The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-14
OUR LITERARY BUDGET.
THE HISTORY or DAyID CRETE.
A.. xv.ra IA. Taken tho Place Occupied by
the Great Noveiists of tho 'hs'
During their Lifetime

The possibility that the prevalence OF il'er'
airy tutd fruit il about 10 pass away IS halieo
with delight by all lovers OF good Doors
There was a time when new mover Toi"
the pen of the Wizard Of the North was q"
event Of rs much importance to the worm 90
+. ne,v revolution. Every intelligent mihu
WAS wheued "a an eager anticipallon' "'''
when the new romance came, low hupsi"y
/, ,yas dcyOurcc Dy men, women az"
children, Then came Bulwei'
Thackeray and Eliot. repeating the '''U'''l.'
of Scott. and bringing Win tHe"' ''.,
for the heart and high Ideals io' W. me
OF late wears no one mas sioou ." 'l.r mas.
relation 10 the public iHat '"t ,11.'rIis and
,ors ~ romance occupied. hoNt"o -
James with their dainty style ana ~ 20, Inn
realism have caused iiutter ol ln'.i 49,
thov have never been able 10 wa '" -. .i,a
and stir the pulse. Marion Nld"'"' loct-
kuack of telling story Wel' D.t "v .,ot.,ors
Ing in character deineaiion' H,' ',.'fard i'm
are mere puppets VINO 90 "o"".' al and
,eroefino thinrs. but they are hot "09n "H"
nincd Sniendd hirh priest oi romance lna'
stoyonson h.. he does not escape belhS scn9e-
ton,I and unreal. 10 may DE nau Echti"ns
tbot the ldcali.is ply beyond tne llHll'' VIM
the rcalists DO not understand HoN " in.V' ="
thnir commentaries Win interest " Iltei'
t,,c IfooyeUe and James show MS, az IL Ncle'
~, IN ,,,,,ic clements Of society lying cold
10 ord l,feless before us; they do not point
80, the.o same elements transformed mo the
49, ond FRAGRANCE of flowers and the SAVIOR
al fruifs. Thus for many years iheIe mas
been mo- one % take captive the puDlc hihu
as Dickens Eliot or scott did' a 10" ye"'7
ago Mrs Humphrey Ward created some nlnS
lilo "a literary sensation with her mover 81
.
tho ho4nfv and charm OF her sIYle, or nor
capoci;v fO interest the reader; but no"
mi,cb oi this interest was due 10 the nature
of her story IL was not easy 10 decide. lAeIe
I'D norhars no subject in the world more
fraught with so deep an interest 10 Ihteil-
gent people as the religious cOnlhcl ih lDc
human soul. As peculiarly epgu'AI
transcript OF such a struggle "'D.i.
Tsmercp may be said TO have anfupilF
shaken the world. Those, however, VINO con-
slider the book purely from "a literary Iuiul OBJ
view. were inclined 10 think That MIs. ara
would never Doe able 90 Nriie dhOthti -it"1
novel: but If the concurrent testimony vi 'nc
critic ia 10 be- trusted, Mrs. arc mas ul'"p-
pointed critical anticipation. we cannot IT,
fIain from exposing our pleasure "Fc' ''~
fact that we have at last an autnof Whoec
novels revive something like the Old-tine
acute interest i'm literary performance. Mis'
Ward is "A conscientious worker VINO Is aills-
really developing the best that is in her.
Her example may well be commended 10
other literary workers, who, having made q
solitary "hit.7 crowd the public with men
productions lest fame should escape h'h
before they could seize fortune. IL IS hetlei
literary politics 10 do as Mrs. Ward has done
and If She becomes an eXemplar TO o'nei
writers, we may have splendid literary
revival full OF high cmprlse and popular
Memphis Appeal-AN dlanche'