The union Democrat., 1871-10-28
NOVEL. WRITING.

at was clear summer night, when all
nature was reposing in the gentle stiffness.
precursor Of the season of sleep; as was seat
ed in nv fathers, hall door. Or, ''the hol-
low winds Of December howled around cur
dwelling, as the we'll known steps of (some
hero of the story were heard upon the walk
that led to the parlor door of eur country res
iGence ''it was in the gay and festive
scenes of brilliant masquerade, that 6rst
fels the gentle pressure of the hand, that was
to lead me through the paths Of life. Or
some other s,ereotyped expression. similar to
the above. introduces to the public, nine
tenths of the literary productions of the pres
eht age. Norel ,crifiaq is becoming epidem-
ic. Every body. nowadays, must exhibit
the exuberanee of their imaginationS, in So
ries Of love, blood or murder. Aud those
modern, literary luminaries. are astoniShed
that the public cannot appreciate the (blun-
dering) Hat (pointlessl plan, ana insipid
twadde
The scenes must be laid in some romantic
spot, the description of which, will occupy,
at least one chapter; and to read the deserip-
ton of one of those. is to read that of ten
THOUSAND others. The paths, the trees, the
stumps by the way-side, the old chimney of
the house, the moon beams reflected from the
river or perhaps from a goosepond, magnifed
into fairy-lake; the rose, the woodbine, the
moaning pine, all have their appropriate
place; the hooting of the owl, or the bayng
of the distant watchdog is, perverted into
the Music of the BIRDS to add a charm to
the story, or occupy as much paper as posi-
bic, before they get to the Stadolc, of the sim
gle idea, they thought they had, when COM
mencing their literary career. Next comes
the actors or characters, in the drama, and
another chapter is consumed in considering
them. But not as Homer of old, or Shak-
spear would do it, by the acts and sayings of
the characters themselves, that the more one
reads, the more he wonders at, and admires the
genius of the author; but their forms, fea-
lures, tempers, principles and motives, are
described in the mechanical common place
language of the most ordinary intellect and
requirements.
If female is in the story, cher auburn
ringlets fell gracefully around her snowy
shoulders" or hung in wavy tresses around
| her swan-like neck'-the shape CT her nose,
tie size Of her ears, the articulation of her
arms, hands and ANGLES, must he described a,
/ length If man is to be described, his sym
metrical mustache stands prominent in the
picture, his diamond ring receives a passing
notice, his "duck Of foot, bespeak him eve
ry inch man."
And now those two characters, at the end
Of the twenty-first chapter, are brought to-
gether, they both love at sight, converse by
sighs and signs, an accident happens, which
causes them to embrace, each reads, in the
others eyes, that they were destined to be
united for ever. At this critical moment the
enraged parent, or jealous rival enters, a
ght ensues, the fair Venus faints and you
are at the end of the story.
is the literary status of tao present age! And
what does this desire to be scribbling come
/ from 1t has been said that the generality
of education engerders in the people the de-
sire to become authors-and as great talents
are above the generality of mankind, as the
abstruse dependencies, and relations of the
laws of science, are dry subjects to the major
ity Of the people, it is not wonderful, that the
many aspirants for literary fame adopt the
only plan, that promises any hope of success.
1t is not the generality of education, but
the ability to write, with a sorrowful. want of
knowledge, that prompts so many, to seek
fame in long description of the ladies at balls,
parties, concerts celebrations and fairs, motto
ing particularly their toilet, their dresses,
skirts, and sometimes even their boots and
garters. 1t is this that prompts frog stories,
love stories, ghost stories and all the other
stories without plan, system, order, knowl-
edge, diction or structure, with which the pub
lie press aud the public generally are annoy
ed "Moonlight Musings mysteries OF
Matrimony, Love, " Seduction, -" Eope-
ment," Domestic Qrarrels." intermingled
with murder and every other immortality and
vice, expressed in equivocal language more
suggestive of ignorance and indeeency, than
of ANYTHING else, shoud be frowned upon, by
every lover of pure, elevated and elevating
literature. ZACURoUs.
CONVICTED OF ADuLrERY.--A Salt Lake