Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-09-10


stumble and break their necks, so that
sequel becomes impossible.
Positively for real romance. one has TO
return TO the Arabian Nights" and for
absolute truth to Robinson Crus0er Far
back in my memory there is stored the
picture of three small children. gazing,
with delight, at the representation Of a
defiant young man standing before his
father, said father being the typical Brit
ish householder, with mutton chop whis- /
kers, and underneath the drawing is this |
inscription:
Robinson Crusoe' wants to roam.
Ny son. says his father, stay at home"
This gives the rythm of the entire |
| story as told in poem, and which we |
regarded as the finest that was ever writ |
ten. Friday, first seen in his Sunday get |
up. was one of our special delights, but |
afterwards, when transformed by Robin |
son into civilized being, wearing high
hat and dress suit, he became almost
Godlike to our childish eyes. The posses
sion of these clothes We explained in the
same way that We did the sort Of Mother
Hubbard gown worn by Eve in Bible
| pict0re book. We thought they grew on
trees, and that very wise people knew
where to find them. The youngest boy of
4
Mr.. Crusoe and a very indifferent feeling
for Adam and Eve, and when discussion
ran very high on their respective merits,
threat to take the story book and lock
it up for couple of days would
make him give outward reverence at
least.'to our first parents, though in his
heart he considered them what his
Nanny called poor white trash The
stories written nowadays for children are
not interesting. What would child
think of story that meandered on chap
ter after chapter as TO why the good little
boy did not take the cake? Any boy
would know that the reason was because
he was afraid of thrashing, and as for
believing that any small man would re-
frain from taking sweets because he had
analysed the difference between right and
wrong, and could see why and wherefore
he had better let it alone-could look into
the future and predict bad pains and med
icine bOttles-weil, all that is perfect non
sense. Out of the mouths of babes and
sucklings come good bit more wisdom
than is ever credited to them | like a
novel made like good punch-with all the
proper components, and at the last min
ute dash of champagne to give it life
and sparkle. One wants the lovers. the
hardhearted parents and the villain. be-
cause we know them, and human nature.
after ALL likes the old things best Vices
and virtues of the old tpye are more at
tractive, because they are the same to-
day, and it is very certain that our ro-
mances, if they are TO prove interesting
need to have that touch that makes the
!, whole world kin.
I When Nanny was away last winter. she
made her FIRST visit at the literary house
3 This is what she said about it, THE lady
0 who kept the salon was tall and gaunt.
d and was living on vegetables because she
q was Buddhist. Her right-hand man
:. (hy-the-by, he was not her husbandn was
a poet, and he talked all the time about
e the feelings of the innermost heart; it was
exactly as if hearts were In layers like
e cream caramels. Then there was young
woman who knew all about Shakespeare,
y another who did not believe that Shake
y speare had ever existed. another who
IS thought that Bacon wrote Shakespeare
n and was helped by a young actor named
a William Shakespeare TO attend to tho
6 stage business. Then there was a lanky
g young woman who seemed to he success.
4 sion of hollows, and she talked about the
e days of real love, limited about things that
were wrong, and wanted to give me the
y impression that, if she could tell me her
y hearts story. | would be very much
II shocked. Personally, | don't believe she
fe had any. Everybody asked you If you
had read this or that, and if you said you
le had and liked it, they disagreed with you
l and if you said you had not. then they
a thought you ought, and anyhow, no mat
* ter what You said they decided at one,
b, that you were wrong When religion wa.
* discussed. all sects were found fault with
AZ though one poet said that the \Catholi,
he church was picturesque. He consescend
IL ed so when he said this that / wondered
l if he were going to cable the Pope for hi
&c thanks. There We're three men who hac
W not read anything, and they looked fright
n; ened. When the others discovered that
It. bad not written book, or even a fashion
e, article, that l did not paint, or sculp o
" read in public, one young woman said L
| me. Al least you sit at the feet of Car
or isle | told her No. do not and fin,
RS Carlisle tresome.' After that they let m
m alone"
&C. laughed at Nanny's description an
err wondered what would have happened if. i
yc reality. anybody had sat at the feet a
i'd Carlyle. The ill-tempered Scotchma
rs. would probably have kicked them. and til
st treatment would have been proper. Som
time ago there was a good classificatio
We made of weli-known books, and this lis
| was given. 1t was said that the best SCI
m. sationa novel. was Wilkie Collins we
adj man in White the best historical move
I'M Scott's "Kenilworth:' the best dramati
le- novel Charlotte BrOnte's Jane Eyre tn
he hest marine novel. Coopers Red Rover:
nd the best novel, describing country lif
ne Blackmore's Lorna Doone:" the hest mi
dy itary novel. Levers Charles O'Malley:
IA the best religious novel. Kingsley's "Hyp,
ne tia" the hest sporting novel, Whyte-Me
he ville's "Dighy Grand the best polite,
nd novel. Disrael'S "Coningshy;" the he,
ch novel written for purpose, Uncle Tom
er, Cabin the hest ina ginative novel. Hav
re- thOrne's Marble Faun:'' the hest pathet
dy novel, George Eliot's ''Silas Manner" ii
ed best humorous novel. Dickens "Pickwic
PISS Papers the best Scotch novel. Scott
ne Rob Roy" the hest English novel, Geors
'ry Eliot's Adam Bede;' the best America
tu- novel, Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter" an
'ed the best novel of ALL Henry Esmond
ar My opinion in regard to some of the,
lw books differs with that given. hut take
lly all around it is a very good compilatio
nC ! have heard that. if cast upon desc
Ter island. n man might be satisfied int
Tor lectually, with Shakespeare and the Bib
mt \ man might. but a woman would not b
all If were cast upon desert island, viii,
an. the lord forbid. should want Thackera
I n Da1a II.