登陆注册
5210700000010

第10章 HOW TO FAIL IN LITERATURE(9)

If any one has kindly attended to this discourse,without desiring to be a failure,he has only to turn the advice outside in.He has only to be studious of the very best literature,observant,careful,original,he has only to be himself and not an imitator,to aim at excellence,and not be content with falling a little lower than mediocrity.He needs but bestow the same attention on this art as others give to the other arts and other professions.With these efforts,and with a native and natural gift,which can never be taught,never communicated,and with his mind set not on his reward,but on excellence,on style,on matter,and even on the not wholly unimportant virtue of vivacity,a man will succeed,or will deserve success.First,of course,he will have to "find"himself,as the French say,and if he does NOT find an ass,then,like Saul the son of Kish,he may discover a kingdom.One success he can hardly miss,the happiness of living,not with trash,but among good books,and "the mighty minds of old."In an unpublished letter of Mr.

Thackeray's,written before he was famous,and a novelist,he says how much he likes writing on historical subjects,and how he enjoys historical research.THE WORK IS SO GENTLEMANLY,he remarks.Often and often,after the daily dreadful lines,the bread and butter winning lines on some contemporary folly or frivolity,does a man take up some piece of work hopelessly unremunerative,foredoomed to failure as far as money or fame go,some dealing with the classics of the world,Homer or Aristotle,Lucian or Moliere.It is like a bath after a day's toil,it is tonic and clean;and such studies,if not necessary to success,are,at least,conducive to mental health and self-respect in literature.

To the enormous majority of persons who risk themselves in literature,not even the smallest measure of success can fall.They had better take to some other profession as quickly as may be,they are only making a sure thing of disappointment,only crowding the narrow gates of fortune and fame.Yet there are others to whom success,though easily within their reach,does not seem a thing to be grasped at.Of two such,the pathetic story may be read,in the Memoir of A Scotch Probationer,Mr.Thomas Davidson,who died young,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."

同类推荐
  • 瓯北诗话

    瓯北诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 画眉谱

    画眉谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 青村遗稿

    青村遗稿

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 诚求集

    诚求集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 南方草木状

    南方草木状

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 名门侠女

    名门侠女

    一个持刀拯救众生的宠物医院医生莫爱,一朝来到江湖世界,进入了一个和自己同名的小姐姐身体里,于是……“小姐姐,我以后叫你莫大爱,你叫我小爱好不?”莫大爱:“行,但你以后少说话,别人看着我自言自语,会误以为我是疯子。”“嗯,”沉默一秒后,莫小爱惨叫一声,“啊!!”街上众人注视而来,莫爱持剑逃走。莫小爱OS:嘿嘿,让你欺负外来人口!这是一个看遍江湖恩怨情愁,终登陌世之巅引天下俯首的故事。
  • 婆婆来我家

    婆婆来我家

    小夫妻的生活过的好好的,忽然有一天,婆婆来了……
  • 名门俏老婆

    名门俏老婆

    噬血般残忍冰冷的总裁看到了清纯的小丫头后,每天送花,送早餐,却未能打动她。“要怎么样,你才会做我的女人呢?”付昊然轻挑双眉,一脸温柔。“是不是,我要什么,你都给呢?”韩凝梦俏皮的脸上挂着一抹邪恶的笑容问!付昊然深勾薄唇,得意点头:“是的!”“那好,我要你的遗产!你给吗?”韩凝梦洁白的脸上一沉,冷冷道!
  • 凡尘世途

    凡尘世途

    庙堂之内,天子昏迷,后宫干政,门阀显露爪牙,社稷岌岌可危。江湖之中,谪仙消失,邪道丛生,刀剑再掀兵锋,门派微弱累软。兵危,民危,国危,将危,危如累卵;地险,天险,人险,道险,险似绝渊;破灭丛生,危机常在,九重天堑之下,唯有一剑永恒!
  • 别笑,我是高考零分作文(第4季)

    别笑,我是高考零分作文(第4季)

    最雷人、最搞笑、最荒诞、最天才的零分作文,高考一族的减压零食,都市白领的幽默早餐!另附小学生爆笑“撒谎作文”必杀篇,绝对挑战你的想象极限!《央视新闻频道》等28家电视台,《新华日报》《南方日报》《重庆晨报》等120家报纸、数千家网站报道推荐!
  • 天绝剑仙

    天绝剑仙

    冷萧逸冷萧逸得来历不明的逆天宝剑名碧落,剑中深藏有莫名剑灵,玄旭,在他的指导下在天剑门逆天崛起。斩三尸,杀凶兽,弑神将,终铸就成天地一绝的剑仙。
  • 道方魔楚

    道方魔楚

    我本名叫方涵山,是一个背负灭门的遗孤;我还有一个名字,叫楚寒玉,人称“魔楚”。道魔双修,一人双面,这就是我
  • 御王有术:悍妃翻墙有理

    御王有术:悍妃翻墙有理

    她本是当朝一品镇国大将军之女,叱咤沙场,谈笑覆敌。为情字,又岂会委曲求全?于是一怒休夫,款款翻墙。这厢里一脚踢开道貌岸然的世家子,转眼间便与风华绝世的豪商勾搭在一起。那厢里刚从冷傲痴心的军师府中出来,转身便纵马拦路,抢走迎亲的世子爷。世人皆说她悍妒骄纵,却唯有他懂了她那颗率性肆意的心。当风云迭起,大变突生,他与她一起携手纵横天地,登上权力巅峰。却惊觉,完美的背后,竟掩盖着近乎惨烈的真相……
  • 异界之书

    异界之书

    很多人认为,我们的宇宙和世界是独一无二的,然而事实却并非如此,在宏观宇宙当中,世界是由许多不同的维度所构成的,在现实维度之外,还有许多其他维度的世界。每一个世界都有着截然不同的规则和构造,世界与世界之间被时空之墙所分隔,使得不同法则下的不同维度世界之间不会发生交集。然而,利用一种被称为召唤术的神奇法术,人们将异度空间的生物召唤到现实世界中来。具有这样力量和知识的人,被称为召唤师。而异界之书,便是记录召唤术知识的载体。请小心面对你接下来所看到的一切,因为它们很有可能将带你走进一个超出你想象之外的世界。PS:书友群号:285461405。加群时请注明【书友】。
  • 霸道少爷的娇弱逃妻

    霸道少爷的娇弱逃妻

    躲避追杀情有可原但怎么逃到别人家里去了猜到了开头却没猜到结尾这个霸道的男人,只不过想在你家里躲一下结果霸王硬上弓成了他的女人这才明白谁是狼谁是羊