Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-10-13
crlma Al Fictlon.

said to be fiction's soul When pathcs
degenerates into vapid sentiment, it is
sometimes an opiate, though more often
an irritant Soporifics are very well in
their way, but on the whole the patrons
OF the circulating libraries prefer 10 be
excited and interested. Hence the pop.
ularity OF the sensational novel, taking
horrors for its subjects and criminals for
its heroes, and leading the reader on
ward from surprise TO surprise TO the
dramatic denouement which should be
enveloped in mystery. The range of the
criminal romance is wide enough in all
| conscience. At the best it may be the
subtle masterpiece of the analytical
genius of Balzac; at the lowest, though
not invariably at the worst, it may be
dashed off in blood and thunder for the
penny dreadfuls" and the shilling
shockers Much depends, of course, on
the public for whom the romance is in
tended; and the blood besmeared story
which has a grand success in the New
Cut would possibly not go down in Bel
gravian drawing rooms. Yet venture
to affirm that the criminal romance pure
and simple, although it may be devised
with the practical instincts of Gaboriau
or toned down with the literary taste of
Bulwer, has one unfailing character
istic--it leaves an unpleasant and un-
wholesome flavor behind. Like the
garlic in provencal cookery, the SAVIOR
may seem TO be smothered for the time,
but there is an arriere gout that comes
out sooner or later. There are fascinat-
ing novels which are as edifying in their
grim's Progress. Like the plays of
Shakespeare or the poems of Milton,
they raise us for the time on the wings
of heaven born genius toward the noble
ideals of the highest life. After we have
smiled and wept-the weeping is a
figure of speech--we feel morally better
and much the happier. But after tale
of crime, however talented it may be,
some taint of the disreputable company
we have been keeping clings to us; we
feel as if we had been conniving at their
guilt, if not actually accomplices in it.
There are worthy folks, as we are given
to understand, with unimpeachable
moral records, who come to find an
actual relish in that vicarious degreda-
tion, and who draw lingering breaths Of
ineffable pleasure in the vitiated atmos-
phere of the police cells and the jails
In rare cases, like M. Lecoq in Gabor-
iau's "Crime d'Orcival, they even give
a loose rein to their perverse imagina-
tions, and revel in the clever escroquer-
les they might have committed had the
chances of their lives offered favorable
opportunities. But cases of this kind
are altogether exceptional 1t is as
serted, and we daresay with some truth,
that novels like Ainsworth's Jack Shep-
pard," and illustrated sheets like the
Police NeaCs, have largely recruited the
ranks of the thieves and the burglars.
There the seed had fallen in kindly soil
prepared by circumstances and heredi-
tary depravity. The mass of amateurs
of the horrible in the upper or middle
classes are more prosaically minded or
less romantically disposed. At all
events, they seldom dream of translat-
ing thought into action, and taking the
short but dangerous cuts to their crimes
which come so naturally to their favor
ite heroes and heroines. They are con-
tent to admire, to cape, and to swallow;
to shrink delightfully."- at the rustic of
the stealthy poisoner's night dress, and
to shudder at the heavy thud of the
hired ruffian's bludgeon as it lights upon
some respectable head Criminal fiction
does little direct harm, in the sense of
shortening inconvenient lives or tamper-
ing with important deeds. BUTT steadily
demoralizes the palate for anything
milder and more delicately favored;
the habitllal dram drinker will have his
stimulants stronger and stronger, and
you can not expect him to turn with
satisfaction from spirits above proof,
fresh from the distillery, to the choicest
of Schloss Johannisberg or Chateau
Yquem. Sensational stories, in moder-
ately priced single volumes, are the
fashion now, and, without satirical in
tention, we say the shortness is in their
favor. Some are as good as Mr. Steven
sons Treasure Island or Kidnapped"
Others are comic and CORY burlesques Of
the better kind of criminal extravagan-
zas. Considering the difficulty of hitting
upon any fancies that are decently fresh,
we are bound to say that not few of
them show creditable dexterity and
ingenuity. But surely this sensational
business must soon come to an end, or be
suspended for half generation or so.
The public is getting familiarized with
all inanner Of mysteries, III cabs, in
black boxes, in garrets, and In cellars;
the detectives have been tolled off for
such intolerably hard duty that it is
clear they must soon strike in disgust,
and refuse to lend themselves to those
stale combinations; and the pirates, high
waymen, and bushrangers who have
been indiscriminately resuscitated viii
find temporary rest again ia their dis
honored graves. The novel reading
public revels in excitement. and is not
over critical; but of sensation when it
has degenerated into meiodrama and
burlesque, there must surely come safety
at least. lBIackwoods Magazine