New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-12
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
ARE WE RETROGRADING ?


Shepard.
The motive of n majority Of the essays contained
in this volume is desire to stimulate national
pride. Colonel Hlgginson thinks he has perceived OF
late "a curious lapse into something 81 the OLD
colonial and apologize attitude" and he says,
this is the frame of mind which Is deprecated In
this volume" 1t is scarcely necessary to point out
that the view taken by Col. Higginson IS not taken
by the majority of observers. Many, indeed, have
been led TO apprehend that tendency quite oppo-
site that of the old colonial and apologize atti-
tude' being exhibited little too aggressvely
and little evidence might be advanced in support
of this opinion. No probably will dispute the
value OF robust national spirit; but in literature,
TO which mainly II not altogether, Col IIiggnson
has reference 1t is unfortunately easy 10 carry this
spirit too far. There IS literary Jngoism as well
as other kinds. and 1t is that toward which mcdiocrty
always gravitates by the conditions OF Its being
Dickens symboized this in the American whose
principle that eve air a great nation, sir, and
VIC must be cracked up" But cracking up, )"
In the domain of letters, never can settle
anything, fact which shoud be obvious; and
swearing by national literature merely because 1t is
q national literature only promote narrowness'
O prejudice and provncalism, fatal to the one kind
of progress which is worth making.
The development of truly American literature is
undoubtedly an aim which may well engage the best
efforts of the brightest minds but is such develop
ments which the rest of the world fails TO understand
and declines to accept Let IL be admitted that con-
temporary literary opinions are often marked by
caprice; that there are fashions In literature which
correspond in many TO fashion in costume that
vogue" Is not by any means criterion of excel
lence; and that poserity may likely reject fifty
per cent of the verdicts books rendered BY the
present generation. 1t is the less true that n
sterling literature must have its base in conscientious
devotion to work for the works sake that enduring
books are and ever have been written In this way
that author who constantly keeps before him pur-
pose to produce purely national literature is In a
hopeless case That this view has commended Itself
more and to American authors during the last
quarter of century is sufficiently demonstrated by
The increasing production of American works large
and important subjects books written from points of
view wide liberal that of letters everywhere
have recognized their scope weight and value, and
have assigned them their due rank in the forefront Of
modern world literature.
American history has been especially enriched In
this way laterly but what constitutes the value of
such works IS precisely their freedom from provincial
Ism and the application by their authors Of those
scientific principles which belong TO nation in par
tcular. but which have been evolved by the freest
discussion among men OF every civilized nation. But
Col Higinson may be said to have in his mind fiction
rather than history. Now fiction is essentially the
study Of human nature, and this IS at bottom the
same everywhere. The artist who has mastered this
great subject In any country will not stumble in
allowing for and fifty describing whatever difercn-
uaes the people of country from those of another
The effect OF national institutions customs, beliefs,
conduct generally, be easily analysed when once
the great crux has been overcome. All the rest is
accessory. How, In given circumstances. man or a
woman, Influenced by certain factors such heredty
and environment, will act-that is always the
main consideration. How the and women
dress, I'm what kind OF houses they live,
what manner Of dialect they speak-all this
is mere staGe-carpenter business, to say.
Much fiction, doubt is nearly all stage carpenter
business II the accessories are strongly localized and
highly cOlored many ina CINE that here. least, they
have national literature; which is delnson and a
snare. National tcratures are not produced by TAX
ing much thought to the "NatOnal' element Quite
the contrary. They produced by the causes which
alone produce excellence in any kind Of human work
namely, by studying and painstaknC. by close OBJ
servaton and keen judgment, and. lastly. by genius.
which is the refinement OF lower faculties by what is
termed intuition.
But the first necessity Of all good literary work Is
complete devotion 10 and absorption in the sub
feet. II all the conditions are favorable. such work
will be contributed to a National literature. and Of
the most desirable kind. II NAV be doubted whether
any who achieved greatness set ont with
the deliberate intention to be great before him. Some
famous charlatans who have sometimes passed rs
Is that men become great by devotion and absorption,
and without ultcri)r aims At the present time in
this country ground for the pessmistic
views taken by Colonel Higginson on the contrary il
appears to US that there never has been 50 much
good literary work done and doing: that there never
has been much enlightened energy and trained
artistic skill employed In literary work and that this
Is equally true Of all branches Of literature. We can
no. admit the existence Of that recdescence Of
rowness and provncialism which Colonel Higginson
laments Perhaps IDS patriotism may be sup6rscn-
sitive In this instance. To US, unmoved by forebod
ngs, it certainly seems that American literature IS
today In better than before. and that IL
Is growing healtily and vigorously II has its checks
its alterations it's ebullltions. no doubt like all
growing things, but il is developing In normal way
aud no TO fear that it Will 20 wrong OF
become provincial.
Colonel HcgnsOn in OF his ESSAYS seems 20
complain that it IS becoming too much specialized
that particular sections analysed particular dialects
studied, that fiction Is pursuing the which al
the natural sciences are taking and more by
reason Of their cOmplexity. But surely the study Oh
human nature is not simpler than entomology or orn-
thology? AS knowledge grows not only the tendency
70. but the necessity for specialization must Increase
This is the law Of progress from hOmOgeney ~ heer
ogeneity: and apparently the only way TO get rid OF
the law is 10 put stop to progress. or course nobody
wishes to DO that and the part Of wisdom is 10 accept
the Inevitable. We may have schools Of fiction and
talk Of Realism and Ideallsm which IS bat a modern
adaptation Of the twoded shield acgory. and various
"vogues7 of new and peculiar literary work but II will
all tend 10 the production OF sautary intellectual fic
ton and IN the end bring to the acceptance Of The
really best standards all who profit by study, compar
son and interchange Of ideas. How, by any other
process the highest and best whether in literature OF
aught else, can be attained it would, submit, BE-
difficult TO point out.