Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-11-22

study of contemporary literature will soon
be given permanent place in the regular
work of all American institutions of learn
ing. The theory upon which the course
has been laid out is that the discriminate
ing perusal of novel is beneficial, and the
aim is to get the students of Yale into the
habit of reading them i'm that way.
''Tho best literary thought Of the day
says DR. Phelps lis going into the novels,
and certainly The young who read novels
should put their time into something that
represents the best thought
Tho modern novel, he holds, should he
considered the most important form of lit
erary art. 1t should be studied, therefore,
as poetry and the drama are studied All
the current tendencies of thought mani
fest themselves in the novel of these times.
Their study may I've made the study of the
spirit of today, and the man who keeps
track Of current fiction keeps track not
only of current taste, but also of current
opinions ana tendencies. DR.. Phelps has
introduced several especially valuable fca-
lures into the training of those who take
his course of lectures on modern novels
For instance, each member of the class is
required to bring to the lecture room u
written review of the novel that has just
lent training in the art of novel reading
and mt the same time affords the best sort
of practice in rhetoric and composition,
especially as the reviews are not allowed
to degenerate into mere synOpscs. They
must be analytical and critical, thus af-
fording the most rigid mental discipline
Another point well worthy of attention
is that in order to make the COURSE as con-
tcmpOrancOUs and up to date as possible
every author studied will be living one
excepting stevenson and Turgencf The
exception is made in the case of stevenson
because his death is so recent, his fame so
current and his spirit SO thoroughly mod
ern in every way that he is virtually liv
| ing writer while as to Turgcncff, his
works give such "a faithful picture of mod
ern Russian lie that he cannot well be
overlooked. As Il rule, only one novel 10y
tho same author will be taken up, and this
will be the most representative, though
possibly moi always the best of his works
from "a critical standpoint. But when an
author has an early and II "late' period,
like Tolstui or BjOrnson, each period will
be studied.
Thirty novels are to be considered dur
ing the present college year The order in
which they are read has been made after
the most careful dcliberation. For exam
pie, "Marcclla, "A Modern Instance"
and Esther Waters are read in success
sion, since each represents IA different sort
of realism. They will be followed by "A
| Gentleman of France" and Treasure Is
| land, ~ in order to show the sharp contrast
between the realistic novel, the historical
romance and the story of adventure.
DR.. Phelps class in modern novels num-
hers Pos students members of the junior
and senior classes. Besides there are
about 30, who, though not in the class
proper, occupy chairs in the rear of the
lecture room and are permitted to take the
course rs visitors. In addition number
OF reading clubs have been formed in diff
fcrent parts Of the United States to which
lists Of the novels to be read have been
sent. There WAS one such club in the
Sandwich Islands last summer.
"Thc dignity Of the modern novel should
be upheld, 50 says DR.. Phelps Because a
thing is old is no conclusive reason why it
is better than the contemporary novel 1t
is IA common complaint that college grad
uatos cannot 90 out into the world and
discuss the literature of their own day
This they should certainly be able TO do. ="
DIR. William Lyon Phelps is in his thirty
first year and is a native of New York city.
He was prepared for college at the Hart
ford high school and entered Yale in the
fall of 1888 While an undergraduate he
was well known for his literary attain
ments and after graduation he passed two
years in literary study. Then he taught
English for "a year at Westminster school,
Dobbs Ferry, \. Y. In 1890 he went to
Harvard ana received the Morgan follow
ship. In 1891 he took the degree Of Nj. A
from Harvard and Phi. ID. from Yale In
the same year he WAS appointed instructor
of English at Harvard, In 1899 he re-
turned to his alma mater, v here ne has
been teaching with unusual success for
the past three years