The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-26
MODERN TASTE.

What Ia It R Some romantic delineation Of
a young girls first lover Some Wild, unreal
tale Of impossible incident and browning tri-
umph where mere adventitious good fortune
(vulgarly so styled sets ut nought correct
principles. true dellcacy and Just sequence
OF events2
we should think modern taste ought to be
surfeited with this sort Of thing after the
endless labors OF Mrs. Southworths pen, to
say nothing Of tho whole host OF Bcribbers
who either precede her or follow In her wake.
Enough thin Cruel. sploed with exciting
ingredients, has been served out to the pub
lic greedlly swallowing It, and, like Oliver
Twist, calling for more, but, we fervently
hope, finally disgusted with unwholesome
draughts OF this poisonous beverage, that the
public will repudlate II. We cannot believe
modern taste will always accommodate itself
to this debasing and flimsy literature, per-
verting moral sense and weakening love Of
nature and truth amply for tho sake OF mo-
mentary amusement.
We donOt by any means repudiate the mod
ern novel; Many high and holy thoughts are
eliminated In the pages OF works, yciept nov
els The romances Of Bulwer, Sir Walter
Scott, James and Benjamin Disraell mot to
mention others) have embodied In their pages
common sense, historic information. and
sound reflection, apart from the mere tale
telling or their works. II IL for this reason
they stand widely segregated from that mot
ment In the form Of novels for railroad
and steamboat reading, afterwards to be con-
signed To the usual fate Of worthless things.
Such ID the deserved doom, for the most part,
of so-called popular novels Of the day.
The novel, Id skillful hands, is On engine OF
power. Not because IL has been debased to
evil uses are we disposed to degrade 1t. In
the hands Of the wise and gifted IL may be
made improving and useful. Let the few
who are real exemplars Of modern taste speak
out III this matter, and the question will ut
once be settled. It matters not what book
may be- called. Let 1t embody historic value,
o just and practical view of life delicacy OF
sentiment and purity Ut morals, descriptive
uncontaminated human feeling, and that
book, correct, IL not modern, taste will ap-
prove.
The lazy lounging miss or madam, who,
after nights dissipation In tho ballroom
the unreiiectlng youth who seeks unhealthy
aliment In anything which may save him the
trouble of thinking, doubtless find this cheap
literature Qf literature 1t may be called some
thing fascinating and conformable to per-
verified taste. But let mntured Judgment and
firm principle to heard. On these we fear-
lessly rely, or ought TO rely, Tor the advocacy
OF books proper to be read not only foi
amusement but Improvement. The newell +
| power In the land. Let us see to 1t that
books of this class do not cultivate wrong
Views OF life, corrupt the heart and tnjure, In
stead of beneilting. the rising generation.
Perhaps IN no form Of composition Is un
sound morality SO readily impaired rs Ia 9
class Of tlctions glowing with imagination
daring In their portraiture and filled to over
flowing with pathos and mock virtue. MeI
Of perverted heart, welding the power Of III
tellect, know well how to distribute light ant
shade; In what manner to shape artisticaliy
the fell harpy Of vice. which, placed unadornet
before the world, would at once appal, ll1'
Medusa Oh the shield of Pallas. 1t liz for thi
reason that Victor Hugo, Alexandra Dumas
Eugene Sue and writer's or like moral status
are dangerous to youthful, shallow or mex
perlenced minds.