From the arrangement of according letters, which
is altogether arabesque and sensual, up to the architecture
of the elegant and pregnant sentence, which is a vigorous act
of the pure intellect, there is scarce a faculty in man but
has been exercised. We need not wonder, then, if perfect
sentences are rare, and perfect pages rarer.
CHAPTER II - THE MORALITY OF THE PROFESSION OF LETTERS (11)
THE profession of letters has been lately debated in the
public prints; and it has been debated, to put the matter
mildly, from a point of view that was calculated to surprise
high-minded men, and bring a general contempt on books and
reading. Some time ago, in particular, a lively, pleasant,
popular writer (12) devoted an essay, lively and pleasant
like himself, to a very encouraging view of the profession.
We may be glad that his experience is so cheering, and we may
hope that all others, who deserve it, shall be as handsomely
rewarded; but I do not think we need be at all glad to have
this question, so important to the public and ourselves,
debated solely on the ground of money. The salary in any
business under heaven is not the only, nor indeed the first,
question. That you should continue to exist is a matter for
your own consideration; but that your business should be
first honest, and second useful, are points in which honour
and morality are concerned. If the writer to whom I refer
succeeds in persuading a number of young persons to adopt
this way of life with an eye set singly on the livelihood, we
must expect them in their works to follow profit only, and we
must expect in consequence, if he will pardon me the
epithets, a slovenly, base, untrue, and empty literature.
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