The record-union., 1897-08-01
RESULT OF EXCESSIVE FICTION
READING


The "Homiletic Review" holds that
inordinate novel reading weakens the
intellect, the power is lost TO grapple
with realities and great truths, and
ler's principle that passive impressions
by being repeated grow weaker being
exemplified, so that instead Of the
heart being made better it is made
worse by very luxury Of sympathy;
lastly, inordinate novel reading destroys
the taste for other and more solid
reading.
This is concise statement of three
things, that all who have noticed the
effect of much novel reading by youth
have had impressed upon them, but
probably it has not before been so hap
PLY expressed as by the Review" 1t
passes on, however, to find a connec-
ton between inordinate love of fiction
and sensational Journalism, political
corruption and moral and religious lax
ity
1t is interesting to know how the
Review makes the connection. 1t
argues that as exclusive attention to
fiction deadens the public sense of fact,
or of reality and of truth, the demand
for sensationalism in place of news III
journalism is stimulated greatly The
historical novel is pushed to the front
and takes the place of real history, and
wild speculation in fiction is palme1
off as real science. The Review
adds:
The press groans under the publica-
ton Of critical and theological vagaries
that are expected to be accepted
in the place of scientific theology and
the Word of God. The sense of reality
in the principles that underlie con-
science and society and government has
been in many cases lost. Indeed, il
sometimes seems as though the age had
got round again to the skeptical ques-
ton of PLATE, What is truth?" All
this is but the natural result of the
pushing of all truth out of the range
of intellectual vision by means of all
A further effect is to be seen in the
immense change that has taken place
in the conduct Of mankind in the vari-
Gus departments of life. Corruption
in politics and laXity in religion are
instances in point. If there is no basis
Of reality. why should men live as
though there We're? Multitudes have
answered this question to suit their
natural desires and are living accord
ingIy. The change has been almost rev.
olutionary. The world has almost lost
all sense of truth and right and of
ideal character and conduct, and ali
sense of responsibility as we'll
Where is to be found the remedy? We
would suggest that it must be found in
getting back again to the solid basis of
truth. x There must somehow
he brought about the restoration of the
sense of truth and reality in this age,
if society is not to be permanently
wrecked.
We take it that the criticism of the
Review will find much approval, even
if with some modification, by thought
full people who have watched with con-
Germ the grow III VI liIC AONC Va AAN+NANAA'
and the increase of the desire for the
sensational and the lurid. These have
not been uninterested either in the
claim advanced by many very able and
otherwise wise men, that the historical
novel is an appetizer for reading of
real history. Is this idea a mistake!
Has it not sprung rather from the de-
sire of publishers of books to have
such a sentiment expand, rather than
from sincere conviction that the sug-
gestion is truth? OF course the few
great historical novels, the standards
that have won the right to live, may
be excepted The charge is leveled
rather at the modern historical novel
| that is being so much pushed to the
front. and which we are convinced Is
doing damage by reason of false estl-
mates and superficial treatment.