The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-23
a LABOR OF LOVE.
Writers Who Follow Literature Not
from Necessity, but from Choice.
Especial Correspopdencel


Especial Correspondence
New YORK, Aug. SOFT is announced
that Mr.. Brandcr Matthews will retire
from his connection with The COSMOPOLITAN
Magazine curly in the next year Mr..
Matthews has recently been chosen one of
the faculty of Columbia college, aud will
deliver II course OF lectures to the students
upon literary topics during the winter. He
will also do good deal of literary work
which he has in mind. and may bring out
two or three short stories. One of his
stories, written in collaboration with Mr..
George II. Jcssup, which appeared in one
OF the magazines few years ago, has just
been issued in book FORM
MIR. Matthews il one of that ooterie of
hterateurs who are doing n good deal for
American letters and who have adopted
literature as profession not from ncces-
sity. but from choice. MIR. Matthews.
Laurence Hutton. Thomas Bailey Aldrich
and CharleG Dudley Warner are the con-
spicuous members of this coterie. Each OF
them is possessed Of income sufficient to
support him in life of leisure. Mr.. Hut
ton is the wealthiest and Mr.. Warmers
property is represented by sixth interest
i'll the Hartford Courant, which il ono of
the best paying newspaper properties in
New England. Matthews and Hutton are
New Workers, Aldrich's early manhood
was spent in New York, while Mr. War
ner is n citizen of Hartford, but since his
connection with Harper's has spent much
time in New York city
After MIR. Matthews was graduated from
college he went to Europe, spending mapy
years In Paris and becoming familiar with
French dramatic art, and having made Der.
sonal acquaintance with the greatest of
French dramatists he was ennbled to do
\ M Inns
Understandings and entertainingly of the
French drama and dramatists His ESSAYS
are published i'll book form and the work
Is now recognized as 4 standard authority
Some of the French dramatists were first
made known to Americans through these
essays.
MIR. Matthews seems at that time to have
had ambition TO be not only critic, but n
crentor, and on his return to America he
wrote some fiction and made two or three
attempts mt dramatic writing. His fiction
was weff liked. His dramas have gained
him no repute, thus again illustrating what
many consider to be Il law of literature,
that he who is able thoroughly well to
criticise dramatic art is apt to prove un-
successful when attempting himself to
write dramas. Bronson Howard. who Is a
warm friend of Mr.. Matthews, and the
most gifted perhaps of American MAY
wrights, finds it difficult to criticise dra-
matte productions with the strength and
appreciation of an artist.
Mr. Matthews has a delightful home I'm
New York and very wide acquaintance
among the literary and professional men
OF the United States. He is young man
just entering the prime of life.
Laurence Hutton, who has charge of
one OF the departments OF Harper's MaRa-
mr. oil
thcws, is one of his intimates. Mr.. Hut
ton is one of those persons rarely seen in
America who, being able to live without
anxiety as To his income, has made q yoca-
ton OF literature and is looked upon as
an authoritative critic He has written
much, but no creative work which he has
done compares with his critiuues. In some
respects Mr.. Hutton resembles the late
james Russell Lowell for he knows books
well and writes most entertainingly about
them.
His library at his home in New York.
although not large one, is one of the
choicest In the city, and he has entertained
In 1t nearly all the literary celebrities of
America of his generation and many from
foreign shores. Mr.. Hutton's hobby is
the collections of death masks, and he nos.
sesscs the finest collection in America
perhaps in the world, some of them being
very rare. He is fond of frequentino. as
Mr.. Matthews is, the Players club. of
which not only distinguished actors, but
many of the ablest writer's in New York
are members
Mr.. Charles Dudley Warner, who also
has department in Harper's Magazine, is
older than these others, who are friends of
his. Yet he seems as young in spirit and
mentally as active as they. With his iron
gray hair and beard, classic features and
reflective habit, he suggests what he is-a
man who loves books and who also loves
to study phases Of life which he sees about