The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-19
Who Shall Edit the Editor.

Saturday Evening Post
How far shall the editor edit? is a oues-
ton much vexed by publisher and author
The discerning editor is alive-if. as some
authors will have II, not from sympathy. at
least from the spur OF sharp competition-to
any spark OF merit. any sign of promise in
an unfamiliar manuscript He accents II
and Is ready for the thankless task of whip
ping IT into shape. He then performs a serv-
ice to publisher. reader and author alike
on the other hand. the authors Judgment
often has the better OF the argument. There
Is on reeord-if not here on earth, at least
In heaven aboye-the case of an earnest
anc AMBITIOUS young American writer
whose book was accepted by an American
puSisher, and then suppressed on the
ground or immortality. The publisher had
accepted II at the instance of his literary
susiseI, ana round no evil in ii himself; but
MS wife. who saw the proofs. cried ont
against IL. The indignant author demanded
10 know how far such interference was to
ue saIIie9, tne cousins to the third gen.
sfation. the sisters and the aunts were to
&c invoked In COUNSEL but the publisher was
oodurate. and the book, though legally
n nsvegn ns 3ut according to contract. was
fortunately. II found an English publisher
ana great favor with the English critics.
r Da. 10 , uniS day the name on the title
".
there was the author who had the re-
iusai OF his short story Gan excellent story
II was, too) from every editor in the land
Himself n a raSer , years ne became an editor
leagues by publishing his story. under the
tue tue o. "A Rejected Manuscript" in his
criticism once made OF Mr.. Richard Wafsnn
Elders poetry; that II owed its vogue to
Ine tact tnat IL was acceptable to the edit
ors or the Century Magazine.
perience or rather more fortunate natura
his Like Another Helen" was three times
accepted. In the first two instances the
p i,oDs era insisted s, on substantial altera-
was equally nrm for the integrity OF his
text The book finally came out as n ua .
Written and the results seem fully to have
Justified the authors Judgment. Mr.. Hor-
ton mas followed letters from his first wears
he wrote. when he was twelve wears old
Mnat ne asserts was an exceedingly bad
satire IN verse on the ludicrous fashions of
the hour in women's dress. Thrcurhout his
course at college he kept strictIy 70 fhs
humanities- When he received his apnoint-
I nsn. as United states consul TO Athens he
oirected MS studies 10 modern Greek
Greek has shown itself one OF the great
vital languages. The educated Greek ~
To-day reads the Greek classics almost as
we read Shakespeare; and Homer. though
ne wrote in highly artificial Language Of
literary convention, Is as ineligible TO him
as say, Chaucer Is TO US. The cry of kin
olins wood heard in the streets TODAY is
essentially what IL was in the time OF
AeschSlus. In this flexible. virile Language
mas grown up a body OF popular bailadTv
and ncdvelies. TX was a congeniaI field for
a man OF taste and scholarship. The rem
derlng into English which followed in
sfautly caught the ear OF English-sneakinsy
Greeks: ana to-day at any picnic 81 Arar
lean Greeks where dancing and ballad sing
Ing are part OF the entertainment. one is
quite as likely 10 hear Mr. Horizons trans
lation as the original He Is nerhans The
only living American poet who shares with
Poe and Whitman the honor OF An eouai
affection In the hearts OF foreign audi