The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-01
The Man and His Work.
SAYS the Rochester Herald:

Says the Rochester Herald:
In the current Harpers Bazar Nr Howslls him
self furnishes testimony in aid Of our recent conten-
ton that II is frequently the name rather than
merit which secures entranee to the magazines In
his calIOw dsya he had tried writing verse but It
all cane hack 20 him. aud instead Of DESTROYING it
he carefully laid it aside. Going abroad. Mr.
H0wells made a name for himself. and then the
magazine editors began 10 sit up and take notice Of
him. Whether he able to live upon the pro
oeeds Of his poetry or not IS beside tho question.
What IS Of Significance Is that Mr.. Howells beoom-
ing known. able to market verse which when
be unknown had been rejected as unavailable. -
There is nothing astonishing about that
state of affairs, we think. It is. after all,
the old. old story: Nothing succeeds Ike
.successr
Mr.. HoweIls has established his right to
especial consideration. even IN the smaller
details OF things. Much that he wrote in
earlier days-before he was known in any
measure to fame-doubtless was ''unavan-
able" and yet by no means unworthy.
The terms are far, far from synonymous
in the lexicon Of manuscript readers, as
every magazine and newspaper knows.
Periodicals are published TO please the
public primarily. and many people are
the name of William Dean Howells to-
day who would not have noticed It. per-
haps, before his reputation was so uni
versally recognized. Readers are interested
IN hearing from authors who have shown
that they are entitled to attention-the
technical article, the short story, the
serial. the play, the poem, the verse, the
witticism from the man who has made
good" is. in its prima faeie aspect, worth
while. Moreover. secondary consideration
is apt. in the light Of the past. to confirm
incline to purchase their wares OF vendors
Of fixed repute. Why not? The best is
always the cheapest. Merely demonstrate
your ability to deliver the goods, and the
market is open to you. and sometimes
even for your cruder and more immature
products.
A rejected manuscript does not neces-
sarily mean that Il is without merritt
really does not, even as its stereotyped
form AYERS. A few embryonic William
Dean Howells are having their manu-
scripts returned TO them to-day. 1t speaks
well for Mr.. Howells that he did not let
his returned. with thanks" experiences
chill his budding literary ardor perma-
nently He kept pegging away. It seems.
and ultimately he disposed OF every
thing-ineluding his poetry! His big asset,
we dare say. and the one that unquestion-
ably stood him IN good stead In his youth
full days, was his confidence in himself!
He never wavered in that, and-well, that
IS why he now IS William Dean Howells.
an author who never gets any more OF
those unavailable" slips in any circum-
stances.
And yet, with all OF that. there are
and periodicals fairly aching
to-day for new blood. new writer's, new
ideasl The field IS there. as It was when
Mr. HoweIls was young. only much
Mr.. Howells is not the first of
his kind. nor yet VIII he be the last. His
output passes unchallenged nowadays. of
course. Who would question a check
signed by Mr.. Rockefeller?