New-York tribune., 1901-01-06
"THE GENTLEMAN IN LITERATURE"


A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF ''Tn PALI. MALL
GAZETrE"
From The Pail Mall Gazette
MY Dear "PaII Mall Gazette: This is a
son of the year when papers are less particular
about their reputation for dulness- IL IS a sea-
son when topics of interest are discussed by
readers rather than by journalists. and when
every who string a sentence feels that
he has right to see himself in print Perhaps
then, you, who are seldom dull. may 1eel
inclined TO permit a regular reader, put no pro-
fessOnaI scribe. to enter into conversation with
his fellow readers on subject which for MN
possesses a peculiar interest. 1t is the subject
of 1.-THE Gentleman in Literature"
volumes, but in the course of the last few years
i have dipped into modern books. and can now
boast of a nOddng acquaintance with most or
your latter day writer's Let confess that
keep these modern books, IL / ever keep them at
ALL other shelves than those where SIT my
hOnOred authors OF the past And why? That IS
my point
tivate? When take Laurence Sterne upon my
knee or get into armchair with Fielding L
feel that / am holding communion with gentle
men, men Of breeding. Understand me, i refer
only to the good fellows style. Gentlemen they
are though / should not greatly care TO intro
duce them TO any women folk Gentlemen they
are in manner, gentlemen IN everything tiat
makes acquaintance pleasant; OF their morals.
heaven be the judge: not we who. in Lear's
words. smell of mortality
Some of your modern scribblers make brave
show and learn certain trick OF style which
NAV imrCse upon readers who race breatliess
TO Ennis: but how few there be among th-'c
whose breeding shows in their writings natt-
rally. gracefully and without effort. / can
fancy the hOneSteSt among them saying Wisd
Mike LambOurne: Il will say. and care EcC
who hears me. there is something about the real
gentry that few men come up 20 that are not
born and bred to the mystery. i WOt nos Whefe
the trick lies; but although can enter an or
dinary with as much audaCity, rebUke tEe
walters and drawers as loudly. drink deep
a health. swear as round an oath and tlir-- NY
gold freely about as any of the jinSliIG spurs
and white feathers that are around mc-yes.
hang me If / can ever catch the true grace OF
it, though have practiscd a hundred times
The true grace of it, There, my fellow Tv2 /
ers. lies the point. Take your most famous au-
thors; are they not. on the whole. vulsarizines
influences? BY the soul of Shakespeare, / swear
they are. Literature has fallen into the hands
OF the vulgar; we are become middle class in
rescue literature from her SOrdid surrounding
They make merry concerning a gramIiati ticIl
else their criticism takes the form of literary
gossip" and we are told what this author does.
and what that authOress drinks every night be-
fore going TO bed. Bah! il is sorry trade
I would some Johnson might arise and deal
giant blows in our little Sclf-satisfied literary
circles. making room for gentlemen to walk and
breathe the air But my dreams are TO myself,
my Indignation has run away with my pen
What 4 would have you discuss is the some
thing that makes gentlemans style in liter
ature different from all others What IS 1T
Why all your brilliant men. and willingly
grant their brilliance, separated by a wide
gulf from the grand old gentlemen OF the past.
the Swifts. the Sternes. the Thackerays. the
SCOTS. the WalpOles. the AddssOnS. the SteelS.
the CaIverleys?
set TO write up Q think that is the phTase}
the death of YOricht Can your imagination
bear that idea without staggering?
One auecdOte illustrating in some measure my
contention L had occasion the other day
write 10 three well known men-One
Prime Minister. another eN-Cabinet Minister.
the third n famous author. The first two wrote
in their hands charming and delight
full letters. The third set his secretary at me!