WOMEN IN LITERATURE.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 33, 25 June 1877, Page 2

WOMEN IN LITERATURE.

First of all, it will be well to disabuse ' women iv general of their erroneous ideas concerning a literary career. A woman mast not expect to find any play when she adopts literature for a profession. A practical writer leads a life of hona tide drudgery. She may, now and tben, find, ber pet poems or finely written stories or essays, accepted and paid for j but if she would make an actual living at the business, she must derote herself to it, just as she would to dress-making or dishwashing* Amateur writers only possess the inestimable privilege of waiting till they are inspired before they write. The professional writer must compel tbe ia* spiration, or write without it. A woman who writes for a living must hold herself in readiness to write upon any subject, and in any style. She must seed a poem by return mail if required ; or write up a whole geographical division, without pre« vious knowledge of it, and with nothing bat a guide-book and a dictionary of dates for reference ; and yet hare her article in* teresting, and read as if unlimited information was withheld solely for want of space. If she be a reporter, she must be able to write upon tbe wing, and in the midst of crowds and confasion which would bewilder the intelligence of either the ordinary man or woman. If she be a correspondent, she must be at ber pen, headache or no headache, when her more favored companions are resting from tbe fatigues of journeying or sight-seeing. She cannot afford to be either wearied or ill until after the inevitable letter has been written and posted. . . . The woman-writer must have more knowledge than usual concerning her fellow men and women. She must be more or less informed on all subjects of the day. Sho must remember that this is a wise world, and that it is ready to pitilessly ridicule any ignorance which she* may unwittingly display. A woman who knows nothing

of science, art, theology, political economy, history, social reform, politics* aad all the rest of the important subjects wbinh arc monopolising the tinmgbti of i intelligent minds of the »ge, h*s no omncss to put her pen to paper ; since they subjects are brought down io sttco ft degree of practicality that we »n exprcs* no opinion on apparently the most itidtf* lerent topic iliat is not nearly related to some one of these.— Victoria Magwira*