New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-01
THE NEW INQUISITION.
PARAs1TICAL LITERATURE DESCRIBED BY AN
DREW LANG.
From 4be London Chronicle.

From The London Chronicle.
A new kind of Inquisition is hourishing, and
produces new kind Of parasitical literature
We all put to the Question" Miss Wiggin,
a humorous American writer, thinks that there is
much excuse for the invention of the thumb
screw and 'pilniewinks' in Scotland. so hard is
ii to get a categorical answer from the natives
of that kingdom. These extreme measures are
not employed by the persons young, let US hope,
and with time for repentance before them) who
now put literary people TO the Question They
merely write letters, with such inquiries this:
will you kindly send me account of your
mother, with anecdotes and photographs, to
able me to make an article for The Driveller'? -
Few persons, perhaps, are willing TO present a
stranger with gratuitous copy" about their own
mothers. Less ambitious views are now in fash
ion. People are asked to name their favOrite
novel, or favorite motto, or flower, or hymn, or
anything else that is futile. Then the recipient
prints the budget; il is his article. A recent
example appears in The Windsor Magazine"
The budget contains the favorite notices Of
literary people" or Of some literary people Non
literary people may wonder why the erudite,
such Miss Helen Mathers and Miss COreli,
answer these 1nqulsltors Let US say that easy
good nature is their motive This enables them
to put up with the publication of their letters
and photographs. We shall not add TO their Suf-
ferings by quoting their names. Very good nat
ured must be the portly, youngish man, who is
photographed as he leans on his chimneypiece
musing over a solemn fragment of Mr.. kipllng-
Most of the victims admit that they have
many many favorite quotations. Some are from
the works of the Kali va d school of fiction A
lady remarkable for her shrinking aversion TO
publicity, weighs in" W tn observations from
Shakespeare and Mr. Browning. Mr.. John Wat
son has, too, many faVor1te quotations and can
not mention one in particular. A writer whose
photograph is really too "studiously pretty mis-
quotes Mr.. Stevenson in a distressing way. a
literary person ought TO be able to remember
favOrte quotation from a cheap and accessible
volume. A lady novelist asks. Why should one
have favorite quotations. Why should one
betray them TO cOmpilers? To keep our ain
fish CUTS, to feed our ain sea mawS' is good
enough motto to throw to them. On the whole
the modern English poets seem to be most in
favor, though novelist cites Dante, and there
are two examples, even three. of literary peO-
pie learned enough to cite the literature of the
ancient Romans. AS long as people answer ear
nest inquirers, whose interrogatiOns range over
all things, from our religion and our mothers to
our cats. these people will persevere. Among re-
cusants IS a professional crlcketer. who prompt
ly declined to contribute TO a ragbag OF this
kind. He deserves honor and imitation But,
as even refusalS to answer are published. per-
haps ii is best not to answer even with
fUsal Even that may be photographed, with a
portrait of the writer. who is thus advertised in
the company which he declined to join