Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-09
BOOKS AND WRITER'S.
4 Change in the Novel Writing Fash
ion Called For.
The Popular B0oks-A Clerical Cfitic-Th,
Late Stephen Crane.

nv -N'N vi
calls for change in the fashion of
woodworking. 1t thinks that historical
romance has usurped the stage long
enough. Yet while solid novels of con-
temporary life are not so abundant
now as at times, and never reach the
phenomenal popularity of Richard
Caryel," and ITO Have and To Hold. >
they perhaps attract all the more at
tention among thinking people when
they appear The Times Democrat
says:
Mr.. Howells latest work Their
Silver Wedding Journey is regarded
by English critics as trivial and
wanting in incident and they are
surprised that he should take the
trouble to write so well about nothing.
Mr.. HoWell's literary creed is
SO well known that it would be seri-
Gus shock to the reading public We're
he to put forth novel of incident.
one fancies him. at present. secluded
in his study. waiting for the romantic
tempest to blow over. and praying for
the speedy coming of better-that is,
more realistic-days.
And they will enthusiastically.
Nothing in this transitory life comes
to stay; and, sooner or later, the
naughty DANES and gallant soldiers
viii fade from the scene, to be re-
placed by more sober-tinted folk. Mr..
Howells, at least, is true TO his prin-
ciples, ana does not after the manner
of many modern writer's. concoct ro-
mantle novels because they are the
fashion just now. And of all dreary
literary performances the drearieSt is
mldc-to- order romance-juSt as moth
ing is more delightful than the genuine
romance. composed with all the Verve
and spirit and dash that belong to
such works. Even if the alternative be
the repressed spinster-thc hairSplit-
ting hero-Hiram, the hired man. with
patches on his overalls-one Will be
glad to see the last Of the job-lot of
princesseS, nOblemen and soldiers of
fortune that are now infesting popular
fiction.
These. in truth, are evil days for
persons who prefer the novel Of man
ners Merely to read the names of
some of the new novels-Joan Of the
Sword Hand The Conspirators.' The
Rebel. A Man of His Age The Fort
unt bl w at. vengeance - hILl',
Princess Sophia etc.-is suggestive Of
their contents. One can scarcely de-
eide which is the worse. when the
author lays his scene in that imagi-
nary principality' discovered by
Anthony Hope. or when his romance is
HISTORICAL that is to say. when he has
founded it on historical facts. without
taking the trouble to saturate himself
with the spirit of the age about which
he writes Fortunately for him, he
has a safeguard in the vast. unplumbed
depths of popular ignorance. If he
knows little. his reading public know
less; and thus he is safe.
Another tendency noted is the pres
ent popularity of happy endings'-but
that is logical outcome of the novel
of action. The reader expects plenty
Of gore much hewing and hacking and
flashing Of sword blades, the total dis
cOmfiture of the villain or villains. and
then. at the end. the triumphant union
Of valor and beauty in the shape of the
hero and heroine. 1t is predicted that
the day will come when the public
which now asks to be made happy will
demand to be made miserable This
seems 4 probable result of a surfelt
of happy endngs; but it is to be hoped
that his other prediction, about the
| revival Of the Byron cult. will not
como to pass, for revived Byronism
would mean only mOrbidity. unrelieved
| by genius. Gloom, in literature. Just
| for the sake of gloom is a very sorry
thing. The happy ending. or the sad
ending. is appropriate only when
brought about by the eXigcncies Of the
story itself. As +. l.. Stevenson said.
| Il novel must begin to end sadly, or
happily, from the first; and then the
climax. when it comes. will not jar
upon the reader