The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-05

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ny evll q 1lbtdinons taznt, nut b.
cause OF the character and style II the
book It was not written for such m
end. It II not adapted to school pur-
poses. 1t is a production Of splendid
genius and is indeed one of the literary
glories OF the world, but 1t Is not I
book for public schools. It II not q
dangerous book, but in it there are
places and passages hat are not draw
ing-room reading. The same thing can
be said Of portions OF the Bible. and
they are portions that do not suggest
impurity but expose evil 1t is not
nice or refined to read coarse
passages to ones sweetheart or to
ones daughters. And yet not because
there is any danger lurking insidious-
ly in the passages. A northern news
paper referring to the tabooing Of
Hugo's great novel says that it "is GER
tain that fully two-thirds Of the mod
ern novels freely offered to schoolgirls
are much more Objectionable, both in
taste and morals, than anything that
I1uSO ever WIOtS. VIC IA OuI
own remarks to the one indi-
Gated. When a school committee un-
dertakes to issue an Index Expurga-
torius' it should be careful to select the
noxious, nauseous, impure books and
by design, and not simply great works
Of genius that were not written to cor
rupt or allure, but ito point a moral
and adorn a tale" Whoever thought
Goethe's Faust a production intended
to foster impure living and beguile the
innocent to ruin?
The committee has don unwisely
than ever if as described. Already
booksellers report an increased sale.
Then the committee proposes to allow
an expurgated edition of Hugo's novel
to be read. They ought to have sense
enough, discernment enough to know
that when they become acquainted
with the magnificent creation CT French
genius in part the pupils will be sure
to desire to see the hidden parts, the
"cut" places, and they will not rest
con.ented until they have read all.
The Messenger has never designedly
recommended to youthful readers a bad
| book. The only work, we recall, that
we commended that was Of doubtful
| ]propriety was 'Trilby." We were
| charmed with some Of it's extraordinary
| ceived into our own mind the faintest
| hint of evil, and no smut was impaired.
| Others viewed it differently. We never
knew the brand Of condemnation to be
| placed upon a work hat a large class
of readers did not seek it. 1t is a sad
reflection that danger is done by
warning Of evil, such is a fallen race in
a fallen world. 1t is a mistake to give
a part of Lies Miserabiles." It will
cause surreptitious reading, and it will
make thousands on the alert for filth
who would have read the book other
wise with the rarest delight without
Suspicion Of danger or any possible
mental Or moral suffering from vicious
suggestion. The Washington Post Of
ten discusses wisely and we'll. It dis
CuSSoS lntelllSently CnlS DanlSnlnS Oh a
great work of art and inspiration, and
at the close felicitously says:
eff it were possible for the mine OF
the purest girl to be corrupted by any
thing in that boOk his process would
be dangerous, for it separates the beau
tiful and wholesome whole into it's con-
stitue1t parts, impairing the moral les
son and pointing a prudish finger OF
shame at passages which, e in their
proper connection, could not suggest an
evil thought or sully the whiteness OF
the chastest soul.
Fortunately there is nothing in LES
Miserables'" that can exert a perniciOus
influence. = = Hugo made sure OF
immortal fame, and his great work had
acquired just recognition long before
his exit. But it is we'll for morality and
for education hat fresh attention has
been called to his writings"
In reading of great dramatic works
and fictions of rarest power and crea-
tive skill it is very much as the French
mot says-"Evil to him h evil
l 49,