Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 March 1884 — Money Plus Talent. [ARTICLE]

Money Plus Talent.

James Parton, expressing his opinion on literary work, says: “The great mistake made by most young writers, and which serves as a drawback to their success, is that they are inclined to depend too much on their self-convictions and ideas, y hieh they evolve from their innocent consciences, without regard to practical knowledge of nature and tfie true philosophy of life. “From my knowledge of authors—nearly all of whom are poor—l am satisfied that a writer, to do justice to himself, can only succeed to his own satisfaction by being possessed of at least a moderate competence, sufficient to relieve him of the care consequent upon his having to write for a living. Most authors write that they may live, and, at times, with a love they cherish in behalf of pet ideas and sentiments, and to satisfy their own ambition. “With a competence, *n author can give his whole soul to the work. He can give all the time and pure thought essential to the proper application of genius and a brilliant mind to a successful literary career. “Young men with a literary ambition should first possess a competence before they start out in the profession. My advice to such is that they go into the grocery business, or any honest calling. When they have secured a competence, then they can satisfy their literary bent and achieve that rich success which always rewards genius and a great mind properly applied.