The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-06
Bah ON A GOOD NOVEL.
She CHATS Airily on Books Worth Reading.
of
Book Popular
he Covers.
EIiots sktt


10 detest the book to such a degree that
trust they stumble and break their
BILE. 'ii'possi-
PosltiNely, for real romance, one has to
return 70 fne ARABIAN Nights" and for
absolute truth to Robinson Crusoe." Far
back IN my memory there Is stored the
picture of three small children gazing
with delight, at the representation of a
denant young man standing before his
father, said father being the typical Rrit-
ish householder. with mutton chop wbis-
kers, and underneath the drawing is this
inscription: -9
Robinson crusoe wants to roam.
My SON, says his father, 'stav al
home'"
This gives the rythm of the entire
story as told in poem, and which we're
gard6d as the finest that was ever written
friday frst seen in his Sunday get-un
was one OF our special delights, but after
wards, when transformed by Robinson
INTO civilized being, wearing a high hat
and dress suit, he became almost Cod
like to our childish eyes. The possession
OF these clothes we explained in the same
way that we did the sort of Mother Hub
oard gown worn by Eve in the Bible pic-
ture book. We thought they grew on
trees, and that very wise people knew
where TO find them. The youngest bow OF
TINS group had an expressed liking for
MI Crusoe and "a very different
feeling for Adam and Eve.
ana when discussion ran very high on
their respective merits, a threat to take
the story book and lock it up for couple
or 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 ipfaractfra -
child think of a story that meandered on
chapter after chapter as to why the good
little boy did not take the cake? ANY bow
would know that the reason was because
he was afraid of a thrashing and as for
believing that any small man would re-
1raln fpom taking sweets because he had
analysed the difference between right and
wrong, and could see why and wherefore
ne had better let 1t alone-could look into
the future and predict bad pains and med
icine bottles-well, all that is perfect non
sense. Out of the mouths of babes and
stockings come a good bit more wisdom
than is ever credited to them. ike a
novel made like good punch-with all the
proper components, and at the last min
ute dash of champagne to give If 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 type are more at
tractive, because they are the same to-
day. and It is very certain that our ro-
mances, If Shey are to prove interesting
need to have that touch that makes the
whole world kin.
When Nanny was away last winter, she
made her first visit to literary house
This is what she said about it: "The lady
who kept the salon was tall and gaunt.
and was living on vegetables because she
was a Buddhist. Her right-hand man
(by the by, ehe was not her husband was
a poet. and he talked all the time about
the feelings of the innermost heart; it
was exactly as If hearts were in layers
like cream earamels. Then there was a
young woman who. knew all about
Shakespeare, another who did not believe
that Shakespeare had ever existed, an
other who thought that Bacon wrote
Shakespeare, and was helped by q young
actor named William Shakespeare to at
tend to the stage business. Then there
was lanky young woman who seemed
to be a succession of hollows, and she
talked about the days Of real love, limited
about things that were wrong and want
ed to give me the impression that, If she
could tell her hearts story, 1 would be
very much shocked. Personally, l don't
believe she had any. Everybody asked
you If you had read this or that, and If
you said you had and liked it, they dis
agreed with you, and If you said you had
not then they thought you ought, and
anyhow, no matter what you said they
decided at once that you were wrong
When religion was discussed, all scots
were found fault with, though one poet
said that the Catholic church was pic
turesque. He condescended 50 when hel
said tlais that 1 wondered If he were GO
ing to cable the pope for his thanks!
There were three men who had not read
anything, and they looked frightened.
When the others discovered that l had
not written a book, or even a fashion ar
ticle, that I did not paint or sculp or
read in public, one young woman said to
me, AT least you sit at the feet of Car
isle l told her No, do not and find
Carlisle tiresome.' After that they let me
alone.'
1 laughed at Nanny's description and
wondered what would have happened If, in
reality anybody had sat at he feet of Car
lyle. The ill-tempered Scotchman would
probably have kicked them and the treat
ment would have been proper. Some time
ago there was a good classification made
of well-known books, and this list was
given. 1t was said that the best sensa-
tional novel was Wilkie Collins Woman
in White" the best historical novel,
SCOTS "KenilwoFth;" the best dramatic
novel Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre" the
DesI marine mover, cooper tteu rover
the best novel, describing country life,
Blackmore's Lorna Doone;" the best mill
itary novel, levers Charles O'Malley;"
the best religious novel, Kingsleys "Hypa-
tia" the best sporting novel. Whyte-Mel-
ville's "Digby Grand" the best political
novel, Disraelis "Coningsby;" the best
novel written for purpose, "Uncle Toms
Cabin" the best Imaginative novel, Haw-
chorne's Marble Faun" the best pathetic
novel, George Eliots "Silas Manner" the
best humorous novel, Dickens 'Piclxwick
Papers," the best Scotch novel, SCOTS
Fob Roy" the best English novel. George
Eliot's Adam Bede;" the best American
novel, Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter" and
the best novel of all, Henry Esmond."
My opinion in regard to some of these
books differs with that given, but taken
all around 1t is very good compilation. 1
have heard that. If cast upon a desert
island, a man might be satisfied, intellect
ualy. with Shakespeare and the Bible.
man might, but a woman would not be.
II were cast upon a desert island, which
the Lord forbid, should want Thackeray
Dickens, Balzac, Dumas, Mrs. Browning
and Tom Moore and then could say
good bye TO all troubles and on my little
Island have n nood time with myself and