 a large number of editions,
as soon as IL was announced that Mr.. Glad
stone had addressed her letter in the warm
EST cOmmeudatiOn OF its merits. The clever
novel Democracy made no impression what
ever in America, although written by an
American in illustration of the social life Of
ue capital Of this country, until 1t was re-
viewed at length in the pages Of Backwood.
PHGBUs.
Literary Notes.
According 10 the last report Of the National
commissioner OF Education for the year