american literary centers-第3章

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pieces　when　Mr。　Gelett　Burgess　came　to　New　York　and　silenced　the　'Lark'；
a　bird　of　as　new　and　rare　a　note　as　ever　made　itself　heard　in　this　air；
but　since　he　has　returned　to　California；　there　is　hope　that　the　literary
centre　may　form　itself　there　again。　　I　do　not　know　whether　Mrs。　Charlotte
Perkins　Stetson　wrecked　a　literary　centre　in　leaving　Los　Angeles　or　not。
I　am　sure　only　that　she　has　enriched　the　literary　centre　of　New　York　by
the　addition　of　a　talent　in　sociological　satire　which　would　be
extraordinary　even　if　it　were　not　altogether　unrivalled　among　us。

Could　one　say　too　much　of　the　literary　centre　at　Chicago？　　I　fancy；　yes；
or　too　much；　at　least；　for　the　taste　of　the　notable　people　who　constitute
it。　　In　Mr。　Henry　B。　Fuller　we　have　reason　to　hope；　from　what　he　has
already　done；　an　American　novelist　of　such　greatness　that　he　may　well
leave　being　the　great　American　novelist　to　any　one　who　likes　taking　that
role。　　Mr。　Hamlin　Garland　is　another　writer　of　genuine　and　original　gift
who　centres　at　Chicago；　and　Mrs。　Mary　Catherwood　has　made　her　name　well
known　in　romantic　fiction。　　Miss　Edith　Wyatt　is　a　talent；　newly　known；　of
the　finest　quality　in　minor　fiction；　Mr。　Robert　Herrick；　Mr。　Will　Payne
in　their　novels；　and　Mr。　George　Ade　and　Mr。　Peter　Dump　in　their　satires
form　with　those　named　a　group　not　to　be　matched　elsewhere　in　the　country。
It　would　be　hard　to　match　among　our　critical　journals　the　'Dial'　of
Chicago；　and　with　a　fair　amount　of　publishing　in　a　sort　of　books　often　as
good　within　as　they　are　uncommonly　pretty　without；　Chicago　has　a　claim　to
rank　with　our　first　literary　centres。

It　is　certainly　to　be　reckoned　not　so　very　far　below　London；　which；　with
Mr。　Henry　James；　Mr。　Harry　Harland；　and　Mr。　Bret　Harte；　seems　to　me　an
American　literary　centre　worthy　to　be　named　with　contemporary　Boston。
Which　is　our　chief　literary　centre；　however；　I　am　not；　after　all；　ready
to　say。　　When　I　remember　Mr。　G。　W。　Cable；　at　Northampton；　Massachusetts；
I　am　shaken　in　all　my　preoccupations；　when　I　think　of　Mark　Twain；　it
seems　to　me　that　our　greatest　literary　centre　is　just　now　at　Riverdale…
on…the…Hudson。








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