New-York tribune., 1901-07-13
A PIQUANT PROPHET.
MP n G. WELLS ON THE BOOKS OF THE
FUTURE AND THE LITERARY
BOOM OF THE PRESENT.

In the course Of that series of "Anticpations"
In which Mr. H. G. Wells is contributing 10 the
Fortnightly Review" his speculations as to the
probable condition of the civilized world in the
coming era he gives some curious pictures OF
typical households. In the July number OF the
magazine he fingers over the apartment which
will suffice for "the mass of middling sort OF
people" He is not very sangune as TO the
culture" of these people. Their apartments, he
fancies will be Uttered with miscellaneous
literature novels of an entertaining and stimu-
,a,;no Sor+ nredon,inatine / suspect
there would be an edition of Omar about
in this more typical household OF 'Moderns,
but / doubt about the Bible" Yet literature
will not die for society is to be split up into
groups. and each group will be faithful to one
standard another
The kingdoms of the past We're little things.
and above the mass of peasants VINO hVeo anu
obeved and died there was just one little culture
10 which all must needs conform. Literature
was universal within the limits OF its language.
Where difference of view arose there were Vlo-
lent controversies polemcs and prosecutions,
until one or other rendering had won Its ascend
ency But this new world into which we are
passing WILL for many generations at least.
albeit IL will be freely iptercommunicating and
like whispering gallery for things outspoken'
possess no universal ideals. no universal con-
ventions: there viii be the literature OF the
thought and effort Of this sort of people, and the
literature thought and effort of that.
The outlook is not altogether cheering. 1t is
pleasanter to dream of a time in which every
body will read what is good, and actively
denim what is bad. But in any case, If
to believe Mr. Wells. there will be pro-
foundy comforting fact to reckon with: the
literary BOOM" that monstrous thing. which so
often nowadays not only introduces new rub
bish to those who love it, but forces 1t upon the
attention of those who loathe It, will have ceased
to be- 1t still seems TO be regarded as indispen-
sable in some quarters where better taste is
expected, but Mr.. Wells thinks that its declen-
sion is already becoming apparent enough"
In an interesting footnote he says:
The literary Boom" for example affected
the entire reading public OF the early nineteenth
century 1t was no figure of speech that every
one" was reading Byron or puzzling about the
Waverley mystery, that first and most success
full use of the unknown author dodge. The boom
ing of Dickens, too. forced him into the
reluctant hands of Omar's Fitzgerald. But the
factory syren voice Of the modern "boomster'
touches whole sections of the reading public no
more than fog horns going down Channel. One
would think OF SINNERS Soap for ones
library So-and-So's Hundred Thousand Copy
Success. Instead OF every one" talking Of the
Great New Book. quite considerable numbers
shamelessly admitting they don't read that
sort of thing One gets used to literary booms
just gets used to motor cars; they are no
longer marvellous universally significant things
but merely something that goes by with much
unnecessary noise and leaves a faint offence in
the air Distinctly we segregate. And while no
one dominates, while for all this bawling there
really great authors of imperial dimen-
sions. indeed great successes to compare with
the Waverley boom. or the boom of Macaulay's
History many men, too fine, too subtle too
aberrent, too unusually fresh for any but ex-
ceptional readers, men who would probably have
failed TO get a hearing at all in the past can
now subsist quite happily with the little sect
they have found or that has found them They
live safely in their islands little while ago
they could not have lived at ALL or could have
lived only on the shameful bread of patronage
and yet ii is most often these very men who are
most covetously bitter against the vulgar pref
erences OF the present day.