Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-08-12


have been more sincere But this sham
admiration is not by any means
confined to the ancient classics, and Mr..
Payn declares that there are certain
standard English books without which,"
as is declared at book auctions, mo gen
clemens library can be considered com
plete," before which party of professedly
educated people "bow the knee and doff
"the cap with reverence tibet, In its
Ignorance, reminds one of fetish
worship" Among these he instances
"The Rambler" which nearly everybody
praises and scarcely anybody reads, AMI
he has the temerity to confess that being
once shut up by snow storms for week
in a mountain iun where this noted volume
and book on the care Of sheep consti'
tuted the whole library he found the latter
at times the more entertaining of the two.
Mr.. Payn truly declares that great
deal of this mock worship is due to AFFECT
cowardice, and false professions of admi-
ration are made to escape the risk of being
thought a fool. Nor is the fear without
grave foundation, for, says Mr.. Payn, the
tendency of society in general "is not
''ouly to praise "The Ii smbler, which they
"have not read, but to profess noble
"scorn for those who have read it and do
"not like it." The writer does not, of
course, declare that there ia nothing
worthy in this nor any other collection of
the older English essays, but he disbe-
lieves in the universal Knowledge Of and
admiration for them, proiessed. The dis
position of those making these professions
of admiration to sneer at all modern
writer's is sharply alluded 10, and story
is told of person who sneered at the
mention of Morris Earthly Paradise, -
and exclaimed, Goa give me Par
"adise Lost" Mr.. payn says he
chad it out" with that person and
subjected him to cross examination
which finally ELECTED the admission that
he had not read word of Milton for forty
years, and even then only ex racts in a
school speaker" There is also, he
declares, good deal of literary lying
about Shakespeare, though with elderly
people this is not 50 much the case
because in their earlier days Shakespeare
was played everywhere, and hence many
who did not read him became familiar
with his beauties and could quote hiu
with manifest appreciation. Mr.. Payl
gives many amusing illustrations of tn,
iusolence aud folly of this sham admira
ton, which our space does not permi. u
to quote, but we copy the following u
Illustrating tho tyranny often imposed o.
bright aud thoughtful people by thi
purely conventional praise, and the Joy o
emancipation from it ?;
Until CaldicOtt's charming illustrations {
it made me laugh 50 miSI, said youn
lady to me the other day, ''Iconfcss thong
l | know its very stupid of me | never "a
much fun in John Gilpn.'" She evidcutl
1 expected a reproof and when whispered i
: her ear nor /, her lovely features ASSUME
a look of positive enfrancisement.
But am right she inquired
Q "lOu are certainly right, my dear yurn
A lady" said l, 'not to pretend admratio
:, where Won do not feel it rs To liking doh
u Gilpin, that is matter of taste II has
!. course, simplicity to recommend il hut
my own case, though I'm fond of fun. it Iii
t never evoked smile. II has always scent
g to me like one of MIR. Joe Millers stories pl
; into tedious Verse.
i really almost thought Cand hopcd) III
n that young lady would have kissed me.
. "Papa always says ii Is free country s
exclaimed, "bnt never felt it to he the ca
g till this moment
v For years this beautiful and accomplish
creature had locked this awful secret in Ii
Al innocent breast that she didn't see inl
fun in John Gilpin"
The young lady was encouraged by Il
to make further co fessions of iudivdr
w dissent from accepted opinion concern
IA notable works or articles, and thou
or naturally Mr.. Payn could not, in all
mr. stances, agree with her ne exclsims: al
If "briRht and wholesome such talk is
err compared with the platitudes and co
nd monplaces which one hears on MI sit
th Gin connection with literature ~
EFF One of Mr. Payns chief objections
th this "Sham Admiration in Literatui
ng seems 10 oe 'ie ipJ'fy II "orAs ~ 'uo'
"a writer's, though he does incidentally
,io mark that "0ne cannot tell falsahoo
nj "even about ones views in literatu
.or without injury TO ones morals" and
ho says that the custom in especially mi rri
Tar to those addicted TO it. without describ
ma the manner of the Injury. We thin
oh would have been worth his while to ap
no the lesson his excellent article teaci
M The "Sham admiration he reproaste
The not confined by any means to
older writer's, but is, in this country at le
Ro quite as common concerning the work
tod modern authors. 1t becomes tha Il
nat lion" to praise some writer, and thereu
4 ia people utterly incapable OF apprecia'
at his beauties, If he has any, Join '
4 IL enthusiasm in the praise So far as
the is done by mere fools no great hari
H. done but when a mistaken sense of d
= n or propriety leads really intelligent
- sons. and especially Young people, t,
all, this. A real check is given 10 the hea
$50 qrowth of individual taste People L
odd be honest with themselves in ordt
,ha grow in either taste or knowledge,
how thew must be honest with others in OF
tbe to gain any outside assistance in
croytb fl Il mt piAe or hanomin