Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-26
The Present Day in Literature.


period is not necessarily dark one
for literature. 1t reviews the results
of the literary activity that preceded
1t. and estimates their value.
It establishes and maintains stand
ards of literary excellence; 1t winnows
the chaff from the wheat; it relegates
time servers and surface SWIMMERS TO
a merited seclusion, and places pre-
Mum mon the highest forms of lit
erary achievement.
This is a critical period in American
literature. The creative period that
rave us the works of an Emerson. a
Bryant, a Longfellow, Whittier. a
Holmes, a Hawthorne, a Whitman. and
others who wrote for all time has passed
away, and we are entering upon crit
ical period in American literature. Like
all critical periods it is prolific in scrib-
blers. but it seems scarcely probable
that many of them will establish repu-
tatiops that will extend far beyond
their own day and generation.
Let us grant this much frankly and
freely. and yet there is nothing today
in the status Of American literature to
furnish just grounds for pessimistic
view of the situation. We live in a
utilitarian age, and it would be strange
indeed, if something of it's spirit were
not reflected in it's literature. The
work of the novelist and the poet was
formerly confined to embalming. in lit
erary form, the higher ideals and SEN
timepts of their day. If they dealt
largely in "glitterng generalities,
they were of such kind as would find
responsive echoes in the nobler aspir-
ations of the race for generations to
come. Literature of this kind is an
end in itself Today literary effort is
too impregnated with the prevailing
spirit of utilitarianism to build for all
time. 1t has become largely a means
to an end; mere medium through
which the propagahdists of various
gospels seek to secure a public hearing
for their ologies and their isms. Bel
lamy uses it's forms to preach the gos-
pei of cooperative socialism; Garland
the gospel of Populism; Mrs. Ward, the
gospel of the higher criticism; Du
Maurier the gospel of hypnotism; How
ellis. the gospel of the commonplace;
and so on ad infinitum, ad nauseam.
All this misuse of literary form, to
lend interest to hobbies, can never con-
stitute literature. 1t embodies nothing
of the common aspirations. experiences
or ideals of our day and generation
and can, therefore, never have the quail
ity of permanency. SO far as these
conditions obtain, they are certainly
deplorable; but they constitute merely
an incident in the literary situation
If the spirit of utiltarianism in some
respects vitiates the literary atmos-
DDcIt, IL cltdtS IL Ill oNIICAo, IL ~ ''NSAN'
to apply literary methods to practica
ends, it is also moving from the same
motives, to preserve in epitomized form
the best thought of the past This is
emphaticaily the age of encyclopedias
and dictionaries, of hand-bOOkS and Ii
braries. We are editing the literature
of all ages, and putting it in compre
hensive and convenient form for read!
access and easy absorption. There il
, much of hope in this movement. 1t il
resurrecting the best thought of tn
past and giving it a practical appllca
ton to present times. 1t is widening
the scope of popular education. and
best of all, it is stimulating and cul
tivating an intelligent spirit of crit
icism. The very torrents of mediocrit.
that flow from thousands of printing
presses increasing with every cheap
ening process in methods of production
will hasten the reaction that is sure t
cOIIlc, anu Out VI WIliNH Ia eAV" VA
higher and truer standards Of literar
merit which will develop out of thi
critical era of transition to govern tn
work of the next creative period.
would be erroneous to suppose tina
the literary armament of the preser
day and generation is without it's shir
ing lights. for it has many. The ga
axy of promising young writer's is
growing one; there is constant gal
in the literary tone and quality {
those great popular educators,-tf
newspapers. and while some of IL
magazines of late have shown a disp'
sition to sacrifice in some degree qua
ity of matter to cheapness of sellir
price, there is world of encourag,
ment in the fact that they have therel
brought home to vastly larger ella
Of readers a better grade Of matt
than they were formerly accustom.
to read. And here. too with financi
success and educated popular tast
will come the reaction that is sure
result in higher literary standard