THE FIRST HUNDRED

Authorship has often been spoken of as a pleasant pastime, and as such, one might be tempted to say of it, that the first hundred books are the hardest. This statement, although rather an exaggeration concerning the rank and file of men of letters, assumes its proper proportions when applied to some authors of the past, and even to a few moderns.

Perhaps the most striking example of productivity is furnished by the Spanish author, Lope de Vega. This remarkable man turned out more than 1,800 plays in the 73 years of his life, and supplemented these by 400-odd "autos sacrementales". He occupied as position of literary dictator similar to that held by Voltaire at a later date and his death was widely mourned as a national calamity. But few men have heard of this author--once universally famous--except as a mere figure in histories of literature. His plays--all but two or three-have been forgotten. And parallel to him in English literature one might mention Trollope and his novels, and Lydgate and his verses.

There is no lack of examples to back up this theory that moderation, even in literary production, is expedient. Homer, Virgil, Dante, Milton--all achieved fame by means of a few great works. Most of the least interesting ages in literature have been characterized by their great productivity, while Homer and Dante wrote in ages which produced nothing else worthy of preservation.

And therefore it is with alarm that a recent critic has noted the fact that H. G. Wells has passed the half-century mark in books published. He considers that, perhaps, Mr. Wells may not be so great as many are apt to consider him. And in this he may be right. But Rudyard Kipling, and many of the most famous living writers have been prolific, and if the present era is not to go down to posterity as barren of great literature, it must achieve fame through the works of these men.

Perhaps the motto that practice makes perfect will find new application. But at least, it is certain that comparatively few of the now "modern" works will stand the test of time. Only quality survives and the classics of the past appear moderately safe even in competition with the multitude of modern books.