| OCR Text |
Show AUTHORS AND BOOK-MAKEES. The death of Bayard Taylor, a more than ordinarily successful writer of books, very naturally calls to mind tbe subject of literature as a vocation in America, and its history is by no mcana encouraging to young writers, There have been bo many lailurca and so few successes in Ibis laudablo industry, in-dustry, that it ia almost cause for wonder that any one will attempt the writing or publication of a book. Tbe American book-makera who have become be-come famous can be counted on your fingers, and of the thousands of men and women who have entered tbe field of literature, very few have gained a living by it. As we say, Taylor's success was above the average; aver-age; and yet he found it impo-sibb'1 to devote himself exclusively lo Utters, for tbe reason that be could not draw fro.11 Lhem a sufficient revenue tj meet his expenses. Fortunately bo had 6ome property which assisted in his support, otbci-wlee otbci-wlee the world would havo had less of his writings. Hawthorne, one Of tho ablest, most pelished, and in every way best of American writers.sIruggUd along in poverty for years without receiving remunerative returns for bis work. Against his inclination he accepted government appointments because tbe salary was needed for hia support. Lougfollow obtained property by deeceut, and added to his revenue by accepting a college professorship. pro-fessorship. Lowell still draws a salary from Harvard; Bryant made1 money from his newspaper, and though be was tho favorite American poet, bis muse would not have supported sup-ported him. Among the authors who have sprung suddenly into notoriety and whoe writings have been remunerative re-munerative from the first, we find Mark Twain, who hr.s grown rich from the sales of his books; Charles Dudley Warner, the partner Of ClcmoKs in the "Gilded Age," ha? a moderate income from bis pn; Bret Harte has tbe popularity, industry, in-dustry, gifts and genius, and receives some revenue from bis writings, but by them alone he could not live comfortably; com-fortably; John Habberton wrote one book "Helen's Babies" which has sold some other volumes for him, but unless he obtained a fortune from Budge and Todd bo is not likely In find paying readers enough to keep up his expenses. Tot over half a dozen American women have become rich frcm the:r writings. Harritt Beecber Stowo struck a popular chord and gathered thousands of dol lars from "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Hi? circumstances and the limes made the book successful and the wnttr rich. Mri. South worth has writUu mors, perhaps, than any o'Lu-r Udy; but one beck is no sooner published than she rinds it necessary to write another. She is a "daily wage" worker. Marion HrUnd ia ponr, though she buj published a dczsn u two volumes. With these prominent tximplti before him, ar.d the iong lists 0: failures to discourse him, the young man who tubpta literature as a vocation voca-tion with the expectation of making it lucrative, must have great confidence confi-dence in his ability. |
