The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-11
Is Society Really
Growing NiCkeder ?
From the Philadelphia Record.


more respect for the inventions of the
theologian than for those CT the literary
artist, tells the public, through the rather
hide-bound Homiletic Review, that novel
reading is the source of the fiippancy and
dishonor and irresponsibility of modern
society. His argument rests upon the
antithesis of truth and fiction, the truth"
as understood by him being of theologi-
cal type rather than scientific or actual.
He would replace the novel, with "scien-
tific theology and the Word of God"
What he means by Scientific theology"
is not clear. Logic may give us a sys-
TEN, but science deals with verifiable
facts and not the postulates of faith. But
aside from the meaningless phrase in
question, to the love of fiction this saplent
writer attributes the sensationalism Of
newspapers and the lack of "the public
sense of fact, of reality, of truth" 1t
may be observed here that the sense of
reality-the quick recognition of fact and
prompt adaptation to 1t when demon
strated-is one of the most conspicuous
characteristics of the age. The spirit has
both stimulated and has been stimula ted
by scientific, historical. archaeological and
sociological investigation. 1t never was
more dominant; it never made the human
mind more judicial; it never influenced
conscience and conduct more than it does
today. Perhaps If theology had dealt
and should deal less on metaphysical
speculatlons, less in the realms of i'm
aginative thinking concerning things dis
coverable only by authority, it might be
more influential in modern times.
"a further effect" (of novel reading),
continues the essayist, sis to be seen in
the immense change that has taken place
in the conduct of mankind in the various
departments of life. Corruption in poll
In vii In fah oil inst NaG
in point. If there is no basis in reality,
why should men live as though they were?
Multitudes have answered this question
to suit their natural desires, and are liv-
ing accordingly. The change has been
almost revolutionary. The world has al
most lost all sense of truth and right, and
of ideal character and conduct and all
sense of responsibility" This is the fruit,
then, of novel reading. And why not, too,
| of the study of poetry, much of which
| is equally tictitious-at least in its idyllic,
| heroic and epic branches? Are we to
| brand as corrupters of the public con-
science. Thackeray, Dickens, Trollope,
Hawthorne, Macdonald, Meredith, Hardy
| and Howeils? See in their bad train the
best cultivated of women go-Charlotte
Bronte, Jane Austen, Maria Edgeworth,
| George Eliot, Mrs. Ward, Margaret De-
| land, Amelia Barr and Mrs. Oliphant?
| Surely the man must be sadly jaundiced
| who can set, this group of splendid au-
thors in such saffron and livid colors!
But the mans statements are not true,
except in that a tolerably good-sized So
| cial revolution is in progress.This is at
| tributable to the progress of science, the
| emancipation of women, the fertility OF
invention and the greater humanity OF
preachers as to fiction reading. If con,
| temporaneous events be related as cause
fhA f=f
grounds may charge our social evils to
the larger place now occupied by women
in industrial and general life.
| o.
The revolution We are undergoing il
not for the worse, but for the better
Professor McMaster has written that
there is no political vice of the day thai
our venerated ancestors did not under
stand and excel in. Bribery and corrup
tion were the avowed basis OF Rober
| Walpole's party system, General Sickle!
has told us of his observations of thu
drunkenness, insolence, turbulence anC
gambling that went on in congress befor,
the civil war. Even Tammany is NOR,
reputable than II was when Tweed anC
Wood controlled 1t, Bad as we stlll are
our election compaigns are less abusiv,
than they were when the two Adamse
were running for president. Never wer,
our people less bound by mere considera
tions of party nor more loyal to prin
ciple than in this generation. Cleveland
was first and Pattison twice elected gov
eTnor in protest of boss leadership, anr
Mckinley holds his present Office through
the revolt OF men who preferred principl
to party, In Great Britain political brib
cry and corruption have been extn
guished, and in this country large prog
ress has been made In the same direction
As for licentiousness, there has not beei
a popular novelist for fifty years so ri
bald and obscene as were Fielding AM
Smollett. In whom our great-grandmotl.
ers delighted. No; we are not going back
ward, and one must be ignorant of his
tory who thinks so. There are battle
yet to be won; but they are being fought