The San Francisco call., 1897-08-15
THE YEARS. GOOD NOVELS.

Among the many instructive pers which
were read at the recent conference of the
Amer lean Library Association in Philadelphia
those OF particular interest, not only TO libra
rians but 10 the outside reading world, were
papers on books OF the present year. History
the fine arts children's books and fiction were
all well treated, valuable and IN some cases
pungent criticisms Icing given We get in
hese the librarians standpoint, as the libra
rian is enabled to note the real popularity of a
book. 1t is of decided interest to study the
literary uIput of the year irom the Librarians
point of view.
The paper upon fiction by Miss Helen E.
Haines, now connected with The l. brary Jour
nal of this city, and the newly elected re-
cOrder of the American Library Ass ociation,
deserves more than ordinary atten ton. Miss
Haines selected 100 OF the leading novels of
the year from a list of 1000, and presents the
real essence OF their coed and bad qualities in
admirably concise and pleasantly brief
criticisms.
Her task was not easy one, but she has
performed it without wavering. Her opinions
have been stated frankly, however much they
may be obje ced TO by others. She leaves no
doubt in The minds of her hearers as TO her
position upon certain classes OF fiction ana its
effect upon the library and the public She
believes strongly i'll the real, lasting good of
good novels, but, she explains;
il is OF course, in the one word good" that the
whole difficulty lies. Many books that from Il
literary point OF view are unreservedly good are
morally questionable; many others, quite devoid
Of literary quality, have endeared themselves to a
multitude OF readers whose lack of intellectual
perceI tion il not criminal, even though it be
Erettabie. If library exclude too rsidiy the
former. it is representative of literature; if The
litter be absolutely bann d. it is limiting prv
leges 10 the intellec ual few and discriminating
against the III cultured many. A lib ary must
have some books suited for readers of mature in
tellIgeI ce, but undesiIab fer young people. 1t
must have others that are not desirable for gen.
eIal circulation at ali. 1t is in Just deciding how
far 10 go that the difficulty lies.
Within the past year there has been a Stacking
in the tide of erotic fiction, but at the same time
there have developed two distinct classes OF
novels which cannot be ignored in the literature
of the day, but which the less harmful
in their influence I he first may be called from
the books which most thoroughly represent 1t,
keynote" fiction. These are the analyses of dis
eased souls. studies of distorted lives of which
IletcheI's Goods Failures" and Aicore's Cell
bates" are examples
The second consists OF the sum stories that have
sprung in;o such astonishing vogue within the
past year or so-lhe Maggies. Arties, and other
misery and wretchedness that eXis. in a l great
cities with the hard clearness Of the camera, nm
soitened by the tints of But we say
These thints true; diseased souls exist and
there are ague spots in great cities. That is so,
but we do not use treatises on psy chomania for
family reading, send our sons and
daughters to stale beer dives opium joints that
they may learn What life is and when a novelist
devotes himself solely to The exploitation
OF what Is morbid, vulgar ugly, repulsive
f. becomes the right and duty OF those who
have charge of these novels and these books
10 exercise censorship in their selection"
Miss Haines denounced the statement that
there no great books nowadays. mention
ing the fact that within one twelvemonth
such works as Quo Vadis," "Weir OF Her
miston," 'sir George Tressady," Sentimental
Tommy" "On the Face of the Waters and
The Choir Invisible were produced. The
last two she considered head and shoulders
above all others. In her brief criticism of Mrs.
s eele's ION the Face of the Waters Miss
Haines says it is the first attempt ever made
to show the native side in the Indian mutiny
question, and she shows him, Moham medan
or Hindu, in his childishness. his faithfulness
and greater guile his race prejudices and re-
ligious fanatcism-not as the usual Anglo
Indian novel pictures him. Regarding a
question which had been raised as TO the de-
STABILITY OF this book for general circulation
Miss Haines says:
do not see how hat ques ion be raised, or
how the book can hurt any one. 1t is not written
for children. is not about hi dren. It is about
men and women in a time of fierce confic, in un
natural conditions. But do how 1t can
hurt any one. how It's stern teaching be
nisiuterprettd.
As for THE Choir Invisible Miss flames
refers deeply TO lis descriptive beauty and its
charm of spirit Iality, adding al the close:
In its picture of the Kentucky Of a century ago
It recalls lrving's Ralph Ringwood, but l. Is q
gentler picture. and of the most p easant
things about is that it shows not only the rough
uncouthness of the pioneer lays but the gentle
hood and the culture and the talent that rep
resented there, and that are too apt overlook
and 10 ignore in ideas OF the pioneers of
America
1t would be interesting to mention the titles
of this list of 100 novels, but few at least Of
the most nota Bile can be briefly touched upon.
Bourdillons "Nephele' is considered one of
the most charming books of last year, al
though having little recognition, and is
ukened more to q prose poem than novel.
Mrs. Burnham's Miss Archer Archer is de-
lghtfully compared to icecream soda, being
continental i'll a vivacious and attractive
manner; not in the least strong, neither a
study" The honor of being the best coilec-
ton OF short stories published during the year
falls TO 1.-The Cat and the Cherub"
Anthony Hopes books are treated gingerly,
having the claim OF popularity" and no
other. "Phroso" is considered the best, 'but
miles below The Prisoner OF Zenda, and the
Princess Ostra stories are so artificial, padded
and superficial that it is hard 10 see in them
any lasting qualities" Keighleys Last
Recruit OF Clare's" and O'Grady's ain the
Wake of King James are condemned as in
ferior historical novels, the latter being en-
phatically styled ga shilin g-shocker rather
than an historical novel"
Robert Barr's 1.-The Mutabl Many" and
The Descendant" published at first anony-
mously, but recently announced to be by
young Southern woman. Ellen Glasgow, are
treated at some length. The central idea
of ''The Mutable Many" says Miss Haines,
"seems to be that no matter what the right
of the cause OF labor, and tn ough the cause
of CAPITAL may have the cause OF right on It's
side. labor will generally lose in the struggle,
on account OF qualities inherent in Itself
She saws the book is crude, has the trail OF a
journalist. as all OF Barr's books have, but yet
is torcible and gives both sides The other
book 1.-THE Descendant" says our Librarian
critic. is strong, but very unpleasant in parts,
the whole teaching being that strength rooted
in itself is weakness, and that weakness, aui-
tod Ill ic