Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-06-02
BOOKS AND WRITERS.
A New York Critic Scores the New
Colonial Romances.
Gossip Of the New Books-Criticism Of Kip.
iing-Max O'Reii's illness.

The New York Press speaks WIFI
came scorn of Janice Meredith,
.richard Carvel'' and ITO Have ana
4, Hold" and likens the historical
cut-lni-s slash romance to the circus:
one Of them is dime novel, Whlch
If a boy were caught reading IN the
norer-cover form sold at a nickel.
would earn for him a thrashing from
bis anxious parent. Another is made
~ Of whole blocks Of chapters from
rhackeray's Henry Esmond" and
The Virginans." and. unfortunately
for the art Of writing. the blocks have
been chopped into shapeless and un-
beautiful chunks. The other is a patch
work Of primary history illuminated
with The flashing Of tin swords.
Yet each one Of these books touches
human interest. They are to the book
reader what the circus is to the boy.
some. ~ us may know Of a precociouS
and abnormal youth of u years who
would rather practice his music lesson
than go to a circus, but all the other
hoys in the town want the circus. and
they want it sufficiently, if they cannot
pet il any other way. to crawl under
thp tent That is why. and probably
thn only reason why. the books com
plained Of sell 50 enormously. The
human nature t. which they appeal is
universal. They dwell upon the primal
emotions. feelings and passions. They
scratch to the quick of life. They are
laor True But the boy will go to a
poor circus rather than to the most
beautiful music lesson. Give him a
better circus and he Will be all the
happier, but a circus Of any quality is
better than no circus.
Doubtless we shall be accused Of
taking a low viewpoint when we make
The comparison. We don't think We
dn We confess that we find more fault
with good many OF the books which
the professional critics approve than
we DO with the poor "carVels' ana
Janice Meredths. The particular
charge t. be laid against most Of the
kind which preceded the present run"
Of historical romance is that. however
fine the artistic finish Of good many
Of them. they carried nothing 10 uni
versal humanity. They developed
chiefly the manifestations Of the per
H'Hdl p'-i'iS, ldiS. NtS. llldiIl'lS, ~
The writer's. And such exposition can
appeal only To those who possess the
same manias or are afflicted with the
same diseases as form the motive of
that kind Of fictio The people Of
his world in general are not maniacal
ana they are not diseased.
Richard Carvel." Janice Meredith"
ana The others like them simply are
following with feeble footsteps the
way uf 4 Thdckeray-the way of uni
yersal humanity. As the boy goes t.
the circus. 50 the public reads these
cheap limitations Of noble masters. for
fun" Nothing more. There is no
harm in that. The peiantic bookman
takes himself too seriously. and his
views Of humanity are gloomy to no
purpose or advantage to any one. Why
care whether To Have and To Hold
.lls 200 COO or 200. o0O. 900 volumes? The
public goes to that circus this time /:
next time to some other The tents
come down and move off, and the boys
90 back To the SChnolhouSe which
stands on its foundations. The circus
books are Well enough for a couple Of
hours amusement once in a while.
Don't find fault with them or those
who have their fun" 1t IL peevish.
It II b"ntless. Thackeray. the school
house. stays.