The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-29
women as writers OF Romance.
fra,nhnrgh Review /

The number Of women who take 10 NV
el-writing is noteworthy, though IL - nos
very difficult to understand II. many
women are naturally bright and cleveri
they have n great deal OF spare time upon
their hands: they want occupatlon' anu
possibly an income. The professions are
closed TO them, for as yet female meu,cai
practitioners are the exception; sahc'ua:y
is denied them in the churches; anu III
spite OF an illustrious Venetian preceueh',
there are no Portals at the English Dar:
But there have been Miss Austens auu
George Elots. as there is still Mrs. Oli-
miami: and there seems to be no absolute
reason why other ladies should not have
similar success. Should they have READ
the books OF n generation or two back,
which is doubtful, they will remember now
"the little Burney" wrote novel whicn
Burke sat I'D all night to devour. and on
which Johnson bestowed exaggerated lau-
dation. Possibly they may reproduce an
experience OF the sort in their own IlVes,
at all events. they may do well even II
tbev fall considerably short Of it. With
the smallest amount OF intelligence they
must know that the public OF the gay
far from iastidious. Now, we adrnit that
an inexperienced feminine novelist mas GER
tain advantages over the rougher sex;
Women have finer fancies than men, ana
are unconscously interested in some vague
anaiysis OF the emotions. Love ana mar
rage are what they look forward 10, ana
BRIGHT and warm-hearted girl from her
nursery and school-roOm days mas Deeh
building herself castles in the air ana peo-
pling them with possible tenants. She
has made herself the heroine OF hundreus
OF tales OF the heart and she has 1lgured III
innumerable imaginary roles. 80 iar sue
starts with certain stock in trade, put ner
ideas are limited in the first place ana tneo-
retical in the second. What she writes
nav be clever and even curious az an I'M
conscious revelation. but 1t Is almost certain
TO be unreal. For, on the other hand' ana IL
Is bappv for her, the girl ought to know III
tie OF the world beyond her home. She mas
| not even had the rough and communicating
experience OF the schoolboy; she has not Deen
sent to the university, nor has she served
an apprenticeship in the mess-room; she
has never travelled except under matron'
WING. nor does she even know as much OF
business or practical life as the youngest
clerk in an attorneys Office. what SUD-
iects. then, can she possibly choose when
she decides TO present her seniors WIN
series Of imaginative or idea!ized PIC
lures Only two courses are open TO her'
Either she launches out in world OF which
she knows as little rs the early explorers
knew OF Central Africa before Europeans
had struck into the dark continent or
she writes on the subjects to which she
has given thought, though the Thinking
has necessarily been purely specula-
tive. ANY attempt she may make in
the former line may be summarily dis
missed AZ absurd and extrayagant, unless,
indeed. she has the Trollope-like instinct
of the imagination which turns much that
is fanciiul into the semblance OF truth,
while in the other and the more probable
case we come on one OF the springs OF that
perennial flow OF the stories which seem
harder reading than dictionaries or blue
books.