The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-02
Dr. Hilen,s eNotes and Comments.0


In the Central Presbyterian for Octo-
Der 10Th, DR.. j. c. Hiden thus touches
upon passages i'm the lives OF divers au-
tnors Of celebrity in English hterature'
When Sir Walter Scott was IN his prime
he was chosen Poet Laureate. Inc sa.ary
attached TO TIE office was insignlnoanti
and Sir Walter needed money, or az least
thought ne needed DO. which Is much me
same thing He also knew that II any OF
the royal family did any thing, or SUI
fered any thing much more important
than sueezing, the Laureate was expected
10 be ready con CALI with poem I'D
honor Of the great event "Marmion ana
The Lady oil the Lake were not written
I'm that way. and though Scott was an
arlstocrat and a Tory OF the "Irue-o.ue
stripe, sill be had some democratic IN
stincts. Query: Has any great auIhor
except GiD0on. ever been without them >
Sir Walter finally. and very sensloly, de-
cined the useless and senseless office.
Whist he had t-e matter under consid-
Grafton. a friend wrote him. strongly urg-
ing him TO accept FOR the sake OF MS
reputation" The poet replied that he had
done great deal for tis reputation, ana
he rather thought it was now time Tor
his reputation 10 be doing something FOR
HIM sir Walter did Lot always act
nor always write wisely; but he hit the
nail squareiy on the head on that occa-
sion.
What a wonderful change in the condi-
lions of what is called a literary life has
taken place In the English-speakin world
f1 the course of a lizzie more than CEN
turyi In the England OF TIE eighteenth
century, Samuel Johnson was certainly
among the greatest, If he was not the
very greatest. OF the literary men. if we
confne that term 10 those who give them
selves 10 the production of literature, anb
depand upon il for Il living. and yet the
great author. cooling his heels at Ches-
terdclds door. in the vain hope OF secur-
ing the corrupt and ucentious nooleman'
patronage" was almost sight 10
make the angels weep Chesterfield
too. asoired 10 authorship. but by what
literary work is he now known 10 lne
reading wOrld2 Probably nothing tnal me-
wrote will live I'm the memory OF men
50 long as will the fact that by hts treat
pept of Johnson. be taught that great
man 10 emphasize Woo.seys lesson
"Ohi how wretched is that poor man
That hangs on piiaces' favors.
During no small part Of Johnson Lon
don life. he was ha'f-staryed, and ne
thought himself lucky when lie could get
sly-pcnce worth Of meat for his dinner.
Able writer's OF his day would ONE OF
find tribe I'm a cOOk-shop under ground
and vioe their hands on the back Of a
Newfoundland dog. when the greasy meal
was finished one OF them would slt up
An bed. with his arms poked through two
holes I'm his blanket, and write poetry
while his only shirt was at the laundry
or the pawn-sh0p Wasn't that en- uFof-
ing literature under difficulties? II is said
that grcat PUBLISHING house Of our own
dav drew "a check FOR S250oD as royalty on
one book And the book was an Amet-
cam work. written and published hv
Americans our English cousins may
now suppress their celebrated sheer.
..yvbo reads an American bCokY' DID
Dickens or Walter SCOTT ever receive so
much for any one bookY