The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-04-22
NAMES LITERARY OUTPUT.

N1ttl1NL LiN1AANi w IL ~ -
Maine has many claims to distinction.
If it may no longer be called the Pine
Tree State we can take the spruce as an
emblem, or adopt Miss Sarah Orne
Jewett's designation, 1.-THE Land of the
Pointed FRS We no longer build
ships; but they are not built elsewhere,
and until this class of shipping went into
decadence Maine held her supremacy
both in ships and their commanders. I'm
til the advent of the artificial ice plant
and the Morse ice trust our ice crop
furnished employment to hundreds of
men and horses in the winter months,
and when the rivers opened our vessels
carried the ice to market Maine is be-
coming the summer playground OF the
nation, and the mecca of sportsmen dur
ing the fishing and big game seasons.
Lumber and granite are important fac
tors in Names growing prosperity, and
in dairying, orcharding and potato rails
ing there is steady and healthful adj
vancement These are some of the ria
terial things that keep Maine in the fore
front.
Intellectually Maine may challenge
comparison with her sister States. Fes-
sender. Blaine and Hamlin will live in
history as long as any of their contempt
raries; and, with those who preceded and
succeeded them, have made the Maine
delegation in Congress one of influence
and distinction. Out of her abundance
Maine has given to other States Govern
ors, Senators and Congressman. In
literature, in journalism, and in the
learned professions, Maine has ever held,
and holds now, prominent place. Chief
Justice Fuller of the U. S. Supreme
Court is Maine man, and the bar of
Maine TODAY includes men who in ability
and ei0quence are second to none IN the
country. To journalism Maine has con-
tributed in the past Sargent S. Prentice,
who was also brilliant lawyer, N P.
Willis. James and Erastus Brooks, James
s, Pike. George s. billiard, George F..
IdIDOt. dIltI ilidliS OlicIS anu .oNiAN; oiA
der the differing conditions of impersonal
Journalism her sons are making good in
the field of metropolitan journalism.
This, however, is merely preliminary.
What prompted this article was the
rapidly lengthening list of Maine au-
thors. In the literary field Maine is GER
tainly taking high rank, and while we
cannot foretell the verdict of time on
the work of present day authors it would
seem that they are we'll maintaining the
prestige of the State in this direction.
Certainly in literary merit the boys
books of James Otis, Holman Day anc
Clarence B. Burleigh are far in advance
of the Rollo books of early days. There
is not the world over a more charming
essayist than Mrs. Martha Baker Dunr
of Waterville. The books of Laura E.
Richards, Kate Douglass Wiggin anc
Sara Orne Jewett rank among the best
in current literature. In the realm OF
poetry we find Longfellow, n. P. Willis
Harriet Prescott Spotford, Francis
Laughlin Mace and host of others
more or less known to fame. In fact, {
book recently published in Portland en-
titled The Maine Poet Calendar ano
Engagement ,Book" contained quotations
FROM the writings of several hundred
Maine authors What we believe to be
the first attempt at a photography Of
Maine is contained in Griffin History OF
the Press of Maine, published in 1877
and comprised in IS pages. 1t is inter
esting and may be referred to AGAR
alter. We notice among the publica
tons of D. Bugbee & Co., Bangor F"The
Native Poets of Maine" 312 pp., IL mo,
1851, and ''Voces of the Kenduskeag'
various authors, 2S6 pp., 12mo, 1S48. In
1896 Joseph Williamson published a
photography of Maine in two volumes OF
1873 and 500 pages, respectively, monu-
mental work, Of which its author well
said that it was with him "a labor OF
love. These two portly volumes record
Names literary output up to about
fifteen years ago, but since that time
there mas been literary activity great
er than in any of the years preceding,
and it is seldom week passes that we
do not record an addition to the lengthen-
ing list of Maine books.