New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-23
1.-THE LONDON ACADEATS' ACADEMY.

"rBF LONDON ACADEMrS' ACADEMY.
SOME LETTERS FROM IMMoRrA1s OUTSIDE o'
THE FORTY.
We have recently referred In this place 70 the
Academy of Letters proposed by the London NJ
49,, ,yeekIv ..rhe Academy" The astute editor
and advertiser OF that periodical has wisely re-
Trained from giving his whole scheme away at
once and his second announcement prensures
third In which he Is to tell us JUST how ne ~ going
10 award the two prizes which are the most eA-
citing elements in his plan. The Academy" prints
this week lot OF letters from authors and other
persons Mr. Gladstone OF course. heads the isl
He ,ersely expresses his interest In the scheme out
asks to be excused from saying anything fur'her'
Sir Walter Besant beams upon the Idea and mast
ems TO assure the editor that he Will mention IL IN
THE Author" Mr.. OuerCouch, Mr.. W. f Nor
ris and other writers OF the day also write amiaoe
letters without committing themselves deeply. sr
Herbert Maxwell is the first 10 let himself go.
Apropos of Ruskn's inclusion In the list he says
that 'if your Academy is to be living force. It
should contain no dead lions" and then he con-
tnues: Il have no confidence whatever in Mr.. W.
E. Gladstones literary Judgment he IS omnivorous,
and writes as enthusiastically about The Chris
tan' as about The Odyssey Greatly as admire
his faculties in his own sphere. he is no more than
a peregrine In literature"
Mr.. Austin Dobson states that he shares DR..
Johnson's disrust for tribunals OF taste and adds
that he has naturally. therefore. very grave doubto
whether an English Academy-R practicable
would he an unmixed boon to letters. Mr.. Ans.ey
Is humorist. and his note is. II bald at any rate
when all that 1t implies IS considered. the best one
OF all Il only say" ne observes with ex-
qulsite caution. that your list seems TO mo as
representative as any that could be drawn up. and
that DO not feel In position TO offer any criti-
cism upon IT," Wise Mr.. Anstey. Apparently he
does not share the bland willingness Of his fellow
authors TO be drawn" by an enterprising Journal
But there are many others who eager to !mpart
their views and TO suggest changes In tho list
| One OF them makes neat allusion to American
letters. II you admit an American" he says, in
| the person Of Mr.. Henry James. why not admit
| Captain Mahan. and so exhaust American ltera-
| tureT We would like 10 hear the private COM
| ments OF some Of our immortals this PROPOSE
| ton, with it's cool assumption. Mr. H. G. Wells
writes olvertingly. and among other things ne
| says: There Is a lot OF overdone Helne about
George Bernard Shaw; but eliminate that and
there Is sufficient literary residuum to put be-
side, or even a little above Bryce or Treveyan 8"
The "overdone Heine" sends the longest letter OF
all IL Is amusing enough 10 be quoted intact and
we give 1t. as follows:
Sir: Ny compliments 70 vour s,ar ava ~
please, that hardly know whether 10 cone,aa2S
mem on their initiative confound their
pr Tss5 list St Is 50 Ike wha. Academy would
not be questioned but IT mas no other merit ana ana
no doubt needs no other For my own mari I
csvey Of men Of etlers ib sfoE a consist ex
VINO write for the sake OF writing and moi men
mati t, or spread ideas Your first selection Mr.
~ muS d 10 preacher and propagandIst, not man
come great master Of language in his constant
eio5t 10 make u communicate his thought; but
virtuoso In letters. whose desire is TO construct
prodncss n and who would rather
{ Wbn put yernaeular rough edge one.
Spencer and the Duke Of Argyu the thng hr
| comes ridiculous You are trying TO manufacture
ng emSeSt a ppessc 1or your project by nelud
pen to have written books. Mr.. swinburne. on the
pable OF receiving ideas from life and writes only
what ne has read, reproducing with equal energy
in Sir Edwin Armolds articles in The
a{ EdwS By the Why dd you omit
much more Than man Of letters but he is
why, he should not be selected Mr. Henry James
Is also stylst; his recent essay Du Maurier
gas wr fhsf win sgch literary
unntelllglbe. though their emotional inspiration
R Ra Kpg anS h Bs Mh' daep %
same galley with Meredith and James, No young me
Mr. Kipling to tell his stories--stories which have
no Inspiration in literature. You might well
| the men Of letters on the same ground shonId
say that IN, Mrs Meynell was properly included, as
| why nominate Mrs Humphry Ward who is az
| determined propagandist and social schoomis-
| tress Madame Sarah Grand. who is excluded ?
Will not stop TO argue the eligibility OF historians
and socioogists as SUCH episcopal lay: but since
| you have admitted them, / do not see why you
| have passed over Mrs. Beatrice Webb and Mrs
| J. II. Green considering that you have only al
| lowed two women to thirty-eght male Immortals
| Mr.. Trail. though he once wrote "dialogues'' on
| classical model, ought to be excluded Mr.
| Pinero and Mr.. Gilbert are more men OF letters
| than | am. The only dramatist, besides Mr.
| is Mr.. oscar Wilde. do not quarrel with the
inclusion OF an eminent translator like DR.. Jebb;
but since there Is not single link of connection
| between your forty and the great modern art
which alone offers any modern parallel DIR.
| Jebb's favorite Greek art, why not Include Mr.
Richard Wagner Is masterpiece Of style and
has been undertaken and carried out by him under
| just the circumstances which demand rec
ogniton of his artistic devotion and public spirit
Considering the breadth OF your classification the
| omission OF Mr.. Frederic Harrison is, If may for
| once express myself accidentally. singuarly as
| founding, Mr.. Frederick Wedmore Is also obviously
eligible for your second column.
| l may add generally, that since the Academy
can do nothing but supply means OF recognition
| for the merit of those who working at the
academic side Of literature only, have no chance
Of popular fame Its chairs should be reserved for
| such en- and not filled up to their exclusion BY
| world renowned public men, whether they are
| writer's not. Have a list of vice presidents I"
| II you must have big names; but spare the world
the absurdity OF placing Mr. Gladstone along with
| Mr. Gosse as IL such classification could have
| any meaning.
Need say. finally as keen journalist. that
| a. BERNARD SHAW