A Primer of Criticism (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

Inhaltsangabe

Excerpt from A Primer of Criticism

More than a third of a century ago, Margaret Fuller said America had no national literature. Yet, at that time Irving, Poe, Cooper, Hawthorne, Bryant, Prescott, Emerson, Bayard Taylor, Simms, and Lowell were living American writers. All of these, except the latter, have passed away, leaving no worthy successors. The United States presents the extraordinary spectacle of a nation of readers, with scarcely one great national writer - a nation great in arms, progressive in science, enterprising in commerce, but unproductive in literary genius. We have so-called literary men in abundance - journalists, magazinists, compilers of books - but we look in vain for a "bard sublime," for a great American novelist, a great American critic.

Plato banished poets from his republic. America does not honor literary talent as much as other professional talent. Edgar A. Poe, who, although a man of wayward habits, certainly possessed rare intellectual gifts, was forced to confess towards the close of his life, that he could not support himself by his pen; yet that pen had written the Raven, Ligeia, the Bells, The Fall of the House of Usher, and other unique compositions which the world will not willingly let die. An American poet, glancing at American literature twenty-five years ago, satirically said:

"While the polished pen scarce earns a garret,
Double-entry points to peace and claret."

Is it much better now? American Congressmen affect to laugh at what they call "them literary fellahs." Congress has never been distinguished for the literary character of its members. The average Congressman is a man of mediocre ability, who reads nothing but the daily newspapers and cares nothing for literature.

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