The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-03-16


Why NOVELS ARE READ 1. Is al The
fault oi that constitutional repulsion
ol mau and ~Omau--' from cnnni.
which has bias now been formulated by
our Ingenious American. Ia audabouI
Boston the feeling D. SD strong that Mr.
hOwells himself juices In no inc0n-
siderable public, While hoie 10 counts
fOrsomethiug in the popularity OF a
number of writer's whom Mr.. Cattle
would rather die than name. CJnsid-
cred from one point of view. The igcl Is
encouraging enough, for 10 means that
the reign of the Yours Person DIS over,
and that presently ltmny be possible for p
men who can write aud who have
really something % say, % work 10
another than the standard Of Nude.
But considered from another. 10 is a
really ucplOruble symptom, f0g it sig
nfes that literature Is nothing, but
that mere "nasiiuess IS an. OF the
fiction that is deyoufcd by in.taiments.
and at penny wtek the fiction ~
The Family Herald aud The Peo-
Piles Fficrd. for insiance-tr. Cattle
takes no account at oil, and. enormous
as is ihe consumption thereof. he l.
probably right. There come. q time
when even lhe amOrOus but well con-
Quoted dude is found cllyirg. aud hB
attentions pour ie bon MOTIF f0 tho
gOvefncss az genius cease 90 charm.
There comes time when not even the
artist who D. approached by the lady a.
quality bias any power io please. and
when tine lady msI whom be- has
translated 90 hs bright home 10 Bays
water is seen lo Doe misefably insigLil-
cant; and then it Is the turn OF the gem
tlemau. OF the lady, with the rovela-
tons aud the studies from iile. The
essential OF temptation is experience,
and SD long as io know vice without be-
ing vicious Is tie only form in which
society permits tne student Oh life %
indulge. So long the Lage-haufer IS
safe. lie can discover nothing s0 nasty
but his public viii regret that il was
not nastier 5'ili.-Tae Sn.cia.Or.
low ABOUT BROWNING Mr.. Glad
stone. in bus article upon poets in The
Speaker. seems Inclined % think that
the age Of poetry is departing II this
b. SD. see no PARTICULAR reason 10 re-
gret1t. Tie fact BE-. that ile supply OF
tmsariicle has for "a considerable time
ou.un the demand. How many peO-
Die read an The fairly good p0eIy that
/ forms the accumulation 90 ages, Ard
/ II they allow ~ 10 iie unread on the
shelf, what possible gam can there 10
in adding 10 the stock a hundred
years hcrce. Tsnuyson VIII probably be-
] a.. d 90. .IfIN.f I4Ur
\ poets Of the Victorian cfa will. III not
forgotten. rank Is minlmi Al most g,
five hundred lines Of tAe entire crew
will be read. Most Of them are. even
nov. only kept al)at by the persis' eng
pufliug Of their friends aud by ueWspI-
pers (which must have copy J inditirg
criticisms on their lLcIl ratlOLs. No H.
lux IS greater than really
great poet tut second rate
poet is on a par with second rate
prophet. l. sometimes, however. hap
pens that one AZ these secOnd-ratefs
rises 90 few stanz4s % a higher level.
Ia this case the sfauzas live. although
all the rest that the man has written
dies The only test OF poetry is IS
abiding fame. As this abiding fame
lEbEIAo AI|A AA| N|AHt't "a H'fNtai
generations. IL is evident that The con-
temporaries OF verse nsakeg cannot
know whetbor be- IS ioet. II thi'
were admitted. we should be spared d
3 vast amouot Of very silly discusslon.-
, London ITu p.
The Rev. d.. L. Dewitt ialmage pro
: fesscs 70 be lover II books, aud > 81 h'
o does a thing ihat No real beck love-
! could do. II In tho mids. Il writing
I sermon be needs q quotation, be seize
e the volume that contains 10 and tear
z out lho desired pags with ru,nlss
hand. Then, takicg his shears, he cut
out the particular pass &c he needs, ant
plsting &c on his manuscript "a q. tosse
the book aside. There IS scarcely boo
ia his library thar is not 80 mutilateo
But what do you do when you wish
refer 10 such a passage agains sepol
ter asked him. 1 never want b rife
'e % il again. he answered seDsentlousl,
5. When have used il once, am dot
ii with lI for good.
u Let friendship creep gently 10
l. A. a. a