New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-18
DOWDEN'S ESSAYS.
EVILS HE AsCR1BEs TO DEMOCRACY.

NEW STUDIES II LlTERATrRE, R sy,, E I%,y.aS
BoTdep ~ D. Dublin L IL EsnopT te3
in the University of Dublin; Clark Lect-
urer in English Literature Trini i,yo,, College
THE GOLDEN BOOK OF coLERIDGE. Edited
with Introduction by Stopford A. Brooke
PIP. xii 2S9. Macmillan & Co.
Professor Dowden Is a reactionary. not against
the deepest tendencies of literature, but against
prevalent opinions in literature. He has tender
ness even for the mechanical terrors OF the old
fashioned romance-tke tenderness OF one who
has outgrown but has not forgotten his child
hood I'VE SMILE" he says. lat the stage heroes,
stage villains. and furnished stage properties,
but they interested a simple generation which
had not learned to sympathize with the trials,
difficulties and dangers Of feTvid young clergy
men struggling amid the shadows of Biblical
criticism" This missile was apparently not
thrown without an aim. But the author has
other stones to cast. The railway novel Of
twenty or thirty years ago, as he remembered
It, was possessed OF some literary merit some
conference of narrative. some grace OF feeling
But its place has been taken in England. at
least by the pennyworth Of scandaous chroni-
Gle or some hebdomadal collection Of jests,
favored according to the taste Of the buyer
with much heavy vulgarity, or with a spice Of
appetizing indecency"
Though Mr.. Dowder is on the whole not I'M
friendly to democracy, he nevertheless attributes
these unpleasant freaks of modern literary want
of taste TO democratic influences. 1t is barely
possible that he is wrong about this. In the
first place heavy vulgarity" and "appetizing in
decency" must be thrown out of the comparison
simply because there has never been time In
the memory Of man when those things were un-
he ched ast of q
day dare not be as unspeakable as that of Aphra
Behn Modern readers are no more eager 10
read such stuff than their predecessors were.
But the fact is that the modern novel, with It's
attenuated studies Of the supposed inner side Of
character, is working its own downfall. People
who care for the external side of life must weary
Of this pLrgatorial introspection. Naturally, UNI
less they persons who can stand good read
Ing who can interest themselves-to use the ex-
amples cited by Mr.. Dowden-in Gibbons De
cline and FAN" or Spinoza's Ethics they have
TO take to jest books. still worse result OF the
novel is that 1t is infested with a new kind Of
parasite. trained by it TO find self-reveatlon
everywhere. These things not due to the
democratic tendencies Of modern life; they are
due TO the decay OF the woodworking faculty.
The readers who have scented this decay and
have taken to jest books show correct instincts
even If they are lacking in educated tastes.
This is, perhaps. the only point on which a
thoroughgong democrat would feel called upon
TO dispute Professor Dowden's conclusions. The
old theory about the levelling effect Of liberty is
only mentioned by him to be denied Good
names can be cited in support Of this theory. 1t
was announced by Tocqueville. In his study Of
America, and renewed in The midst OF French
Republ.canism b. Scherer and Renan and Bour-
get. But Professor Dowden laughs at the thought
that political freedom and equality mean slavery
for literature. He asks II Mr.. Edison's house
has been destroyed by mob If there is any lack
OF diversity In religious opinions among Ameri-
cans IL the writings OF Frederic Harrison have
been burned or II the author of the Vie de
Jesus failed 10 get readers for his book II is
not certain that the author has caught all the
humor Of his question about religious dverslties
in America. But that is neither here nor there.
Democracy means to Professor Dowden an oppor
tunity for every variety and degree Of talent
If the predominant power Of a few great minds