"The Most Useful of Citizens": Towards a Romantic Literary Professionalism

Abstract

How few authors or artists have arrived at eminence who have not lived by their employment? --Mary Wollstonecraft, Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark 1. Things Shall be Valued in Proportion as They are Rare THE OCTOBER 1796 EDITION OF THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE INCLUDED an alleged letter entitled Affecting Address of a poor Student. In its own way, it was an elaborate job application. Appealing Gentleman's Magazine's concern for the distressed of various descriptions, correspondent wrote in order to procure a situation in life which is not of common kind, and, therefore, not likely be obtained by common means. The source of his problems, but also basis of a potential solution, he explained, was his enthusiasm for a literary life: From a boy ... I have particularly fond of study, and love of books increases with increasing years. Unfortunately for me, my finances are too narrow enable me enjoy that learned leisure, which is peculiarly adapted my inclinations.... With a mind not uncultivated, and inclination thus ardent in pursuit of knowledge, I find myself ill-calculated undertake any servile employment in order live. His fondness for study had made him reluctant and even unable perform less elevated work, but unfortunately, it had not led any meaningful work either. Well trained but unemployed, and with his expectations raised by high cultural standards of literary domain that he had grown used inhabiting, he had become overqualified. Having [a]rrived a time of life when most men consider their destination in world as fixed, he lacked things that most adults took for granted--a home, friends, money--and remained 'little acquainted with any of various ways of procuring a subsistence. Worse than any of these hardships was indignity of his position. Had he been fairly used, there would have no necessity for me seek a maintenance by medium I now do. Neglected by a world that seemed unwilling accommodate his career in a way that reflected his well-developed sense of cultural elevation, he had reduced doing what no gentleman should ever have to--appealing in a very public way readers of Gentleman's because, being in literary department, it seems me, that one of most probable means obtain completion of my wish is make it known through medium of that Magazine which is most read by literary men. Forced by poor financial prospects, he had driven degrading point of looking for sort of work that would convert his patiently acquired cultural capital into financial capital, preferably by acting as a and secretary some nobleman, private tutor children of some gentleman of fortune, or amanuensis some literary man, who, from whatever cause, may wish for such an assistant. (1) He was, in other words, an impoverished gentleman writing more prosperous gentlemen in pages of a magazine whose very name testified inherent connection between literary taste and gentility. His sense of grievance about having denied support that would enable him continue lead a literary life did not make his intervention in Gentleman's any less conservative though. He was not denouncing hierarchical nature of a world where higher learning and upper classes had a naturally harmonious relationship, he just wanted be a part of it. Nor, he implied, was this anything more than what his years of scholarly training had led him expect. His decision publicize his concerns did not generate any solutions his problems. He finished his letter by suggesting that any potential employers--those noblemen wanting a librarian and secretary, gentlemen of fortune searching for a private tutor for their children, or literary men in need of an assistant--write Gentleman's, which could then publish a notice him in next month's edition, but none appeared. …