Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 1894)
K ife f a f VOL.. 9. No. 35. LINCOLN, NEB., SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1894. PRICE FIVE CENTS. 1& rJl.rJ'T- -Tir cvg . J- .vKt st. X 1 1 q to the interesting letter "A ," who this time gives his real name, continues the discussion of "Marcella'' and didactic Action in general, reiterating his position in favor of novels that are written for a purpose. He writes the follow- editor of Ihe Courrek: You are right in saying that I was mistaken in stating that "S" said the novelist's chief end should be the love story. I see from reference to his statement that he did mention other stories. When I wrote that I had in mind "S's" illustration of John and Mary, and his objection to having their love story interfered with bv discussing the regeneration, of mankind, and to the fact that the. novelist depends upon the love story as that having the greatest inetrcst to the reader. Allow me to Bay that you are also mistaken in saying that I have an antipathy for the love story. I stated distinctly that I had a great respect for the love of John and Mary. lam not so churlish; I enjoy the love stop when set forth in due proportion and with good taste as it is in the novels of Walter Scott and the best of our modern.authors. The question is as you state do we want lessons in our fiction? I say yes. Tn regard to Walter Scott, economic and social prob lems had no public interest in his day, so he gave them no attention in his works. But the reading public were interested in the themes of love and war, and these were his subjects. But Scott's lame does not rest entirely on his story telling powers, which were great. The intelligent reader is interested in his delineation of character, in his descriptions of the man ners and customs of a past age, in his pictures of life in Eng land in feudal times, how the Norman baron lived,, and in what relation to the Saxon etc. Emerson is right when he says, "As an eminent antiquary who has shed light on the history of Europe and the English race, Walter Scott has high claims to our regard." In regard to Charles Dickens: He was far more than a mere story teller. Before his time the heroes of fiction were all found in the uprer class. Dickens maae his from the middle and lower classes. He brought child life into the novel, and whatever good or bad taste there is in combining social questione with the story of fiction, to Dickens belongs the merit or demerit of their introduction. His first novel, Nicholas Nickle by, aimed at the" cruelties inflicted upon the unfortunate pupils of Yorkshire boarding schools, was the first social novel. In other works he attacks social wrongs in behalf of the poor, as in Oliver Twist, the poor workhouse child, drew attention to wrongs suffered in workhouses by the lowest strata of human it'. Thackery in his works wrote for a purpose; he exposed the shams and utter vacuity of much of what is termed high life, and was a great delineator of character. Now you may say, could Dickens not have attacked these social wrongs direct, and kept them out of his books? He might have written some newspaper articles on the subject which could have been read by some hundreds or thousands of the subscribers, and that would have been the end of it. Instead of which ho put them in stories so interesting that they were read wherever the English language is spoken, and were effectivo in righting the wrongs ho aimed at. In doing so I think he was wise and good. I know it is claimed by others besides "S" that these social questions derogate from the value of the novel, from an artistic point of view, as it is claimed that John Whittier's voico of freedom injures him as a poet. He did wisely in retaining them in his book of poems; ho will be more admired as a man for them by the people. I I have a poor opinion of the artist who can witness great pub lic wrongs, and having a power within him to to help right such wrongs, and yet, who, for the sake of art, will ignore it. It reminds me of Nero fiddling when Rome was in flames. And why complain? The social novel is here to stay it is an accomplished fact and "S" knows that tho people appreciate it it is a step toward the goal of civilization. There is a pas sion for humanity growing wider with the years. James Aitkes. Some surprise has been expressed by those who have read and admired Du Maurier's latest work at Professor Sherman's review in the Evening Neics. That the author of the "Analytics of Literature-' should not have shown a keener appreciation of the real merit of of "Trilby" is more than passing Btrange. Professor Sherman reviewed the book as follows: "Trilby is no doubt a.great book, yet it is regrettable that it was ever printed in America. To a Frenchman, or anyone who has ever lived upon the continent and grown cosmopolitan enough to endure the peculiar ethics of atelienand artists, both atmosphere and inci dent may seem normal. Perhaps also to the average Londoner this story will"appear as wholly rational and natural, for England, the England of the towns, is fast absorbing again that contin ental flabbiness in general and salacity in particular which made the Restoration a well-defined era of its own. England Knows better than to play with pitch. It has always been traditional there'that pitch defiles. Hence, while there has from time im memorial, been a Trilby now and then, it has not been usual to write books about them. It is un Saxon, un-English to begin, in these days of purer types, of severer ideals, writing novels of this kind. In France," whore Trilby's are a staple commodity, it is quite different. Human experience there has never discov ered anything unpleasant about pitch, and we find it taken for granted everywhere. We expect to find it on the hands of novel ists all years and all the year. The story of Trilby is strangely like the typical fiction of Revue des Deux Mondes, which is stacked away in the heavy tomes of that magazine untranslatated to English eves mainly because too refined and mild in suggestiveness for our coarser public, and too Gallican for literary palates of the best sort. There is nothing essentially bad in Trilby. Men and women whq know the world will not be much scandalized by it. Perhaps in book form it is well enogh to have the story within reach just as we Warranted the BEST FLOUR in America. Any Grocer can get it' for you. None Genuine without cut of Indian on back of sack. J. K!. Ives 4te Co., Wholesale Agts. LINCOLN. NEBRASKA
