New-York tribune., 1902-10-18

read the most books. An interesting point for
the young contributor to remember is that his
geographical position need not worry him. MI
Howels, as a young contributor himself once
thought differently. He feared that II douoIeu
his insignihcance TO send d manuscript from d
small or unknown place. But when he came 10
occupy an editorial chair himself contribution
from remote and obscure place piqued his
curiosity, and he soon learned that the fresh
thing, the original thing, was apt 70 come
from such places. and not from the literary
centres OF American literary centres he writes
in one Of his best chapters We have mad more
than once, he admits, something like "A literary
centre. There was one at Philadelphia, from
the time Franklin went to live there until the
death of Charles Brockden Brown. our first ro-
mancer; then at New-York. during the period
which may be roughly described as that OF
Irving. Poe, Willis and Bryant; then at Boston
Tor the thirty or forty years illumined by the
presence of Longfellow, Lowell Whittier, HaW-
thorne. Emerson, Holmes, Prescott, Parkman'
and many 1esses lights" The three cities, he
grants, are still great publishing centres. But
he has no illusions about the claims for purely
literary standing that might be advanced for
any one of them. New-Yorkers will be interested
in his treatment of their city in this regard:
Our literature has hardly taken to New-York
society IL Is an even thing. NeW-1 OH Ho-
ciety has not taken TO our literature. New
York publishes il, criticises il and crcuates H.
but doubt If New-York society much reads II
or cares Tor II, and NeW-York is therefore by
no means the literary centre that Boston once
was, though a large number of our literary men
live IN or bout New York Boston. in my time,
al least had distinctivey literary atmosphere,
which more or less pervaded society, but New
York has distinctly nothing OF the kind, IN any
perVasiVe sense. 1t is a vast mart, and ltera-
ture is one or the things marketed here; but our
good society cares no more for il than for some
other products bought and sold here II does
not care nearly so much for books as for horses
for stocks, and 1 suppose II is not unlike the
good society Of any other metropolis IN this
To the general, here, journalism is far more
appreciable thing than literature. and has
greater recognition, for some very good rea-
sons: but in Boston literature had vastly more
honor and even more popular recognition th9n
Journalism There journalism desired 10 be
literary. and here literature has TO try hard not
TO be journalistic If New-York is a literary
centre on the business side. as London is, BoS-
ton a literary centre, as Wemar was and
Edinburgh was. II felt literature, as those
capitals felt IT, and if il did not love il quite
50 much as il might seem, il always respected H.
Some of Mr. Howells's essays are like little
stories in their human interest. Worries of a
Winter Walk provides one peculiarly engaging
illustration; it is a perfect example Of the
charm which artistic treatment can sometimes
reveal in very ordinary material But in ira
veTsing the collection, are tempted 10 offer
special comment on nearly every essay in it.
Mr.. Howells gives US recollections on life in
American summer colony in Bermuda and in
Scheveningen; he passes from the consideration
OF Some Anomalies of the Short Story" 10 the
quietly humorous study of "A Circus in the
suburbs; or he discourses on Mime. Bernhardts
performance of Hamlet" on the Spanish pris-
oners in the recent war. on advertising, on the
Horse Show. and on the politics Of American
authors. He always has something TO say; he
always presents ii with a certain subdued
vivacity and most beguiling humor