New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-12
NOVELS NEW AND OLD.

ular novelist challenged comparison between the
old and new schools of fiction, and broadly IN
timated that nove-writing had become finer
art in our day than it was with Thackeray,
Dickens, George Eliot and Hawthorne. Old
time readers, who had not ceased to thumb
1.-The Newcomes" and to seek for recreation
and restfulneas in "The Old Curiosity -Shop
and "The Tale Of Two Cities" were startled
to find that the confidential attitude OF Ihack-
cray and the manneriSms Of Dickens were re-
garded by leaders of the new school as equally
uncomfortable with the prolixity of Richardson
and the coarseness of Fielding and even those
who were in closest sympathy with the work
Of living authors wore somewhat abashed by the
consciousness OF their own genius revealed
by the founders OF the new art Of fiction.
The old school could not take part IN the con-
troversy. The benignant ghosts of the library
shelves were mute Their work was done. The
new and not Oyer-modest generation OF novel
lists had the field to themselves, and they have
been working in it with renewed ardor and in
dustry for many years. OF tho making OF
novels there is now literally no end. There are
more of them published in week than there
were in year when Thackeray and Dickens
were at work. Whether or not fiction be
finer art than it was when the ghosts OF the
library were living brains and hearts instinct
with the intelligence aspirations, human in
terests and moral purpose Of their times, 1t is
enormously productive and supplies abundant
occupation for leisure hours and faded lives
Old-time readers who have sought to keep
abreast with the development Of fiction, mind
f,tl of the fact that living authors must always
be the channels of communication of the fresh
est thought and deepest feeling of the times,
have observed that the new school lacks unity
of direction, and is divided into groups differ
ing essentially in manner and motive. Despite
the loudly proclaimed canon that dire catastro-
Plies and moving accidents are excluded by the
superior refinement of the new art. they have
perceived that one division of living authors
delights in compeyity Of plot and old-fashionId
realism of narrative Remembering that man
nerisms were also deprecated as peculiarly Of
fensive TO enlightened taste, they have been
surprised to find constant eXaggerations OF Diok-
ens's methods in current literary workmanship.
Thacleray'S confidential attitude Is not repro
duced. for that is something inimltable but
notwithstanding the arrogant claims based upon
the originality and superiority Of the new school,
the best fiction of the day bears the stamp of
Hawthornes methods, and deals largely with
George Eliot'S intricate analysis Of motives and
minute dissection OF character The new fiction
Is not without its fine qualities and original
processes; It's pages CLEAN with bright humor
and animated dialogue; its charao ters belong
to the living, breathing world and arc intensely
human; and while there is more Of talk and
-. =. I
with much Agreeable and sometimes significant
by-play of incident. II serves the purpose OF
entertaining a great public that loves life-and
-eminently the life of the day-and is
charmed by novelty Of subject and freshness
of style All these concessions will readily be
mado but old-faShionod readers find it difficult
to convince themselves that the new fiction will
be permanent source of intellectual enjoy
ment.
Surely it is not too much TO assume that the
crucial test of the art Of fiction is its capacity,
not for offering momentary entertainment. hut
for making an enduring impression on modern
life and thought. The first fash of a new pub
LEGATION passes quickly; will the light continue
to burn? VIII the novels of the day, written
to amuse capricious readers. or TO inform their
intelligence or in rare instances to quicken their
Imagination possess tho greatest charm of
ThaclleyTy, Dickens, Eliot and Hawthorne-the
element of reStfuIneSs ? VIII the same gen
Grafton read them twice and return 10 them
in its later years for inspiration and tranquil
intellectual enjoyment? These are questions
which old-timc readers of the earlier masters
Of English fiction are asking in the quiet and
retirement of their Libraries The labor OF
keeping up with the prolific industry of tho
new school is arduous, and there is a contn-
nous strain produced by melodramatic effects,
Dialogue that is often vapid and action that is
forced and artificial They find themselves
wondering whether anybody ever reads the new
novels a second time-whether they are not
written, like the newspapers, for the day only.
Certainly the new books are not quoted very
much nothing passes from their pages into
the current talk OF the time and the characters
revealed in their pages are not familiar figures
i'm everyday conversation This was not so
when Thackeray and Dickens were ut work.
The impression made by their work was deep
err. The popular catalogue Of not%)le char
acters Of fiction was Immediately enlarged. The
list of stock quotations was instantly replon-
ished. These were merring signs that the
books would be read and rc-Icad and become
permanent source OF restful enjoyment. From
the novels of the new school quotations are in
frequent. Tine mercurial public, to use a coarse
phrase, does not seem to "cattTi on to the
characters and dialogue. 1t reads, and then
quickly forgets what it has read and there is
no promise Of a return to the book, oven though
il may be the best work oil one Of the versatile
leaders OF the new school, whose art has been