New-York tribune., 1907-11-10
Gg)e GGetao)- -221orls Ggiibaa9gpeas
SUNDAY. NOVEMBER 10, 1907.

reply made by 4 statesman whom he had con-
graduated on Il memorable speech. Mr. Ben
son said to him that 1t must be an immense
satisfaction to have achieved what he had
achieved" but the orator could not agree. DO
you know" he said. II think it rather the other
way: to have reached certain standard en-
tails upon the necessity of seeing that one
never falls below it; and it is more depressing.
/ think to fail where one has once succeeded,
than never to succeed at all" The eSsayist
Justly characterzeS this as a very true state
ment and goes to speak Of the way in which
the public regards failure made by once
successful orator. artist writer. He is
blamed rather than cOmpasSOnated- "lt is sup
posed and freely said that he has no business
to fail that he could do better if he chose,
and that the failure must be due to inadequate
preparation or to undue self-cOnlldence." This
view Of the matter may seem cruel but it is
really nothing of the sort. Consider the fail
ures so often made by the popular noveliSts of
the day. In many cases ii is as obvious as any
thing could be that these failures spring from
undue self-COnidcnCc," that the writer's in
question have been deceived, By the ease with
which they can tell their work, into thinking
that any stuff they choose TO produce will be
eagerly accepted by an admiring public.
Mr. r. c. Lehman has been telling n queer
story of a quarrel which once took place be
tween Browning and John Forster at the din
ner table of Mr. Lehmanns brother in law.
Browning. who had, it appears, been more or
less irritated by the patronage of Forster,
spoke. according to lehman, "Of the incredible
neglect which had lately occurred at Marlbor-
ough House, where, when the Princess of Wales
had suddenly been taken very ill., no carriage
could be got for the purpose of fetching doc
tor. Forster at once ridiculed the story as
ridiculous invention"
browning gave chapter and verse adding that
he had It from Lady - Forster retorted
that he did not believe it 4 whit more
count OF that authority Suddenly Browning
became very fierce and said: Dare To say one
word in dispayaGcm"nt of that lady" seizing a
dccanter while he spoke and Will pitch this
bottle Of clarct at your head
Forster it is recorded. Seemed rs much
taken abacli as any of the guests" and the host
tried To- mend matters, but "all attempts 10
bring about immediate apology or reconca-
ton were In vain" The episode is delightfully."-
like Browning. Wording as he was the poet
in him quick to kindle and one can imag
inc his chivaroUsly exploding under such prov
ocation as Forster gave him whether the lady
in question was a friend Of his or not
Young men and women who propose to earn
q living by the exercise of their pens would
do well to read Mr.. Walter H. Pages article
on The Writer and the University" in the cur
rent number or Inc Atlantic lie sketches the
kind of professional post graduate school,
which he would like 10 see established. On the
possibilities of such school. the doctors may
easily disagree, but there is no arguing about
the correctness Of Mr.. Pages general view of
the matter or the interest Of the ideas with
which he illustrates it. The man Of genius may
Be- trusted to work out his own salvation. but. /
Mr. Page observes, ''journcymcn writer's
write almost every hing that the American peo-
pie read" and few of them are n the pains
to learn how to write 1t is not simply that
they fail TO produce literature They do not
even put forth good journcyman's work If a
man has any literary aptitude whatever H.
ran be taught to do such work. The important
thing is that he should begin by looking upon
writing "as a useful art an art in which men
may be trained they are trained in any
other art in painting or surgery or architect
the law The average beginner is gen
orally under the impression that all he has TO
DO is To- trust TO what he is pleased TO regard
as his inspiration. Hence much of what Mr. |
Page StiSm1tZcs as "Slapdash Journalism"
The colleges are partly to blame The method
of training by research has dominated our
university activity that the teaching Of the !
arts has been neglected." In some pungcnt sen
fences he pays his compliments to that scientific
method in literature which has proved ut once !
so useful and misleading But Mr.. Page |.
would sacrifice of its merits He would I