The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-24
FIot,Am and Jetsnm.

quest:
FlotsAm and Jetsam.
The light literature OF year may nc
termed such gojsam and Jctsam, as ms
been thrown on 10y the deeper current or
thought beneath. From tbs sidndpo'n'
L tho speaking races seem 10 "'
th!nkug very eagerly tn many directions
and soiz.ug chiefly on fiction a. the ""lS
graceful way OF thinking aioud-oh '''-
tain subjcCts-to an audience.
IL has become q distinguishing ana "c-
ccpicd modern fashion 90 air one "e'N
sics. whether Of religion. literature So
cfaIism bro fancy dress. as Do were 49,
50 Introduce into The society "l L"-'''''
Undecided many dubious a'q '.t'Il YAM 80
submitted without argument az a..
some very charming people. "HDS' no az
cannot d. defended. And here as p0'Hl-
Ing tho drift of public opir or. does lnoa-
eru fiction Join current Win J'u'Idl'a 49,
and u.eef pr8at by turning some or tHt
same machinery. For the press "hIiy
catching its daily bubble OF hie tup anu
Gop. gives n.iIou many un1ckuo"ieds'h
hints AS witness. The present it"'."e
uubl.c sadly needs AN editor OF H''I"..,
t.t.f,..- tno authors may say. w nat lI
...-a .eft and kindly hand had cui out
several miles OF sIpcriao1s reading from
Madam. Sarah Grauls very clever ana
,llgss-tIxc book SIS hat IL some great
authority has lf,ej "a Itijo OF me weary
load which Mr- Humphrey Naids al
4rirare ar, forced o. 5ear' What u some
competent critic bad eliminated Inc
nolsiest slang OF that truly great story
r.T.r IrrIuEP Would we not rise mp
and c4u him tho 'I ma of the people. the
author and pIe'efiiFt
rIar..rr over tlc mu tide OF last
vear. ono notes that the critics nave
GENERALLY aera,d upon "Marccha' as the
no "a III
story partly from the interest OF ine
subi,.t u the main it furnishes falr
,.I., for t0u-,r1a tism ir the progress OF
.....tv and of individual freedom. pht
v.h au That delicate finish which mas
.,.,r.5 for Mrs Ward so vast ana
varied an audience. Bat there are some
vho maintain that Blackmore perry
cross" should be placed on the same
level.
me sensation Of the year. at least on
This side The Atlantic. mas been l'"-
Manners work "Tulby.' although l's
call. flavor seems 20 have proved 100
u.loauf for the staid British palate. Inc
book has been regarded as a singular
example Of a mature artist turning llo"l
Inc 10 letter. while the critics nave ARISEN
and .ouudiv belabotel its morals, leIore
vausng TO consider that the charm anu
methods Of the book are as distinctly PIC
toriaf and not literary as If 1t were a iono
a. vivid sketches. with a line OF letter
,,rc~s" beneath. albeit the latter may mint
al Thackcray, q new study or eItcts' as
~ tho artists ardent genius. weary OF
the sufficient field he had already con-
Gucrtd. sought TO leap every limitation IN
reproducing life. and achieve the nm De
steele miracle Of catching all color WIN
sober black and white.
Hcfe is the majestic female as Of NoTe'
but belle Il ravir" ana arodnd Ter
.sweetness and light. laughter and love
and youth. the eternal youth Of art and
after-the silence that follows singing.
When We sketch the quarter Latin the
moral goes with IL or not, as one pl'ds'e'
Uypuotism Is as Old as Nature herself
The real questions are alt artistic mes
eieurs 1T mesdamcs, can truly great
artist fail To interpret the highest music!
can the soul of music be given 10 an
tacieau brute "Lorl prmort and MS
Araminta." adds nothing to the
laurcIs which have already placed
George Meredith among the FIST OF Eng
fish uoveilsts. I'm truth. it rather dtepehs
tho revolt against a etyle Sc whimsical
that IL now and then attains 90 the merits
OF Chinese puzzle.
Yct i'm his unique and cGmher ONE way
hc approaches the Same question from
different side as that most dainty ana
etglIis.ta artistic. MarEarti Dcidud, ih
Quite "A group clamoriug To- be beard ON
the same subject. most OF them quite
uf,u t;rrass,i by artistic poeH.-'A vel
low A.ter" ~ Superliu1us woman
"a Detail OF the Day "Dodo' etc. Al
the head Of these, most comprehensive,
most fatguWg. stands the Heavenly
Twins" book so clever SO dull as
to he cxaspcratiuc. but fun of unabridged
strnestuese. MISUNDERSTANDING, ana N'-
wtu's imm.mor,u wrongs
.Dolo" deserves no mention. II IS a
vulgar little parior-mateh. only struck
10 spiutt,r moment ana tAHht it9
bud materials. Eut even this smtll piece
OF mischief has it's uses, as coming from
the son of an archbishop OF Canterbury.
Ian ENGLAND "BoIo" and Across the
Rubi,,u' are cited as arguments for the
caubucy Of the clergy
- Bachelor Maid by Mrs Burton
Harrison. huhtIy catches. and losses, and
happily varies tine well-worl theme.
Mr. Zauywn has made bit in his
amusing extravaganza, The King Of the
~rhuoorrcrs" Nlr Stockton. iu Pomona
Travels" and Mark Twain. I'm his oN-
cecainely clayar and origiual 'Puddiu-
Head " lsou." are all busy with rdicule
OF romance. and thc "rcvered humbug
OF the race" while HoWcus. that master
of hi. craft. in ~ Traveller from Al
trurla." assisted boy Chas. -. Warner In
'I Pee Golden House, gently ana QHIEut~
fully tears ones whole boosted civiliZa-
tloa and industrial system 20 pieces.
Perhaps My. Crawford should be mem
TONED l,rc as his last new books belong
o. "a series afaWn from American lfe
Ills experience is wide his workmanship
and construction clever. his industry
chronic and his men and women for the
most part bioodicss and wooden, Since
Mr. Isaaes. with ITS suggestion of Oriental
romance ANA mysticism one feels the
same Indifference. whatever the situation
or cline, and publishers are stan elate
over continued popularity
Iu sharp contrast 90 these IS the enter
T.Igiuc revival 81 detective blood and
thunder and historical romance conduct
cd hy Dr. Conan DOYLE, whose "N hlte
company and Memoirs Of Sherlock
Holmes" secured Instant attention. and
Mr. Stanley Mcymau whose factory has
al, eaIy produced ~ Gentleman OF
France" Under The BED Robe" My
LADY, Rotha." ote.-all clever. convention
al. guiltlcss OF subtlety or point
Alas. the King OF EOmances lies dead
81 Samoa. and who viii arise id his place.
But at least VIC recover this lost ground
in cable. whose chronicle Of John
March Southeruer." is warm and rch
aud tinislcd do The great Daudet. .'1ne
MauNmau' of Hall Caine, is written with
such sustained power, such forcetul and
tragic pathos. that its radical defect may
well be overlooked-an unconscious ar
raignmcnt OF the justice OF GOD. II as
eumes that mortal man, ms creature.
caught unwitungly within the tolls OF cir