the americanization of edward bok-第49节

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fully　read　than　the　author　imagines。　Editors　know　that；　from　the　standpoint　of　good　business　alone；　it　is　unwise　to　return　a　manuscript　unread。　Literary　talent　has　been　found　in　many　instances　where　it　was　least　expected。

This　does　not　mean　that　every　manuscript　received　by　a　magazine　is　read　from　first　page　to　last。　There　is　no　reason　why　it　should　be；　any　more　than　that　all　of　a　bad　egg　should　be　eaten　to　prove　that　it　is　bad。　The　title　alone　sometimes　decides　the　fate　of　a　manuscript。　If　the　subject　discussed　is　entirely　foreign　to　the　aims　of　the　magazine；　it　is　simply　a　case　of　misapplication　on　the　author's　part；　and　it　would　be　a　waste　of　time　for　the　editor　to　read　something　which　he　knows　from　its　subject　he　cannot　use。

This；　of　course；　applies　more　to　articles　than　to　other　forms　of　literary　work；　although　unsuitability　in　a　poem　is　naturally　as　quickly　detected。　Stories；　no　matter　how　unpromising　they　may　appear　at　the　beginning；　are　generally　read　through；　since　gold　in　a　piece　of　fiction　has　often　been　found　almost　at　the　close。　This　careful　attention　to　manuscripts　in　editorial　offices　is　fixed　by　rules；　and　an　author's　indorsement　or　a　friend's　judgment　never　affects　the　custom。

At　no　time　does　the　fallacy　hold　in　a　magazine　office　that　〃a　big　name　counts　for　everything　and　an　unknown　name　for　nothing。〃　There　can　be　no　denial　of　the　fact　that　where　a　name　of　repute　is　attached　to　a　meritorious　story　or　article　the　combination　is　ideal。　But　as　between　an　indifferent　story　and　a　well…known　name　and　a　good　story　with　an　unknown　name　the　editor　may　be　depended　upon　to　accept　the　latter。　Editors　are　very　careful　nowadays　to　avoid　the　public　impatience　that　invariably　follows　upon　publishing　material　simply　on　account　of　the　name　attached　to　it。　Nothing　so　quickly　injures　the　reputation　of　a　magazine　in　the　estimation　of　its　readers。　If　a　person；　taking　up　a　magazine；　reads　a　story　attracted　by　a　famous　name；　and　the　story　disappoints；　the　editor　has　a　doubly　disappointed　reader　on　his　hands：　a　reader　whose　high　expectations　from　the　name　have　not　been　realized　and　who　is　disappointed　with　the　story。

It　is　a　well…known　fact　among　successful　magazine　editors　that　their　most　striking　successes　have　been　made　by　material　to　which　unknown　names　were　attached；　where　the　material　was　fresh；　the　approach　new；　the　note　different。　That　is　what　builds　up　a　magazine；　the　reader　learns　to　have　confidence　in　what　he　finds　in　the　periodical；　whether　it　bears　a　famous　name　or　not。

Nor　must　the　young　author　believe　that　the　best　work　in　modern　magazine　literature　〃is　dashed　off　at　white　heat。〃　What　is　dashed　off　reads　dashed　off；　and　one　does　not　come　across　it　in　the　well…edited　magazine；　because　it　is　never　accepted。　Good　writing　is　laborious　writing；　the　result　of　revision　upon　revision。　The　work　of　masters　such　as　Robert　Louis　Stevenson　and　Rudyard　Kipling　represents　never　less　than　eight　or　ten　revisions；　and　often　a　far　greater　number。　It　was　Stevenson　who　once　said　to　Edward　Bok；　after　a　laborious　correction　of　certain　proofs：　〃My　boy；　I　could　be　a　healthy　man；　I　think；　if　I　did　something　else　than　writing。　But　to　write；　as　I　try　to　write；　takes　every　ounce　of　my　vitality。〃　Just　as　the　best　〃impromptu〃　speeches　are　those　most　carefully　prepared；　so　do　the　simplest　articles　and　stories　represent　the　hardest　kind　of　work；　the　simpler　the　method　seems　and　the　easier　the　article　reads；　the　harder；　it　is　safe　to　say；　was　the　work　put　into　it。

But　the　author　must　also　know　when　to　let　his　material　alone。　In　his　excessive　regard　for　style　even　so　great　a　master　as　Robert　Louis　Stevenson　robbed　his　work　of　much　of　the　spontaneity　and　natural　charm　found；　for　example；　in　his　Vailima　Letters。　The　main　thing　is　for　a　writer　to　say　what　he　has　to　say　in　the　best　way；　natural　to　himself；　in　which　he　can　say　it；　and　then　let　it　alonealways　remembering　that；　provided　he　has　made　himself　clear；　the　message　itself　is　of　greater　import　than　the　manner　in　which　it　is　said。　Up　to　a　certain　point　only　is　a　piece　of　literary　work　an　artistic　endeavor。　A　readable；　lucid　style　is　far　preferable　to　what　is　called　a　〃literary　style〃a　foolish　phrase；　since　it　often　means　nothing　except　a　complicated　method　of　expression　which　confuses　rather　than　clarifies　thought。　What　the　public　wants　in　its　literature　is　human　nature；　and　that　human　nature　simply　and　forcibly　expressed。　This　is　fundamental；　and　this　is　why　true　literature　has　no　fashion　and　knows　no　change；　despite　the　cries　of　the　modern　weaklings　who　affect　weird　forms。　The　clarity　of　Shakespeare　is　the　clarity　of　to…day　and　will　be　that　of　to…morrow。



XXVII。　Women's　Clubs　and　Woman　Suffrage

Edward　Bok　was　now　jumping　from　one　sizzling　frying…pan　into　another。　He　had　become　vitally　interested　in　the　growth　of　women's　clubs　as　a　power　for　good；　and　began　to　follow　their　work　and　study　their　methods。　He　attended　meetings；　he　had　his　editors　attend　others　and　give　him　reports；　he　collected　and　read　the　year…books　of　scores　of　clubs；　and　he　secured　and　read　a　number　of　the　papers　that　had　been　presented　by　members　at　these　meetings。　He　saw　at　once　that　what　might　prove　a　wonderful　power　in　the　civic　life　of　the　nation　was　being　misdirected　into　gatherings　of　pseudo…culture；　where　papers　ill…digested　and　mostly　copied　from　books　were　read　and　superficially　discussed。

Apparently　the　average　club　thought　nothing　of　disposing　of　the　works　of　the　Victorian　poets　in　one　afternoon；　the　Italian　Renaissance　was　〃fully　treated　and　most　ably　discussed；〃　according　to　one　programme；　at　a　single　meeting；　Rembrandt　and　his　school　were　likewise　disposed　of　in　one　afternoon；　and　German　literature　was　〃adequately　treated〃　at　one　session　〃in　able　papers。〃

Bok　gathered　a　mass　of　this　material；　and　then　paid　his　respects　to　it　in　the　magazine。　He　recited　his　evidence　and　then　expressed　his　opinion　of　it。　He　realized　that　his　arraignment　of　the　clubs　would　cost　the　magazine　hundreds　of　friends；　but；　convinced　of　the　great　power　of　the　woman's　club　with　its　activities　rightly　directed；　he　concluded　that　he　could　afford　to　risk　incurring　displeasure　if　he　might　point　the　way　to　more　effective　work。　The　one　was　worth　the　other。

The　displeasure　was　not　slow　in　making　itself　manifest。　It　came　to　maturity　overnight；　as　it　were；　and　expressed　itself　in　no　uncertain　terms。　Every　club　flew　to　arms；　and　Bok　was　intensely　interested　to　note　that　the　clubs　whose　work　he　had　taken　as　〃horrible　examples；〃　although　he　had　not　mentioned　their　names；　were　the　most　strenuous　in　their　denials　of　the　methods　outlined　in　the　magazine；　and　that　the　members　of　those　clubs　were　particularly　heated　in　their　attacks　upon　him。

He　soon　found　that　he　had　stirred　up　quite　as　active　a　hornet's　nest　as　he　had　anticipated。　Letters　by　the　hundred　poured　in　attacking　and　reviling　him。　In　nearly　every　case　the　writers　fell　back　upon　personal　abuse；　ignoring　his　arguments　altogether。　He　became　the　subject　of　heated　debates　at　club　meetings；　at　conventions；　in　the　public　press；　and　soon　long　petitions　demanding　his　removal　as　editor　began　to　come　to　Mr。　Curtis。　These　petitions　were　signed　by　hundreds　of　names。　Bok　read　them　with　absorbed　interest；　and　bided　his　time　for　action。　Meanwhile　he　continued　his　articles　of　criticism　in　the　magazine；　and　these；　of　course；　added　fuel　to　the　conflagration。

Former　President　Cleveland　now　came　to　Bok's　side；　and　in　an　article　in　the　magazine　went　even　further　than　Bok　had　ever　thought　of　going　in　his　criticism　of　women's　clubs。　This　article　deflected　the　criticism　from　Bok　momentarily；　and　Mr。　Cleveland　received　a　grilling　to　which　his　experiences　in　the　White　House　were　〃as　child's　play；〃　as　he　expressed　it。　The　two　men；　the　editor　and　the　former　President；　were　now　bracketed　as　copartners　in　crime　in　the　eyes　of　the　club…women；　and　nothing　too　harsh　could　be　found　to　say　or　write　of　either。

Meanwhile　Bok　had　been　watching　the　petitions　for　his　removal　which　kept　coming　in。　He　was　looking　for　an　opening；　and　soon　found　it。　One　of　the　most　prominent　women's　clubs　sent　a　protest　condemning　his　attitude　and　advising　him　by　resolutions；　which　were　enclosed；　that　unless　he　ceased　his　attacks；　the　members　of　the　　Woman's　Club　had　resolved　〃to　unitedly　and　unanimously　boycott　The　Ladies'　Home　Journal　and　had　already　put　the　plan　into　effect　with　the　current　issue。〃

Bok　immediately　engaged　counsel　in　the　city　where　the　club　was　situated；　and　instructed　his　lawyer　to　begin　proceedings；　for　violation　of　the　Sherman　Act；　against　the　president　and　the　secretary　of　the　club；　and　three　other　members；　counsel　to　take　particular　pains　to　choose；　if　possible；　the　wives　of　three　lawyers。

Within　forty…eight　hours　Bok　heard　from　the　husbands　of　the　five　wives；　who　pointed　out　to　him　that　the　women　had　acted　in　entire　ignorance　of　the　law；　and　suggested　a　reconsideration　of　his　action。　Bok　replied　by　quoting　from　the　petition　which　set　forth　that　it　was　signed　〃by　the　most　intelligent　women　of　　who　were　thoroughly　versed　in　civic　and　national　affairs〃；　and　if　this　were　true；　Bok　argued；　it　naturally　followed　that　they　must　have　been　cognizant　of　a　legislative　measure　so　well　known　and　so　widely　discussed