When he was asked for his opinion on the subject of the expansion of
Indiana literature, Mr. Riley said:—
“I do not know what I should say about Indiana literature and the
causes of its growth. I think, possibly, the reason it has attracted
such wide attention, and expanded in so many directions, is that it
drew inspiration and received impetus from having been lampooned and
made fun of by every cultured ‘Tom, Dick, and Harry’ of the outside
world.
“Personally, the world has always been kind to me, but I do not know
that I expected kindness.
“It is glorious to be barred,—to suffer the whips and scorn of
self-accredited superiors! It roused us, this superciliousness, to
our real worth, and it inspired us to put forth our best efforts.
That excellence in literature is found in Indiana I am thankful for,
and I am glad that I have outlived the ridicule, and that others
have recognized, of late, this special excellence of the work of our
authors, and given credit most generously.
“I am sure that the same excellence will be found in our neighboring
western states, and that we, in turn, will not withhold from them
encouragement and recognition. Illinois has already developed some rare
poets. Ohio, too, ranks high in western literature.
“The beginner, with his youthful imagination just ‘ramping it,’ is
too sensitive to the pricks of criticism. He stands in awe of the
self-constituted critic, until he cannot see anything else, and,
necessarily, loses sight of the value of ideas, which count more than
all else. He can never make up the loss in years. Indeed, he can never
regain it. It is expecting to be a writer in six months or a year that
makes him think himself a failure.
“A literary life means work. He who would write must learn that, and
learn to work hard. Look at Bernhardt’s art; look at the amount of hard
work she goes through every day to make it perfect. How many writers do
as she does? No good thing was ever done quickly,—nothing of any value.
The capacity for hard work has had much to do with the development of
Indiana literature.”