The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-02-24
CENSORS STIR UP BOSTON.
"a sOrs NOVELS RSJgSrsD ~ rvs
rfHfn IfRRtn
nss. a~rmpNr, wsrds riss-"'" Ams"s fh'r"
- ps,,d Wsr-m" ones . u''''" hot S's-
ssea 4 siub w.rsn'' No'i"rs " 'srr""s
gooLs p.fo,m ~ Method, ''Nsd s"r

V,... Reform ~ Method, 'a'lsd sor.
i~sroS. rsh - Literary po-'on Il NV
a..rierrlns . novel cor .rt'o0 owing ~ NJ"
a,srovcri.s that have met l'"n made s'"u'
the ron ior.hip ~ tho BOSTON Iuhli" Ithf7r'
peftIcul,fiv In rerafi - works ~ i''i'n
The lat ~ the famous no, nls. the p"cinis'lI'
spcoe.sful booss and Tho ho"ha highly rf'l'"'
bv trofe4sfor7l literary cii'i,s vfi'h hhv"
bsn .ei~,teI by tho ot1mirirg ot t"ad'hf
ss sunsrvtsorr committees hnH amazed 'h"
pubiic Tho revelations hav" astoni'hed ~"
spthors ,hems.l,cs md not r. f"v ~ ~"
cvbIi.hrra ouite ~ much ~ '1" general pub
Ic. n tho decisions - NO committee" have
syvpt,sed pcople. tho me'hod' ~ c'n'"f'ns
have proved fully ne Interesting
Tn. s,orm hae hem h.evlng for some time
MANY months aro rnruurs 81, etc floating around
mat David Hnrim- 81 teen rei""tei Nv
oAs Boston tih~nyy sirc" then pro'''t-
have been mad. with r%sfetenc" n ''r'Hln
s<her slccessful works ~ Action which we're
yejsctad nv tho strenuous criticism NJ th-
Iibssrv's reading committee hose now
Svsr. we're ~ gentle l"phyrs compared tn mo
Mogm that haa broken out since n" discovery
81 the names ~ dozens - other hoos- ~ VIl"
fame and sails which have h"en a. relent-
leasly put on the rejected list
That "a WHY at club gatherings. Vt the
SUNDAY afternoons" Tor which Boston has
lstsly developed a liking. at Mondays ana
sTueadays" and other days, ons l. apt 10
And little groups discussing the question OF
Whistler Oh. reading 'omrDitt"e acted clf-
oumrpectly In rejecting sons particular
novel Some ~ the questions asked are
vAAher a body Of society women mako The
best possible court ~ inquiry on Oh" merits NJ
q new book whether personal predictions
could possibly influence the decisions. OF 'uch
q eoup OF society and club women. whether
thsv would be A. apt. for instance. 70 favor 4
new book by a writer Ike Judge Grant, who
n not.d for The humorous and ridiculo Strings
he can sec at a society function or a club meet
inx. A thev would the work OF q man with
many feminine admirers. Ike Prof Griggs.
whether the censoring OF new novels IA really
q crave responsibility requiring the finest
special preparation that can he had
Thus. with vim and visor the subject -
being debated The library has ~ Jealous
supporters, and the reading has rs
defenders. male and female. for u il an un-
written law that clubwomen 'hAl rally {" tn"
aid Of sist e. clubwom"n when the latter are
ATTACKED And Of critics tho library is not
lacking. Those disposed to carp have even
zone 30 far as 70 call for opinions from the
librarians OF other large cities and quote with
se,t the drastic comments Of some o. these
ofcials.
Inasmuch rs something IKE six or seven
hundred novels como forth each year and
knock for admission at the doors 81 the Boston
Public Library. il Is not doubted, or course,
that there are scores OF books which are mani
testify unworthy of ii place on tn" library
shelves. II must also be remembered that
there are at present no especial restrictions
or rules for the censoring OF nc" books
The Reading Committee can give any one Of
" II - that - - n ana ~
afty other reasons for rejecting n book:
II ia not No TO tho autho-'s usual standard
II is poorly written.
Itisimmor1l
Ndoes not tcnito promote culture
1t Is too sensational
II is a plagiarism.
The moncc could be better expended, 30
BIZ thc reason whatit may. tis afact. never
theless, that on Dec 10. ,sas. Edward Noyes
Westcott's novel. David Harum." was in
e]uded undo tho head Of novels reported 70
the Boston Pgblic Library for rejection The
tremendous popular success Of tho book re-
suited in SO powerful a CiatUo- FOR tho book
at the library that il had 70 he heedsd. and
to-day II you ask IL David Harum' l. IN the
library. Won are told "Oh, yes, indeed" But
the mention oI the incident Of The objection
OF David Haruu," does not seem 70 be hailed
with delight by ne. abcrs Of tho Reading Conn
mittee. They appear to ind a greater pleas
ure in informing 'hr UIcstiorer that -ther"
are thirty-ave copies of the book in tho
library
But David U7ruu' - not the onlv famous
book upon which the reading committee
has somewhat dircrcd with IN" verdict o; IN"
people. One Of the other authors whose
books have had n large sale and vino vet hfv"
had to submit 70 doses OF rejection az IN"
hands OF the reading committee IA Mrs IA
bella NJ. Alden. better known ~ Pans
One OF the bcct-Euown writer's OF c'ld'"r''
stories. her books have been tremendour'"
popular and ordinarily. size IA supposed -
be tho very pink Of perfection for the li'.ls
folks Nevertheless. her "Rolben's HIM
ORANGES" As IN n Mirror" aud a Modern
Sacrifice" we're listed as rejected by the con-
scientious reading committee
And at divers times and places. under tho
heading Of Rejected" appear Mary L. WIKI
ins's The People Of Our Nelghhorhood,
Maria Louise POOLS Friendship and Folly
a Golden Stream" and Land y Bushes.
George AIDES doc. Horne" and lis latest
hook. More Fables" Winston ChurchilI's
The Celebrity Paul Bourgeois Domestic
Dramas" Sir Walter Bssants Tho Change
ling Lillian Bells The Instinct OF step
fatherhood," william lie QueuI's "Scribes
and Pharisees." Capt. Charles Kings A
wounded Name Cutcline Hyne's The
Adventures Of Captain Kettle" Mrs, Burton
Harrison's Good Americans Paul Leicester
Ford's The Tattle Tales OF Cupid Harold
Frederic's Gloria Mundi. Amelia Z Bars
Trinity Bells" S, r, Crockett's lone Marsh
Rdgerton Castles Young April. Mary Hart
well Catherwood's Spanish Peggy" w. Petit
Ridges "A Son OF the State" Jesse Lynch
williams's Adventures OF a Freshman
Max Pemberton's -Kronstadt,- Laura L
Richards Love and Rocks. W Petit Ridges
by Order OF the Magistrate" Gertrude
Atherton's The Californians. Senator
North" and a Daughter Of the Vine" K. "
Chambers In tie Quarter" Outsiders"
and The Conspirators." Molly Eliot sea
wells The Loves OF the Lady Arabeila
Henry Jsmes's The Two haGics, Robert
Bars "Tekla," Maarten N4artens's Her
Memory." Julia Magrgder's "%Straun.' jules
vcrue's AN antarctic Mystery" Iols's
stories for NiGon,' Robert Bars Jennie
BnNtcr. Journalist. / " Hornung's The
Amateur Cracisruar. R0lt il"rrichs Loves
Dilemma. Amelia J. Bars Was Il Rishi
t. Iorgivc?' / " HprnunC'- Dead Men