New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-29
pRoREssoR BoYEsEN ON REALISM.
vrs RELATIONS TO AMERICAN wR1TERs-eUE-
vrxsoN;s erB1I MATED DIME NOVEL.

rTS RELATIONS TO AMESuOHN W1S1iHiN' oAN'
vENsoN's euBIIMATED DIME NOVEL.
Guantanamo n. Y. July 27.-Profcssor II. II.
Rovesep. the Norwegian novelist and critic, IN his
lectures here has shown himself a Jealous advocate
~ realism in fiction. and makes no secret of his
ambition to illustrate It in his own works. His
,n.orv NJ realsm. however, while svowedy that Of
a.. leaders of his school, varies materially from theirs
On several important respects. My association
Nth Tourgenief had good deal to do with forming
INV tncllnationS he said, in an interview, sand my
subsequent friendship with Mr.. Howells has tended
IN MAXI Il permanent You know dedicated my first
book TO Tourgenief. He wrote me charming letter
sccepting the dedication but said hardly word about
the value of the book. All my other stories were
sent 10 him they appeared, and at last he told mo
that as was of romantic temperament ! had
far greater chances Of popularity than he had That
was rather cold comfort, wasn't it? So wrote a
short story called "A Dangerous Virtue which was
intended 10 be real rather than romantic, and sure
snough II won his praise"
~Do you think your work prohted by the changers
al should be very sorry If 1 didn't think so. 1
have no sympathy whatever with the idea that the
object Of the novel should be merely 10 amuse.
stevenson's later works for instance, seem TO be
kind of sublimated dime novel; and when l READ
them feed ashamed Of myself for wasting so much
time stevenson is a finer kind of Haggard, man
with a most desirable style and most villanous
of colossal Imagination wild. 1t is true that
iust now We are experiencing temporary reaction
from realism. At tine same time there Is per-
cep,ble increase in The number Of those enlightened
people who seek something more in the novel than
idle amusement
Does your idea OF realism involve an insistence on
the commonplace
"Not at all. don't believe that realism means
a mere Photographic record Of all the trivial things
of life think the realist well as the romanncls'
must select typical characters and typical Incidents
and II he understands his art he will study the re-
iation of values and arrange them to the best al
xantaqs on his canvas / think, moreover, that II
Is mistake 10 exclude the great passions OF ile iV
the realistic novel, since no novel can DC truly ede
which is not faithful transcript OF fealty' "a
realistic writer in short, needs Imagination as nuc
anybody. Mere perception alone, OF acueheoS Va ~
observation will never make novensf We 1 ht Mr. Mr.
Howes's 'S;las Lapham' seems TO me 10 conf ioi
10 it. In that book he takes perfectly yp,,caii
experiences in a series Of typical conditions
Isn't all this directly opposed 10 MI ho"oAS
own idea Of what is proper?' u,. .noot
IT doesn't so 10 me. Yet, cant spear an,
about that for my affection for the man is 80 grea'
as 10 impair the value of my opinion OF the autnor
think his criticisms OF the greatest importance
from the bad habit of simply Initiating the old romantic
stories of Europe which could have no possible pear
ing on our life and civilization: AS TO our othor
noyelsts I think that Edgar Fawcetts AMBITIOUS
woman is really great art. and that 1t has been I'M
mensely moderated. Miss MurfIee overdoes nef sun
sets perhaps but her work whole Is capltal. 30
Cables and Eggleston's, and MINK ~ 10 dCaG
life is continually coming forward and chlonleiing
itself in literature James seems TO me 70 De tedlous
sometimes In his over-eaboratcn, and think fhat IN
sPrincess Cassamasima' and The Bostonians he has
deliberately caricatured his own manner AT the
same time, he is a consummate artist at best