New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-19
Aew91ork Gaibnne
FOR THE WEEK ENDING DEC. 25 1897.

CIruuiy cOnSluCTcu opinion tHdl III Jout
and periodical literature generally the public
wants quality and not quantity. When the sue
ccssful publisher of three or four dacs and
more than dozen wccklics and mOnthlies
comes to this conclusion there must be some
thing in it. He goes further and says that
America is particularly injudicious in this mat
ter We pile up too many pages. 1t Is not easy
to contradict him. AS an American periodical
grows more prosperous it offers Its readers
more things. and this generosity is commonly
accepted not only token of good will, but
as a sign Of good judgment. Candid observers
will agree with Mr. IIarmswOrth. 1t Is all very
well to say that next month we will give our
subscribers ten more pages and brand new
cover" but it would be much more to the point
to say that "our wealth having Increased we
will next month print a story by b., who Is
better and more expensive man than A."
A wearlcJ listener to Parliamentary debates
calls on some one to Stay the Jabberwock. mean
ing the oratorical bore Cut the cacklc and
to the horses" he says, repeating the old
adagc. and he suggests two remedies, first the
establishment Of time limit and then the re
preston Of the custom Of reading volumes OF
typewriter pages, called euphemistically
notes" The man who cannot liberate his soul
In n quarter OF an hour. we are told. does not
know his trade Mr.. Gladstones procedure has
been OF sort to diminish the force Of this con-
tcntion. Mr. Gladstone has talked for hours. No
one ever accused him Of not knowing his trade.
But even the Grand Old Man Is. after all, q
scrviccable illustration Of the harm done by long
speeches. in modern times at least Burkes
long speeches made literature. Very few OF Mr..
Glads,one's orations deserve the same epithct
The charm Of such speeches as Lord Rosebery
Lord Duffcrn make from time to time comes
largely from their brcvity. The speakers are
polished. symmetrical. fairly literary In their
felicity. because they can see the end OF their
task when they begin It. The enduring
speaker usually falls into complete confusion by
the time he ends.
Heinrich IIene was born on December ID,
1871. His centenary has inspired several writer's
to more or less admirng retrospect. Mr.. Gang
Wills tasicess pastiche OF the German writer's
sayings implies enthusiasm II not discretion. and
Mr. DOwdcn In "Cosmopohs." writes In vein
OF warm sympathy for his subject NJ. Edouard
Rod and Herr Karl Frenzcl contribute acute
studies Of IIcine to the same magazine. II Is
curious to observe the fruitcssness Of all these
essays They celebrate IIeinc's gallant career
AS Il brave soldier III tne lSlDTauOn war OF
Humanity" who wishes a sword laid upon his
bier as a sign OF his crusadng ambitions. but
they are all driven TO Matthew Arnod's COURSE
they are compelled. tactly or explicitly. to sub
sttute the laurel for the sword. Centenary |
memorials will not galvanze Heine's humani- |
tartan propaganda into life. He a poet not |
rcformcr. The irony which makes his cpl |
grams On social progress so readable. quot |
oiIn i.,o 90 aln Of
IIcincs audacious illusions to the Almighty con
WINGED the world long ago OF his wit They |
made no converts TO his deeper views. The
world forgivcs them. and wants to forget them
for the sake OF his poems
There is something droll about The enthusiasm
for owlish reflection which has suddenly srnit-
ten great many readers Of the new literary
periodical which announced its intention 10 re
view books oaly after matur" dclibcrafion upon
their merits and dcmcriis The political writer
who discusses m0m"nous subjects hot from
the wires, the musical and dramatic critics who
SET down their impressions ten minutes after
they have received them. lr" seldom supposed
to be incapacitatcd as wise critics by the haste
with which their work is done. But unless the
literary critic Eliminates Ink" IN Oriental over
the production of every dIlsrr who Is forced
upon his notice he is denounced rs IA Sprcadcr Of
nets of disaster for the feet Of the unwary pub
lie This kind Of talk springs from the eternal
gullibility Of man who is wofuy apt TO mistake
socmnity FOR wisdom, ana scholastic jargon for
the langIag, Of the eject Episoary literature
and memoirs are dotted with the ardent obscr
valions Of people who have read such and such
book At a sitting, and have appreciated it the
mn for pir al nj