Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-04-24

the public may be trusted to take care
Of themselves ia that particular; stlii
there are certain things which ought TO
be put down, II not by oae set OF people,
then by the osher.n
What do you think Of literature as
profession?'
Il do not think anything Of literature
as r profession" answered Mons.
Daudet slowly. II speak from bitter
experience, for / have lived by my pen
all my life. After all there is nothing
so weary as brain work, and IL is prac'
I tically impossible to keep up the sort
Of strain unergone by every literary
man for many years without breaking
down. OF course, If the would-be au-
thor has a small independence, and Is
thus sure Of not actually starving, there
Is no real reason why he should not give
himself M TO letters altogether; but
still, my strong advice to the young peo-
pie who come TO me for my opinion on
the matter, always is, stick to your pro-
fession, and if you have 1t in you TO
write anything really good you VIII al
ways find time TO do it."
Then you often fnd yourself in the
position OF literary father-coniessor 10
the would-be dramatist and author|
II should be afraid TO say how many
Young men consult me on these matters
in the course Of year-till lately gen.
orally read or al least glanced over
manuscripts sent TO me; but, OF course,
the writer's, although they did me the
honor Of seeking my advice, rarely TOOK
the trouble Of following it. l will give
you two absolutely true instances which
have occurred during the last ten years.
Two Professors, both married men,
with children, and each teaching in one
of our great Lycees or public schools,
came to me with manuscripts in their
hands. To both, after careful perusal
Of their work. / gave the same answer.
You will never succeed in literature,
for you have no originality or literary
power, although your language is pure
and your style correct; therefore, il only
for the sake Of those dependant on you,
give up all though Of making letters
your profession, and remain steadfastt TO
the honorable career in which you are
beginning TO make certain mark
among your fellows. One OF these Pro-
fessors had unfortunately already had
an article accepted and inserted in a
magazine; he dlsregarded my advice,
threw up his post, and leaped into the
great literary ocean where so many come
to certain disaster. Six weeks ago
was implored by some charitable people
of my acquaintance to give small do
nation to an unhappy brother pen, who,
together with his unfortunate wife and
children, was literally dying Of starva-
ton. Upon investigation l discovered
that this unfortunate man and my Pro-
fessor were the same person. As for the
other man who had come az the same
time, and who had followed my advice,
be always visits me about Christmas
time, TO bring his good wishes for the
coming year. and TO thank me with a
grateful heart for having dealt faith
fully by him. He has now an import
ant sholastlc position IN the University
OF Paris, and Is earning an income OF
thirty thousand francs a year.
And DO you believe 10 journalism as
a stepping stone 20 literature"
II cannot say that 7 do, although, OF
course. also have been a journalist In
my time. and some OF the writing 10 the
newspapers IS undoubtedly literature In
its highest form. The young man who
begins writing In order % support him
az IN invariably drops into newspaper
work. Nothing Ia 80 well paid-I speak
from the day-to-day and pot-boiling
point Of view-but as the work has 10 |
De done extremely quickly, the style In
sensibly alters. and from being litera-
ture becomes Journalism. 10 was in or
der 20 provide certain number Of young |
men with the wherewithal 70 find az |
least time % write possible master
pieces that my friend Edmund de Con-
court and his brother Jules conceived |
the noble and touching idea Of leaving
their whole fortune 20 an institute, the
Academic de Goncourt, the members OF
which would require the two Qualifica-
tions, viz, poverty and exceptionally
literary power. My friend and his
brother first thought OF this when they
were quite young and living in the cir
Gle OF brilliant geniuseS condemned to
turn out pot-boilers for daily bread. 1t
will surprise you to hear that among
those who were destined to form part of
the first academy were Emile lola, The
odore de Banville, Flsubert, the gifted
author Of Madame Bovary,' and my
self, Of these, two are dead, and lola
and myself have arrived as we say
here. Thus men of q very different gen.
Grafton and literary method will benefit
by my friends generosity"
'And do you approve Of women writ
ing?"
How should I not, when my own
wife has always written; and when much |
that is best in my literary work Is owing !
TO her influence and suggestion. A wo-
man can so often say things that we
rougher natures can not express in just
language And then Mons. Alphonse |
Daudet tells in a few eloquent words all
that his wife, the beautiful and charm
ing Julia Daudet, who has signed some |
of the truest and most subtle descrip- !
lions OF French child life ever written,
has been TO him. 81 often think OF first
meeting her," he says smiling. 81
was quite young fellow, and had quite
a prejudice against literary women, and
especially against poetesses, but came,
saw and was conquered" he concludes,
smiling, "snd have remained under the
charm ever since"
The French side Of It.
Paris, April 22.-The police Of this city
admit the arrest by them recently of Mr..
n,f~,,-l ebo o,-arf Of an E,ncrlfsh nroinsfi1a !