New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-20
WESTERN IMAGE-BREA n Elk.
MIR. GARLAND DEALS WITH THE EFFETE
EAST
cpJ-NRr1NG IDOLS Twelve Essays on Art
Dealing Chiefly with Literature. Painting. and
The Drama Hy HamIin Garland. Ply. tx, 1872
Chicago: Stone & kmbail

cRUMBL1NG IDOLS Twelve Ess srs,, on ART ART
he DIANA Nv HamIin Garland. PIP tx. 1872
Chicago: Stone & Kmball
Mr. Garland declares with great vlgor asairs; III
crory authorities He Is a champion OF provincial
ism in the sense OF localism. It's bitter enemy "h'
no takes II 10 mean dependence on or Difference 10
any place or person. lie complains that Americans
used TO measure their literature 10y London later
NV BOSTON and now by New YORK. lie wants osh-
tosh 70 have It's own standard and the schoolhoys
~ red Earth 10 be freed from slavery 10 Addison.
"r, "a he saws the great intelligent middle class
of America curiously enough. who are apparently
the most provincial. With them the verdict OF the
world is all-lmportant. Their education mas peeh
iust sufficient TO make them distrusttul OF t't
own judgment They are largely the pro'u'' o'
our schools They have been taught 10 believe thn'
shakespeare ended the drama. that Scott has
closed the novel. that the English language Is the
greatest In the world etc" lie complains mat 'he
American youth Is everywhere turned away from
the material he can best handle and instead OF
writing the local lie he knows. wastes himself on
colorless exotcs. a multitude OF newspapers IN
wisely reflect what they believe 10 be correct lter-
airy judgments The Eastern critic Keeps the rs
pring Western writer's NJ work on blank verse
tragedies on Columbus and Washington Instead OF
encouraging them to he Themselves. Now this is
all very terrible. but Il happens TO he untrue II
the schools OF the Mississippi Valley are conduct
ed on the plan outlined. II H. time they were
changed II the pupils believe that ponrcs 'n''1
with Andrew jackson and the novel with Walter
Scott they should strive 10 acquire more kno"I-
edge not less The East certainly docs not ask
them 70 SIT In such darkness There Is no spirit
OF antagonism 20 originality among Mr.. Gnrlnnd's
arls,ocrats OF letter. ON the contrary. every
body II watching FOR the newest book with the
newest matter and manner N"'cf have novel
things IN tera tire been received with such favor IS
now They are measured by no STANDARD OF con-
-. . f.f fh4.aN sfFk fr q o
anil have some intrinsic merit, that - originality
be not mere frenkishn.rs. Certainly no on" coma
ask greater popularity than that won by hv1ynrd
Kipllng. no verses could be received with more
sympathetic interest thnn the elemental n crude
poetry OF Emily Dickinson. no one has found fault
with olive Schrciner for being absolutely modern
IN her dealing with the newest 81 civilized lands
Every WeStcrner. from Bret Har'c 10 Whiicomb
Riley. who has really had anything To say. has
been welcomed with enthusiasm II there u one
thing TINT to-day the world Of letters f. not that
Il exclusive. As FOR tho POOR editor. h" u an"
sufferer from the blank not the author Of a.
instead Of discouraging the working ~ new nel1s
and the sketching OF local character ani the devel
opnent OF local color his constant EFFORT - 20 bring
all this into play II Is the ncver-endlng struggle
OF all the Eastern magazines and newspapers 20
obtain material revealing the actual fc Of the dlf-
ferent sections Of the country The desire Is so
keen that second-rate. crude. AMI commonplace
work I'm large quantities. is edited into presentable
shape and published. The man or woman who has
the true story-tcler's gift has no trouble IN making
a way TO success
Mr. Garland In expounding his Views Of literature
says: I'VE propose the speech 81 living men
and women. We are 90 use actual speech as
hear II. and 10 record It's changes. We are to treat
OF the town and city ne well "a Of the farm. each
In It's place and through the mcdium OF character
istc speech. We propose 10 discard your nipping
accent. your nice phrases your balanced sentences.
and your prophecies inherited from the eight
zenith century our speech IL - be az individual
as our view OF life" And again THE West
should be wise rather than cultured. Wisdom is
democratic culture Is aristocratc. Wisdom Ia
knowledge OF principle. culture IL knowledge OF
forms and accepted conditions: the contention is
~orid-od. but necessary" Cease trying TO be
correct. and become creative. This Is day
The pas, Is not vital" "He (Whltman) said
well. that the real literature OF America could
not be polite literature The nation is too |
great. too sincere" There IL half-truth In |
Mr. Garland's imperious phrases but everybody |
knows the whole nature OF half-ruths. The |
good side OF wha, he wants. we all want |
spontaniety and vitality in literature But we want |
trained power rather than brute force The saying
is almost trite that Americans the most com !
mon sc hooed and least educated people In the |
world They have intellectual activity. They too |
often need balanced culture and coordination OF |
mental power. To advise them 10 ignore what they |
lack, and to try to overcome the world by sefcon-
ceit and selfassertlOn IL 10 do them the worst pos
sble service. The prevalence Of half-lcarning is
apparent in the astonishing number OF political, |
economic and literary eccentrictes with which |
this country is afflicted This defective education !
exaRgerates the value OF the idea II possesses for
want OF a high and true standard Of comparison.
The author himself is splendid example OF
what Re Is encouraging. Instead OF telling this
great intelligent middle class" he calls 1t. TO
despise culture rs aristocratic. ne should help 10
bring It to them. We do not think so mean)y OF
them az ne does They have power enough to alb
sorb culture and profit by II. Originality Will not
be lost Crudlty and freakishness can well be
rinced Mr. Garland complains that little that Is
distinctive has been produced by the great Western
Middle States: and. after sketchipg the develop
ment and rapid changes In that region. he says
And yet how few writer's OF national reputation
this eventfu century long march Of civilization has
produced The OF II. have indicated,
are twofold: nrst lack OF market; and, second.
lack Of perception" There has been no lack OF a
market. for the world is watching eagerly for new
books worth reading. There may have been lack
Of perception. for the West has had to face mate
rial problems the East had first to do 1t has had
no time for perception. and no chance train Its
apacties in that direction. To point out a short.
coming and then make virtue OF II In Just trihe
absurd. The East has produced a literature which
has the respectful attention OF the world. but II
Ices not seem to have occurred to Mr.. Garland
that It's universities at which he SCOTS and Its
leeper general culture have anything TO do with
his result The West. too. will have It's literature
" II has time TO develop It, 1t will be distinctive.
L will be local. To be worthy II must also have
he charm OF good manners. which mover ruined
inythng worth saving Frenks OF language i'm
,ar It's power and beauty. There Is no virtue In
Individual spelling and grammatical aberra lions; |
ou It ia not to be expected that this will admit
ed by an author whose work shows him TO be
lbove such pedantry an considering the correct