Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-06-04
DISAPPEARING AUTHORS.
Writers of the Past no Longer Pop
ular.

In the North. American Review
Justin Mccarthy writes Of disappear
ing authors" -meaning the authors
who were very popular at one time,
but whose popularity is now unmis-
takably fading. Most of these authors,
he explains, were not followers of any
particular school, had no set man
nerisms or fads and were in their
way thoroughly original. Charles
Kingsley Anthony Trollope and
Charles Reade are classed among the
disappearing authors. Trollope was
popular even during the days of
Dickens and Thackery. For several
years before his death, however, his
POPULARITY was steadily decreasing, and
now, Mr.. Mccarthy declares, zone
seldom hears him talked of or hardly
reads a citation from him in a news
paper or magazine" Charles Reade's
novels were books with purpose,
written to expose some social griev-
ance or iniquity of legislation. They
were strenuous, masterfuI and mas
culine, but with the gradual accom-
plishment of the purpose which they
were intended to promote interest in
them began to fade. Mr.. Mccarthy
thinks, however, that the artistic
workmanship of most of Reade's
books was enough to secure for them
a life with the everything works of
fiction.
Charles Lever is also given place
in the category of disappearing au-
thOrs' His novels had nothing to
do with law reform or social reform;
they were clever, original and bril-
liant, yet they are undoubtedly, as
Mr.. Mccarthy says, disappearing
from among us. 1t cannot be, he
points out, that they are no longer
popular because they are old-fashion-
ed, or that they tell Of lives and
people whose ways were not our ways
and for whom we have ceased to care.
AS regards "old-fashioned'' novels,
Mr.. Mccarthy says if we are to read
nothing in the shape of novel unless
it occupies itself only with the man
ncrs and customs of the year Or the
week in which we live, Dickens,
Thackery, Sir Walter Scott and even
George Eliot are hopelessly out of
date Mr.. Mccarthy does not accept
the general declaration that all the
really great authors shine forever,
and that only those disappear whose
light has lost it's power of illumining
the human heart and intellect any
more. There are disappearing au
thors, he contends, who have written
books which seem to be quite as well
entitled to hold place in what may
be called our classic literature as
some of those which we all believe to
be firmly enthroned there.
Mr.. Mccarthy believes there is no
desire among English-speaking read
ers and writer's, public and critics to
be rid of old authors and to give their
places to newer corners. 1--WE do not
want them to disappear, he writes;
I'VE are not always conscious that
they are disappearing; we might per-
haps entreat some of them to stay
with us if we knew they were taking
their departure. But we do not notice
their going at the time, and after
awhile we become conscious that they
are gone In literary France he
finds positive eagerness to speed
the parting guest" and hurry the de-
parture of the disappearing author"
According to Mr.. McCarthy's observa-
ton, there are three stages in the
career of French literary man
first, the striving after reputation;
second, the reputation achieved; and,
third, the intimatio1 that he has done
his work and that the world wants no
more of him. Among the ''disap-
pearing authors" in England are not
only novelists, but historians, essay
lists, playwrights and scientists, who
are fading out of the worlds notice
without giving any indication that
they are likely, by any reaction of en-
thlusiasm in the public mind, ito be
exalted into the Elysian fields of the
classics For the fate of those who
have ''just missed becoming classic
have in consequence become de-
classed' Mr. Mccarthy confesses to a
great feeling of regret and great
impulse of remonstrance.