The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-08
HISTORIC ATMOSPHERE.
Expression by Author Of "When Knight.
hood Was In Flower"

Unless an author can maintain, without
deviation. from the frst to the last pages
of his book. the Language Of the period OF
which he writes, his work viii be better,
his pages will be more easily read; and
whatever true atmosphere he may be abe
to create In other ways will be more con-
vincing 10 he writes in the language OF his
own times. No books have stronger
flavor OF their own period than the D'Ar-
tagnan romances,. well translated Into
modern English
II were as well for an English author to
attempt 10 give German atmosphere 10
story OF German life by writing II In brok-
on English as 10 attempt to give oid-tims
flavor TO an old-;ime tale BY writing In
tongue composad OF both the old and the
nav.
II am right In my conclusions. atmos-
phere may he Impaired by facts and Ian
guase. subject TO the conditions above
stated These two methods, although
generally attempted. more frequently fail
than succeed. Novels wherein oid-time
phrases and historical facts only are re-
lied upon 10 give old-time chlor are ae-
eepted without question. perhaps. by
those who do not know the period of
which the novels treat. or do not care to
enaiyge the question. Hut 10 an inqusF-
ing mind. knowing the period. such a
novel as 10 its atmosphere Ia usually as
disappointing wet gunpowder IL IL
from the setting o. the story and from
the acts. motives and methods of thought
Of the characters that true atmosphere
may he impaired. what the characters
are made 20 feel. 40 and say gives real
atmosphere. What they Say IL the i'm
portant matter; not how they say II.
Motive II the ground color for all historf-
cal pictures.
There IL no period tn history OF which
We have complete view. At best We
can only catch ElImpzes ~ tbs environ
ment OF men and woman whe have pre-.
coded us and who have faded into the
dim. haxy light Of the past. We have
but frawmsntary pictures. that come 10
us In sections. like the picture blocks Of
child, with many parts MISSING Those
parts which we lack try 10 nIl in az
best we can. guiding eur hands, az We
draw. by the parts We have.
Much has been said % the rare historic
atmosphere In seotts novels. and have
frequently heard II ATTRIBUTED 20 scott's
style 81 writing. The writer os this artt-
Gle has revrt>s IN 'fvarhoe~ ard The
Tsitsman since he wa. child aaa
hopes 20 enjoy them 80 ions az his read.
ina days shau last but he ventures 70
assert that the language ~ those great
books Is false- II e neither the language
of saxon Norman England nor q scatt's
day II has Hisled many readers. Fas-
chatting as scoft's novels ars-ana far
sustained romantic in;sres: Quentin
DGFwaFd' has not its peer-faw 81 them
have any true atmosphere trapartes b
the language IN which they are wrfttsn
Many 81 them create false impression
BY reason ~ their artificial style. Ger
iairiy Srott could not have impaired Al
moephsrs 20 'rv2nhoe' and "Karll-
worth" by the same style thsir Periods
were centuries apart. with e-zuAl truth
MAJ 81 se said tina. he could not have
Impaired realism to '-Qu~ntin Durward-'
By Fprtnkiing hts pages with olA~slrne
English phrases The language ~ is
period was old French. Even had Scott
used English OF the time Of Edward w.
he could not have created ar stmosp here
OF odd France.