Middletown transcript., 1897-01-30

--zl---szszs=zEszz---- is governed large
ly by the fashion prevailing at the
moment. Because some authors are
out of fashion who ought to be in, and
others are in who ought to be out, she
permits herself to be governed by pop
ular prejudice. This is not TASTE"
To these words of unwisdom many
notable women have taken occasion to
reply. Mrs. Amelia E. Barr in defense
of her sex gives the following pungent
answer:
The professors statement is a state-
ment easily made, but it is neither just
nor correct.
In the first place, the critic ought to
have accurately defined what .literary
tasseu consists in; how many kinds Of
literary taste are supposed to exist,
and which particular kind he imagines
women to be "almost destitute off,
Then he should have SO well exhibited
the excellence of this special kind that
delinquent women, would have been
thoroughly ashamed of their ignorance.
Furthermore, he should have given con-
vfncing proof that men never, never
sin in this direction; that they all pos
sess ''literary taste," and that their
Judgment and predictions are above
and beyond the sway of the popular
It tasten of the time.
| But is it certain that the prevailing
fashions in literature are always wrong?
| Rather, is it not likely that they Gtand
accord with other Ia stes which may be
even more important to daily life than
the critics literary taste? A critics
taste, at best, is but one mans opin-
| ion; will he set it against the prevail
ing tone with an absolute certainty
that he is right and the rest of man.
kind and womankind ignorant blum
erders2
We will suppose that women are
largely governed in literary matters by
"the fashion prevailing at the moment.
Just as they are governed about the
sscut of their gowns.n May not that
fashion in both cases be very suitable
one9 Because it is the prevailing fash
ion, is it therefore silly or ungracefnlP
| Fashions relating to dress are never
| wholly good or bad; there are elegant
modes and grotesque ones, and they
brush each other in the streets; there
are good books and bad books and they
/ lie side by side on the counter.
/ Again, it may be truthfully asserted
/ that men are just as ready to have their
literary taste governed by popular pre-
iudice as women are. Who were the.
| buyers of "Trilby''? Men; and that
in an overwhelming majority. Indeed,
| the intellect of men is specially subser-
Went to popular enthusiasm, not only
asregards books, but in plays, preachers,
political leaders. preferred stock, and
in almost every department of active
life. It is great part of wisdom that
it should be SO. Is it not presumable
| that the consonant opinions of twenty,
| orsfifty, thousand people are as likely
to be correct as the solitary opinion of
| one self constituted critic, or even the
united judgement of the whole staff
of a reyieWY Women. in following
the popular decision about present
writers-if they do so--only eyince
their modesty; they alse drive the
shuttle of their thoughts and pre-
dilections between their intellect and
their experiences. 1t. might be we'll
for critics to exchange little of their
closet learning for the same broad path,
whether it be sstasteu or something
else-and better.
The unhealthy idea of chiyalry,
which treated woman as a cross between
an angel and an idiot, is exploded.
While the rivers run into The sea, it
win never be revived. Women have
the right to their own literary taste,
whether it fits into mems literary can
ons or not. They can instruct their
averments, and generally show good
ground for their prejudices, and It is
long past date to insinuate any special
defect in their creation.
The tide of woman's progress has
come, and men might as well swim
with it, for in its food there is no $50
| far and no further. . No gates can be
shut against it, and the old barriers
can neither be restored nor repaired.
Criticism of women ignoring this fact
| Is all q hum-and the best way with
those who persist in ingnoring It. lis
the 1sh0rtWsyn Of Sir Simon daEwes.
who moved In the House of Common
that Sergeant Armstrong vd0 now hold
hiS Tongues