THE AMERICAN OF THE FUTURE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6869, 6 March 1883, Page 5

THE AMERICAN OF THE FUTURE.

Thus preacheth the Saturday Seviet? front the text of Mr Spencer's deliverance on over* work in America:— "loker, yachting, hunting, camping cut, base - ball and limitless flirtation are recognised American institutions, ' though perhaps a little gay.' In these shreiy there is relaxation enough. We cannot share Mr Spencer's gloomy dread that the Americans, the people of Hanlon aad Myers, may become degenerated by reason of overwork and its effects on the offspring of the toilsome. Indeed, but a few days since, Mr Spencer took a much more rosy view. Ho foresaw the time when the Celtic, Teutonic and other Aryan elements of i the American nation would be fu«ed into a msgnificent and previously unparalleled race, capable of living up to republican institutions. The evidence of the whole seems in favour of a future stock of highly cultivated giants, all at strong as Mr Bounor,as swift as Mr Myers and as gifted as Gifted Hopkins. These will occupy the Continent j nor will New Yorkers degenerate into Fuegiaus, dressed only in clam shells, and eating only oysters without pepper or vinegar. That would bs the result of overwork if carried far enough, but we look for nothing of the sort. There is such a thing as being too careful; of intelleotually mollycoddling one's solf, it the expression-may be permitted. The New York poet must not bo daunted by Mr. Spencer. Do not let him retire to the woods, or to bed for months, after contributing a sonnet to tho Century. The hard workers of the Continent have worn well. Mr Holmes, Mr Jbongfellow, Mr Whittier, Mr Bryant, Mr Emerson are examples of patriarchal toilers, •Mr Lowell has not overstocked his intellect, and generally speaking, American men of letters * have' lived out all tbe length of all their days,' or seem in a fair way to do so. But Mr Howells must be rery cautious, and to must Mr Warner. The sword, when it is as brilliant and keen as their battle blades, wesre out the perishable sheath; and writers who have supplanted Dickens and Thackeray must beware of the excessive toil which appear* to have shortened tbe days of the author of 'Pickwick' We cannot spare his American successors, in whose hands fiction bat become a finer art, and who have taught u* to find the played-out masters of our youth no longer endurable. As to th* statistics of work among American* ifit;*r««t«d in lumber, we feav* no information. Indeed, if American city men work tbamstlTs* into Wiocy,ao traces of it are yet •bearrable in their management of railway tad other stocks. The Oawsatka of th* West it iiot j*fc pirns! ««t,Mrtti bag of tr»ta vtt nxhauaUd.''