New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-23
AMERICAN SOCIETY And AMERTCAN re
TON

To the razor OF me Trt6uns;
SIR, When Mr. Matthew Arnold in The
Nineteenth Century, and an able writer In me bd"'
bugh Reriep. undertake 10 pbiosophze concerning
American society and institutions. they frankly confess
their deficiencies Of personal observation and base tber
conclusions on differences drawn chiefly from American
fiction This ia not strange. but IL Is misleading II "a
not strange they justified in assuming that
the novelist like the historian, H. first Of ALL true There
was quite as much verify vanity in Fielding. witty
anthesls when he said that the only difference be-
himself and the prOfessed historians was that
with him everything true save names and dates
while with them nothing was true but names and
dates" But In the present instance II Il misleading.
because IL is partial Mr. Howells and Mr. James being
recognized as among the beat OF story writersand
gladly admit the justice OF tho rccognifion-thelr
pictures taken the adequate representation OF our
social order II ia somewhat ungracions task 10 la-
qurc how they fitted to this responsibility,
because point the deficiencies OF our best IL 10 adj
mt the weakness OF the whole. And this, in truth 10
what are compelled humbly but honestly 70 do-to
confess that fiction In s finest form and highest de-
velopment Is not exemphed by American writers
This Is not TO say that there living authors who
surpass themfor prose narrative seems just now to DO
cbbdo in the leading European countries IA we'll
neither is it to say that they not possessed OF many
and shining gracesfor IN purity OF tone nicely Of do-
ton. and delcacy OF style they quite unsurpassed
but Is say that however admirable In way they are
very limited I'm range Jane Austen compared her
work the painting with fine brush on two in"h
bit OF ivory" and this. from the results. we may well
suppose to be the aim for themselves BY the authors
in question. Certain well-bred. aesthetic slightly
superoous men, certain pretty Doodle slightly frivolous
maidcns appear and again I'm their pages ana
must admit they could not be better done or maze
more attractive on ess capita For be noted,
they not people who would attract n, IN dally Wr
that this IL the composition o society IN
Boston and It's neighb0rhoodI do - because ths -
generally the chosen scene OF hese "il,I. an" ~
must suppose that they paint from ule-Dhl ioT tno
sake OF human nature LEI US protest Wnrh tlil ,'o
poraucous exhibition an heirloom for po'ieniy
There il very large extent OF highly ciVlkei ne 9t-
side of This charmed circle. and / do not IKE Mr
Arnold speak from hearSay when assert mat lhl' pas
not been presented even attempted by anyone ade
LYDIA BlOods and Octayia Bas-et-. but also claim
American Ethel Newcomc-. and Agur, Wckheids, and
has appeared 10 introduce them 70 I'd" Wprld
I am making no extrayagant or unusual demand
Fiction. I'm it, best estate aims al something higher hah
anti ne effect at something more than Instruction
n does better IL animatc. quickens and inspires I'm
n n6ilar.ol human MIXTURE nature We are all very
prone To believe that our own Mite sphere -
sc!o,nr's the World 0l icaHl3 - hi-u n."'St ~
teaching how 10 act. and foriiftlng us Tor the
may be stirring examples OF worth and beauty
hitics and especially he who finds them IN what we ara
accu toned 10 call our pfo-c age i ioi' tii." ~
~t he is prophet and ben"inciol deserving hhlh"f-
tally our homage ana our thahk~ 40.
For such prophet and beucfactor We still wait one
who shall strike WIN slrouR ~, E,nl' 'ou'' '" ~
prunder chords which vihrate with Ike tones IA AL
human hearts. and which here a. else mere 'cho ne ig
nifty and divinity In which al the afrctonate rehuoDs
of life are enshrned. Until such nm one appears /
transatlantic friends against sweeping g"neIh
lnowicirc that tie faults Of American society in
American fiction belong far mGrs to the aSo9 t9an
they do To the society. $500 anna D. MIhAhAS'
C1tiucH H., Sept ID. lS-2.