New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-26

natural estimate Of the appreciation Of the Duh.
lie that buys our books and reads them" A.
first sight, 1t is not quite clear why a printed
opinion should be dwarnng and an Imprinted
opinion invigorating. sustaining, inspiring II
will not do to suppose that Mr.. Caine is dwarfad
nv the printed opirion because It Is critical
THE Manxman" has been praised In the press
I know no stronger evidence Of the liberal,ty AZ
mind which prevails among newspaper writers.
Some Of them even assign to this book or pre-
dict for It, place In literature That, II any.
thing, ought to invigorate Mr. Caine: ought to
encourage him to attempt at some future time
to deserve this premature eulogy. OF literature
or Of art. he seems at present to have very faint
conceptions. Ingenuity in mere story telling or
a taste for what is weird. extravaganza and i'm.
possible is not good material out Of which
to make literature.
But Mr. Game need not despair. To do him
Justice he IL very far from despairing He Is
convinced that popularity is the best criterion
Of merit that has yet been found. Very good.
A circulation Of 10000 copies implies popu.
larty and very great popularity. Few
writer's Of the day, or OF any day, have sold
$1,000 copies Of a book in a single year. BY his
own test or criterion. therefore, | do not see
why Mr. Hall Gaines melt is not OF a very
high order. He and Mr.. Marion Crawford and
Mr. Rider Haggard might all be bracketed to-
gether they are all popular ana therefore oil
highly mertorious. And they are all right In
setting a high value upon this contemporaneous
testimony. That testimony they know; the eyi.
dence Of It is counted by Thousands and tens OF
thousands What the testimony OF posterty
may be- they do not know. Yet l apprehend
that we misuse the word popularity II we limit
II to the popularity Of the moment. That is
doctrine Of politics rather than Of literature; a
doctrine Of democracy which. however sound
within its own sphere. becomes futile ard mis-
chievous when you seek to apply n In sphere
beyond the range of its real influence seldom
has any permanent fame in literature been de-
creed by majority. Not the majority. bit
the minority are lawgivers in that domain.
Probably the very newspapers which Mr.. Hall
Game deprecates judges are the sources Of this
popular error and OF his own popularity. We are
forced or think are forced, 10 judge hurriedly.
7 read the other day an account Of the literary
performances Of a wel-known journal The writ
or OF the account had been much impressed by the
quantity OF literary matter In this paper; surely
good sign in Journalism. II there be one He told
us how many columns OF II there were, and how
many books out Of the whole number published
they had all been reviewed. he said, within week
q, publication. That is what the public demands
But there are two ways Of looking at Literature.
or to be exact let me say two ways OF lookngM
new books as subjects for newspaper enterprise.
Tho first Is as matter Of news That is what
drives liz into all these columns OF book notices
within a week Of publication" The second is as
literature In the high sense as something which
requires a considered judgment. judgment based
on careful reading, on large views, and on settled
principles Of criticism. That cannot always b
supplied within a week OF publication But II Is
not impossible TO reconcile the two II the public
will be content with news news: that is. with
such an account Of new book shall convey 10
the reader an accurate notion Of its subject and OF
the treatment OF it's subject: with such extracts as
may be illustrative and even so much attempt at
an estimate Of its value or Importance as may BE-
possible within the time Then. II the book de-
serves IT, the considered and critical review may
come later. Nor the difficulties so great as
they may seem; few are the books. those or
science and special subjects excepted which re-
auire more elaboration than It is possible TO give
them within a week Of publication.
Mine may be called conservative view: too
conservative for these impatient days and espe-
caly for America. But | remember discussing
what is thought a much more urgent subject with
one Of the most competent and distinguished jour-
nalis,s living. He spoke OF the editorial nahd-
ling Of current topics, and he deprecated the prac
tce OF pronouncing definite opinion on dfn-
cult subject without time for thought. The news
comes in at midnight. BY o'clock the paper VIII
have committed itself one way or the other. Vast
interests may be affected public opinion misled.
perhaps Ministry turned out or matured
scheme OF great policy defeated by the hippans
and hurried decision OF a writer told on for an edl-
torial on matter on which he Is none too well In
formed. For my part" said this journalist, l
think 1t sufficient to publish next morning such an
editorial will put the reader in possession ot tns
facts. give him clear view summary OF the
news. and wait till next day before pronouncns
judgment pledging the paper TO what on cooler
thought. may clearly be seen to be an erroneous
opinion" II that be possible in politics and o,ner
public affairs it is surely possible in literature
G. W. s.