The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-04-25
WE ANDOUR NBlGHBORS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Judge Of books only by what the news
pxpers have said of them, and must We
abandon all the ole standards OF criti-
cism? Can q book and an author,
utterly without merit. be pulled into
success by entirely undeserved praise,
even il that praise come from English
periodicals.?
One must ask these questions after he
has been seduced into reading a book
recently reprinted in this country en-
titled THE Red Badge OF Courage, an
Episode OF the American Civil War"
The chorus OF plaise in the English pa
pers has been very extravagsnt, but it
is noticeable that 90 far. at least, the
American papers have said very little
about the merits or dement's OF the
book itself. They simply allude to the
noise made over it abroad, and therefore
treat it's author as coming factor in our
literature. Even the Dial's very acute
and usually very discerning critic Of con.
temporary fiction tMr. Payne) treats the
book and the author lin your issue Of
Feb. II in very m uch this way-that is,
rs book and an author to be reckoned
with. not because Of any good which he
himself finds in them. but because they
have been 60 much talked about.
The book has been very recently re-
printed in America. and would seem to
be an American book. on an American
theme, and by an American author, yet
originally issued in England. II it is
really an American production one must
suppose il to have been promptly and
properly rejected by any American pub
fishers to whom it may have been sub
mitted, and afterward more naturally
taken up by an English publisher.
1t is only too we'll known that English
writer's have had very low opinion Of
American soldiers and have always, as
rule. assumed to ridicule them.
We ell know with what bitterness ami
spitefulnees the Saturday Review always
treats Americans; and with what special
vindictivenoss it reviews any book upon
our late struggle written from the
northern standpoint. And 80 it is with
all British periodicals and all British
writer's. They are 90 pulled up with
vain glory over their own soldiers who
seldom meet men of their own strength,
but are used in every part Of the world
for attacking and butchering defenseless
savages. who happen to possess some
property that Enelishmen covet, that
they cannot believe that there can be
among any people well disciplined
soldiers as gallant and courteous as their
own.
Under such circumstances we cannot
doubt that The Red Badge of Courage
would be just such book as the English
would grow enthusiastic over, and we
cannot wonder that the redoubtable
Saturday Review greeted it with the
highest encomiums, and declared it the
actual experiences Of veteran OF our
war, when it was really the vain imagin-
ings OF young man born long since that
war. piece Of intended realism based
entirely on unreality. The book is
vicious satire upon American soldiers
and American armies. The hero Of the
honk III auch he cxn he s.alled-"the
youth" the author styles him) is an ig-
norant and stupid country lad. who,
without q spark Of patriotic feeling or
even OF soldierly ambition, has enlisted
in the army from no definite motive that
the reader can dlacoyer unless II he he.