Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-01
Novels-The Good and the Bad.

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crimes nowadays, such as train rObbing,
bank robbing in broad daylight, and 9TH
ers similarly audaciOus, being charged
partly to the baneful effects of reading
''dime" novels, brings up the subject of
novels. Ii has not been many years since
they We're excluded from many homes.
And it cannot be denied that the old time
tictions were rather ideal and romantic.
The hero was lofty AdOnis of unlimited
prowess, and the heroine was an angelic
paragon, and the former won her through
marvellous adventures and exploits which
would not have been unworthy of Baron
Munchausen. The tendency of such read
ing was to mislead the young; to cause
them to hope to find, for husbands and
wives, what does not exist-perfection.
The world owes to Thackeray the cor
rection of this pernicious, stilted fiction.
He assailed it with tremendous temerity
by writing a novel without hero, where
upon the literary world fell down and
wOrshiped him for his truly wonderful
achievement. He wrote as if he believed
that truth is stranger than felton," and
hence that nOyelists need only strive TO
invent life-like stories. In passing, we
offer as an example the life and career0f
Moses, which eoIipses any charaetePfo be
found in novels. Co.,
He heai that people may wOrthily love
ana be loved without being endowed with
anything like perfection. He advises that
those looking to matrimOny should seGk
frankneSs and sincerity, rather than
greatness and splendid beauty. Some of
his most celebrated contemporaries
promptly initiated his simple manner of
novels. Mrs. Lewes wrote a very sue
cessful one called adam Bede," making
the hero. not a Grand Duke nor an Ameri-
can bOndhOlder, but a handsome young
carpenter. Also Charlotte BrOnte and
Augusta Evans each wrote in this vein.
Now that common sense has been in
fused into the novels of respectable authors,
the old prejudice against this kind of
reading is giving way. Great modern
statesmen not only read them but have
written them-as DisTaeli and Bulwer-
a clergyman, too, as Rev. Charles Kings
ley. Young men take to them almost as
readily as to cigars; and young ladies as
to decorative raiment, 1t is important,
then. to discuss them, which to select,
etc. There is no better antidOte against
trashy and vile fictiOns than to begin to
read good Ones-thOse in which useful
instruction is blended with the love
story,
SOME uONelS are uepOSltOTlco Vi pdTllCu-
lar information. Scott's give graphic
pictures Of old English and Scottish life,
and of the feudal times. Miss Edge
worth's of good society in our fatherland
some generations bygOne; and the ten
dency is to tone up the manners and
morals. Mrs. Opie wrote some excellent
moral tales. Cooper and Marryatt depict
life on board ship, and hence are edifying
to Gland lubbers," as sailors call us.
Cooper has also given kind and pleasant
accounts Of the red men before the supe-
riOr race ruined them; see ''Ahe Last of
the MOhicans." Bulwer's "Last DAYS of
POmpeii" describes how the Romans lived,
their religious customs, gladiatorial con-
tests, etc, winding up in a sublime
tragedy, an eruption of Vesuvlus-a
very interesting work. The writings of
Dickens and Thackeray will render the
reader almost as familiar with life in
town and country in England as if he had
lived there. No American had described
the colonial life of old Virginia so
well as Thackeray, the Englishman, in
his novel, ''The Nirginians." Mrs. Mary
Z. Bryan's portrayal of the Indignation of
Southern planters and their families
against the carpet-baggers is one of the
most vivid ever written, 1t will be found
in her novel. "Wild Work. Some Of
Charles Levers contain amusing accounts
of army life: ''JOseph III. and His Court
paints the heavy cares and re-
spOnsibilities of King. Dick
ems ''Martin Chuzzlewit'' is a severe
satire on American manners, etc,
and should be consulted by Americans as
a wholesome lesson-as we would take
physic. A novel need not be long one
to have merit, for one of the best of all is
'sChristie tombstone" by Charles Reade,
which is only Of small, quarter size, and
yet i'm it two pairs of lovers are success
fully carried through TO matrimony. A
celebrated novel having been written
without hero. Charles Kingsley wrote one
without heroine, but il had no success,
from which it may be claimed that men
think great deal more of the sex than
they do of themselves. Edgar A. Poe
could write thrilling story without hero
or heroine, as may be found in his prize
story of sFlhe Gold Bug,u
Some authors have written novels to eff
feet certain ends or purposes. Thus "The
Wandering jew" by Eugene Sue, Is a
narrowing exposure Of the cunning, ava
rice and power of the Jesuits; and 1t is
probable that this powerful book has con-
tributed to arOusing some of the European
governments to oppose this secret reli-
gious order, as they are doing.
The broad burlesque OF Don QuiX0te
was leYeled at knight errantry, which the
author thought had gone far enough.
Dickens wrote one to break up cruelty in
boarding schools, and another to show the |
cruelty that may be practiced by fac |
tory boss. Charles Reade wrote fictions |
to Yentilate the abgse of personal liberty |
which funatic asylums afforded, and to |
expose the bitter feelings of the striking |
class. Miss Martineau wrote stories |
which contain food for deep thought |
choosing this method of conveying and |
her views ofpolitical economy, |
The foregoing gives only a few hints and |
names. Those who have the time, means
and inclination to read novels, ought to
get lists Of good ones from competent per- |
sons. 1t is truly pitiable for the young TO 1
be wasting time and vitiating their minds
with inane, contemplate productions,
when there are plenty that contain in
struction with amusement. Y.
Being made from ibrous material, the
Celluloid Eye Glasses will outlast ten pair
Of rubber. The lenses are the best known
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