Schopenhauer's On Authorship

The Art of Literature. Chapter 1. On Authorship. Arthur Schopenhauer
http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/s/schopenhauer/arthur/lit/chapter1.html

“What an inestimable boon it would be, if in every branch of literature there were only a few books, but those excellent!”
“The best works of the greatest men all come from the time when they had to write for nothing or for very little.”
“Honor and money are not to be found in the same purse” —honora y provecho no caben en un saco. (Spanish proverb)
“How very learned many a man would be if he knew everything that was in his own books ! ”
“If a thing is new, it is seldom good; because if it is good, it is only for a short time new.”

Schopenhauer noted two kinds of authors, those who write because they have something worth communicating, and those who write for writing’s sake, to cover paper, to make money. He thinks that he latter group of authors are cheating the readers by pretending that they have something to say.

Then, Schopenhauer distinguishes three classes of authors, firstly, those who write without thinking, or write from memory, reminiscences, or even straight out from others’ books, secondly, those who think in order to write, and lastly, those who think before they begin to write.

For the rare breed of writers who think before they write, they are busy thinking about what others have thought on the subject, rather than forming original views. However, he rebukes writers who attacks or denies correct theories in order to make their mark by bringing out something fresh.

The writer of the new book often does not understand the old books thoroughly, and yet he is unwilling to take their exact words; so he bungles them, and says in his own bad way that which has been said very much better and more clearly by the old writers, who wrote from their own lively knowledge of the subject. The new writer frequently omits the best things they say, their most striking illustrations, their happiest remarks; because he does not see their value or feel how pregnant they are. The only thing that appeals to him is what is shallow and insipid.

Finally, Schopenhauer contrasts the matter and form. Matter is the substance, the fact and the history, which could be accessible to anyone. Form is what it is thought about the matter, and form is the valuable part of the book. In general, we are more concerned with matter than form. Literature in which any merit there may be lies in the form, are lacking.