how to fail in literature-第6部分

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an　unplaced　Minister　of　the　United　Presbyterian　Church；　in　1869。　　He

died　young；　unaccepted　by　the　world；　unheard　of；　uncomplaining；　soon

after　writing　his　latest　song　on　the　first　grey　hairs　of　the　lady

whom　he　loved。　　And　she；　Miss　Alison　Dunlop；　died　also；　a　year　ago；

leaving　a　little　work　newly　published；　Anent　Old　Edinburgh；　in　which

is　briefly　told　the　story　of　her　life。　　There　can　hardly　be　a　true

tale　more　brave　and　honourable；　for　those　two　were　eminently

qualified　to　shine；　with　a　clear　and　modest　radiance；　in　letters。

Both　had　a　touch　of　poetry；　Mr。　Davidson　left　a　few　genuine　poems；

both　had　humour；　knowledge；　patience；　industry；　and　literary

conscientiousness。　　No　success　came　to　them；　they　did　not　even　seek

it；　though　it　was　easily　within　the　reach　of　their　powers。　　Yet　none

can　call　them　failures；　leaving；　as　they　did；　the　fragrance　of

honourable　and　uncomplaining　lives；　and　such　brief　records　of　these

as　to　delight；　and　console　and　encourage　us　all。　　They　bequeath　to　us

the　spectacle　of　a　real　triumph　far　beyond　the　petty　gains　of　money

or　of　applause；　the　spectacle　of　lives　made　happy　by　literature；

unvexed　by　notoriety；　unfretted　by　envy。　　What　we　call　success　could

never　have　yielded　them　so　much；　for　the　ways　of　authorship　are　dusty

and　stony；　and　the　stones　are　only　too　handy　for　throwing　at　the　few

that；　deservedly　or　undeservedly；　make　a　name；　and　therewith　about

one…tenth　of　the　wealth　which　is　ungrudged　to　physicians；　or

barristers；　or　stock…brokers；　or　dentists；　or　electricians。　　If

literature　and　occupation　with　letters　were　not　its　own　reward；　truly

they　who　seem　to　succeed　might　envy　those　who　fail。　　It　is　not　wealth

that　they　win；　as　fortunate　men　in　other　professions　count　wealth；　it

is　not　rank　nor　fashion　that　come　to　their　call　nor　come　to　call　on

them。　　Their　success　is　to　be　let　dwell　with　their　own　fancies；　or

with　the　imaginations　of　others　far　greater　than　themselves；　their

success　is　this　living　in　fantasy；　a　little　remote　from　the　hubbub

and　the　contests　of　the　world。　　At　the　best　they　will　be　vexed　by

curious　eyes　and　idle　tongues；　at　the　best　they　will　die　not　rich　in

this　world's　goods；　yet　not　unconsoled　by　the　friendships　which　they

win　among　men　and　women　whose　faces　they　will　never　see。　　They　may

well　be　content；　and　thrice　content；　with　their　lot；　yet　it　is　not　a

lot　which　should　provoke　envy；　nor　be　coveted　by　ambition。



It　is　not　an　easy　goal　to　attain；　as　the　crowd　of　aspirants　dream；

nor　is　the　reward　luxurious　when　it　is　attained。　　A　garland；　usually

fading　and　not　immortal；　has　to　be　run　for；　not　without　dust　and

heat。







Footnotes：





｛1｝　　As　the　writer　has　ceased　to　sift；　editorially；　the　contributions

of　the　age；　he　does　hope　that　authors　will　not　instantly　send　him

their　MSS。　　But　if　they　do；　after　this　warning；　they　will　take　the

most　direct　and　certain　road　to　the　waste　paper　basket。　　No　MSS。　will

be　returned；　even　when　accompanied　by　postage　stamps。



｛2｝　　I　have　made　a　rich　selection　of　examples　from　the　works　of

living　English　and　American　authors。　　From　the　inextensive　volumes　of

an　eminent　and　fastidious　critic　I　have　culled　a　dear　phrase　about　an

oasis　of　style　in　〃a　desert　of　literary　limpness。〃　　But　it　were

hardly　courteous；　and　might　be　dangerous；　to　publish　these　exotic

blossoms　of　art。



｛3｝　　Appreciations；　p。　18。



｛4｝　　It　was　the　custom　of　Longinus；　of　the　author　of　The　Bathos；　and

other　old　critics；　to　take　their　examples　of　how　NOT　to　do　it　from

the　works　of　famous　writers；　such　as　Sir　Richard　Blackmore　and

Herodotus。　　It　seems　altogether　safer　and　more　courteous　for　an

author　to　supply　his　own　Awful　Examples。　　The　Musical　Rights　in　the

following　Poems　are　reserved。



｛5｝　　Or；　if　you　prefer　the　other　rhyme；　read：　　And　the　wilderness　of

men。



｛6｝　　It　is　a　teachable　public：　　since　this　lecture　was　delivered　the

author　has　received　many　MSS。　from　people　who　said　they　had　heard　the

discourse；　〃and　enjoyed　it　so　much。〃











End