Appearance
Excerpt
Excerpt from The Man of Letters as a Man of Business, by William Dean Howells
A permanent decline in the market for a kind of literary art which we
have excelled in, or if we have not excelled, have done some of our
most exquisite work, would be a pity.
There are other sorts of light literature once greatly in demand, but
now apparently no longer desired by editors, who ought to know what
their readers desire. Among these is the travel sketch, to me a very
agreeable kind, and really to be regretted in its decline. There are
some reasons for its decline besides a change of taste in readers, and
a possible surfeit. Travel itself has become so universal that
everybody, in a manner, has been everywhere, and the foreign scene has
no longer the charm of strangeness. We do not think the Old World
either so romantic or so ridiculous as we used; and perhaps from an
instinctive perception of this altered mood writers no longer appeal to
our sentiment or our humor with sketches of outlandish people and
places. Of course this can hold true only in a general way; the thing
is still done, but not nearly so much done as formerly. When one
thinks of the long line of American writers who have greatly pleased in
this sort, and who even got their first fame in it, one must grieve to
see it obsolescent. Irving, Curtis, Bayard Taylor, Herman Melville,
Ross Browne, Ik Marvell, Longfellow, Lowell, Story, Mr. James, Mr.
Aldrich, Colonel Hay, Mr. Warner, Mrs. Hunt, Mr. C.W. Stoddard, Mark
Twain, and many others whose names will not come to me at the moment,
have in their several ways richly contributed to our pleasure in it;
but I cannot now fancy a young author finding favor with an editor in a
sketch of travel, or a study of foreign manners and customs; his work
would have to be of the most signal importance and brilliancy to
overcome the editor's feeling that the thing had been done already; and
I believe that a publisher if offered a book of such things, would look
at it askance, and plead the well-known quiet of the trade. Still, I
may be mistaken.
I am rather more confident about the decline of another literary
species, namely, the light essay. We have essays enough and to spare,
of certain soberer and severer sorts, such as grapple with problems and
deal with conditions; but the kind I mean, the slightly humorous,
gentle, refined, and humane kind, seems no longer to abound as it once
did. I do not know whether the editor discourages them, knowing his
readers' frame, or whether they do not offer themselves, but I seldom
find them in the magazines. I certainly do not believe that if anyone
were now to write essays such as Mr. Warner's "Backlog Studies," an
editor would refuse them; and perhaps nobody really writes them.
Nobody seems to write the sort that Colonel Higginson formerly
contributed to the periodicals, or such as Emerson wrote. Without a
great name behind it, I am afraid that a volume of essays would find
few buyers, even after the essays had made a public in the magazines.
There are, of course, instances to the contrary, but they are not so
many or so striking as to make me think that the essay could not be
offered as a good opening for business talent.
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Man of Letters as a Man of Business by William Dean Howells
Context of the Work
William Dean Howells (1837–1920) was a prominent American realist writer, literary critic, and editor, often called the "Dean of American Letters." His essay The Man of Letters as a Man of Business (1903) reflects on the commercialization of literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time when the rise of mass-market publishing and changing reader tastes reshaped the literary landscape. Howells, who had worked as an editor for The Atlantic Monthly and Harper’s, writes from both an insider’s and a critic’s perspective, lamenting the decline of certain literary forms while acknowledging the economic pressures on writers and publishers.
This excerpt focuses on two once-popular but now fading genres: the travel sketch and the light essay. Howells mourns their decline, attributing it to shifts in public taste, the democratization of travel, and the commercial demands of the publishing industry.
Themes in the Excerpt
The Decline of Traditional Literary Forms Howells expresses nostalgia for genres that once thrived but are now in decline. He suggests that these forms—travel writing and the light essay—were not just commercially successful but also artistically refined, contributing to America’s literary heritage.
Commercialization vs. Artistic Value The excerpt highlights the tension between literature as art and literature as a marketable product. Howells implies that editors and publishers, driven by profit, now favor more "serious" or sensational works over the gentle, humorous, and reflective writing of the past.
Changing Reader Tastes and Cultural Shifts
- Travel Writing: The rise of mass tourism (enabled by steamships and railroads) made foreign places less exotic, reducing the appeal of travel sketches.
- Light Essays: Readers (and editors) now prefer weightier, problem-driven essays over the "slightly humorous, gentle, refined, and humane" style of earlier writers.
The Struggle of New Writers Howells suggests that young authors would find it nearly impossible to break into these genres today unless their work was exceptionally brilliant. The market is saturated, and editors assume readers are no longer interested.
Cultural Loss and Literary Heritage The passage is elegiac, listing great American writers (Irving, Melville, Twain, Emerson, etc.) who excelled in these forms. Their absence in contemporary literature signals a broader cultural shift—one that Howells views with regret.
Literary Devices & Stylistic Features
Nostalgia & Elegy
- Howells’ tone is melancholic, mourning the loss of literary traditions. Phrases like "to me a very agreeable kind, and really to be regretted in its decline" and "one must grieve to see it obsolescent" convey a sense of loss.
- The listing of famous writers (Irving, Melville, Twain, etc.) serves as a literary roll call, emphasizing the richness of the past compared to the present.
Rhetorical Questions & Speculation
- "I do not know whether the editor discourages them, knowing his readers' frame, or whether they do not offer themselves..." → Howells speculates on the causes of decline, inviting the reader to consider multiple possibilities (editorial bias, lack of submissions, changing tastes).
- "Still, I may be mistaken." → A humble concession, making his argument more persuasive by acknowledging uncertainty.
Contrast & Juxtaposition
- Past vs. Present:
- "There are other sorts of light literature once greatly in demand, but now apparently no longer desired..."
- "We have essays enough and to spare, of certain soberer and severer sorts..." → Highlights the shift from light, pleasurable writing to serious, problem-driven works.
- Artistic Value vs. Market Demand:
- "his work would have to be of the most signal importance and brilliancy to overcome the editor's feeling that the thing had been done already." → Suggests that commercial viability now outweighs artistic merit.
- Past vs. Present:
Irony & Understatement
- "the well-known quiet of the trade" (referring to publishers’ excuses for not taking travel books) → A sarcastic phrase, implying that publishers use economic excuses to avoid risking unpopular genres.
- "I am rather more confident about the decline of another literary species..." → The word "species" humorously anthropomorphizes literary genres, as if they are endangered creatures.
Appeal to Authority
- Howells names prominent writers (Longfellow, Emerson, Twain) to bolster his argument, suggesting that if these giants once thrived in these forms, their decline is a genuine cultural loss.
Metaphor & Personification
- "the thing is still done, but not nearly so much done as formerly." → The "thing" (travel writing) is treated as a living entity in decline.
- "the light essay... seems no longer to abound as it once did." → The essay is personified as something that once flourished but now struggles.
Significance of the Excerpt
Critique of Modern Commercial Publishing Howells’ essay is an early critique of the publishing industry’s shift toward mass appeal, foreshadowing later debates about literature vs. entertainment. His concerns resonate today in discussions about clickbait journalism, algorithm-driven content, and the decline of long-form essays.
Reflection on American Literary Identity The passage celebrates a distinctly American tradition of travel writing and essays, suggesting that these genres helped define the nation’s literary voice. Their decline raises questions about what replaces them—and whether newer forms (e.g., investigative journalism, memoir, digital content) can fill the same cultural role.
The Role of the Editor as Gatekeeper Howells, himself an editor, criticizes his own profession for stifling certain genres. This self-awareness adds credibility to his argument, as he is not just a writer complaining but an insider acknowledging systemic change.
The Precarious Position of the "Man of Letters" The essay’s broader theme is the professionalization of writing—how authors must now treat literature as a business rather than a vocation. Howells’ lament for the light essay and travel sketch symbolizes a larger anxiety about the dehumanization of art in a market-driven world.
Relevance to Contemporary Debates
- Travel Writing: In the age of Instagram travel influencers, Howells’ observation that "everybody, in a manner, has been everywhere" feels prophetic. The democratization of travel (and now, digital storytelling) has changed how we consume place-based narratives.
- Essay Writing: The decline of magazine essays in favor of op-eds, listicles, and hot takes mirrors Howells’ concern about the loss of reflective, humorous, and humane writing.
Close Reading of Key Passages
"Travel itself has become so universal that everybody, in a manner, has been everywhere, and the foreign scene has no longer the charm of strangeness."
- Meaning: The exoticism that once made travel writing appealing has faded because travel is now accessible to the middle class.
- Implication: Literature loses its power when experience becomes commonplace. (This foreshadows later critiques of globalization and cultural homogenization.)
"We do not think the Old World either so romantic or so ridiculous as we used..."
- Meaning: American perceptions of Europe (and other places) have matured—no longer seen through the lens of naïve idealism or mockery.
- Implication: Travel writing thrived on cultural contrast; as Americans become more cosmopolitan, the genre loses its edge.
"the slightly humorous, gentle, refined, and humane kind [of essay] seems no longer to abound as it once did."
- Meaning: The tone of essays has shifted from playful and thoughtful to serious and problem-oriented.
- Implication: Society now values utility over beauty, debate over reflection.
"Without a great name behind it, I am afraid that a volume of essays would find few buyers..."
- Meaning: Only established writers can sell essays; new voices struggle.
- Implication: The market favors brand recognition over quality, making it hard for unknown writers to break in.
Conclusion: Why This Excerpt Matters
Howells’ passage is more than a nostalgic complaint—it is a sharp observation about how economic forces shape culture. His concerns about the decline of travel writing and light essays reflect broader anxieties about:
- The commodification of art
- The loss of literary diversity
- The power of editors and publishers as cultural gatekeepers
While Howells writes in 1903, his arguments feel remarkably modern, resonating with contemporary debates about algorithmic content, the death of the essay, and the struggle of literary magazines. His voice is that of a literary traditionalist grappling with modernity—a tension that continues to define discussions about the future of writing.
Final Thought: Howells’ lament is not just for lost genres, but for a lost way of reading—one that valued charm, humor, and humanity over speed, sensationalism, and marketability. His essay challenges us to ask: What do we lose when literature becomes just another business?