The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-08-14
OUR LITERARY BUDGET.
VIEW AMMAN CE y II ~
i. prbi,e is Necessary to the Establishment
off INSTRUMENTATION Took the frihe
from PhHadeIphis for that Reason.

In order 10 have literature, it Is not
necessary to have public. Upon what is
tho belief based that New YorG is about TO
take the place of Boston in the production
Of literature? Why did the headship for
merry pass from Philadelphia TO Boston?
Is there any doubt that it was because
Boston had the public--the soil in which
literature can grow? Unless our reading OF
causes is at fault, the sudden outburst Of
the drama in Greece after Marathon, and OF
the drama in England towards the close Of
an era of discovery and adventure, was
closely related to the fact that both Athens
and London had public capable Of stimuli
lating and keyed up to the appreciation Of
a great literature. In the days when Phlla-
delphia eniO,ed a leadership in business
and politics, a number Of men. some OF
them from New England, were attracted
thither by its activity; the presses began TO
run, and the trade OF publishing, having a
start, was fed by the talent OF the country.
IL became the piOLeer in the reprlnting Oh
English books and the production OF literary
periodicals. It held its position for long
time when it was no longer the capital OF
the financial or the commercial world. But
where - its indigenous literature. What
sort of a public had iti The Quaker, who
gathers about him material comforts IN
order that ne may enjoy spiritual quiet, did
very little 10 stimulate the intellectual life
on the literary side. The town prospered in
thrift: men became rich, Interested IN
politics. in science, in scholarship sof the
professional and practical sort; the state
grew ia wealth with mining and manutac-
turing; and the aspiration Of life was
physical well-being. And physical enjoy
ment is not the handmade OF literature any
more than refined materialsm is. Even the
canyas-back duck when he came in gave no
more wings to the imagination than the
terrapin. There is nothing more essential
10 the happiness OF mankind than good
cooking, but the relation OF cooking TO good
literature is not that OF cause and effect. IL
is no Ohense 10 Boston TO say that the people
did not go there 20 eat. 10 had from the nrst
an eager, inquiring, agitated, intellectual
public. And when in time, after the the0-
logical camps became sickiied Ger with the
pale cast of transcendentalism, the men
appeared capable Of producing literature,
there was a public hospitable 70 IT, which
cheered its successes and stimulated u TO
new excursions In the field OF the imagina-
ton. Boston cooks better than it once did;
IL also is rich, and more than half its popu-
lation is foreign. Is its literary publishing
and production on the waneY And Is II
about TO pass on the torch OF literature TO
New York? Why not to Chicago This is
an imprudent question, for If the attention
Of Chicago is attracted 10 this opening-lf
il Is convinced that literary supremacy rs a
good thing 10 haye-it VIII snap 81 up IN
twenty-four hours. But while the atten-
tiOn OF Chicago is otherwise engaged there
4 oh. has
the magazines and the majority Of the great
publishing houses. 1t receives and dlstrl-
butes literature with the automatic action
of a grain-eleyator. But has it public OF
literary discrimination and Of that keen en-
joyment of good work that stimulates the
artist in letters? 1t will be admitted that If
il is 10 be the literary centre, it should have
literary taste. Now what sort Of reading Is
successful with the New York public? Is
it that which Is marked by literary charac-
ter, or that which has the adyenuhOus aid
OF a notorious subject or the society cachet
A literary centre without literary prOduc-
ton will not be nattering 10 the pride. and
is in fact a misnomer. Perhaps New YORK,
in its commercial splendor, is Indifferent to
the dwelling in it Of 50 unpretending a
maiden as literature. Perhaps IL rests IN
the hone that literature must come there,
for the reason given by the late nocturnal
explorer for coming home-that all other
places are shut up. To New York talent
graYitates. on account OF Its active ana
Varied life and the chance Of employment
given by its press, its great publishing
houses, and its periodicals. Ana yet, are
not the conditions of modern life so changed
that there can no longer be such thing as
a literary centre in the old meaning A
centre, and more than one, Of publishing
and distrbutiOn--yes But the facilities OF
travel have distributed the workers. The
literary producers do not all live in the great
cities. They are scattered in a thousand
little centres Of intelligence. There are
many stimulating local publics; there are
great libraries In small cities and university
towns. So the question remains. Is New
York to be a literary centrel-CnaTles
Dudley Warner