Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-09-27

Miss Louise Forsslund, whose new
Shin of Dreams" has just
been published BY the Harpers, had
an interesting experience with her first
novel. THE Story Of Sarah In the
first place. the book was the young
author initial attempt at a long
story. and she spent three years in
writing it. Then followed eight weary
months in which she endeavored to
find a publisher. The first one re
iected it: the second likewise; and so
on through five dismal rejections. The
sixth refused even to examine it, say
ing he was too busy. The seventh pub
Usher accepted il, and the book proved
q big success. Now comes this auth
or's second book, THE ship OF
Dreams" showing a striking advance
in power and charm ever her hrst,
and dealing with that part of our
country and people its author knows
best-Long Island and its native folk.
Will n. Harden, author OF that ad-
mirable novel of Southern life. "Abner
his usual winter visit Mr.. Harden,
who is devoting all his literary labor to
the rural region of Georgia, which he
so thoroughly knows, gathers his ma
terial at first hand throughout the
summer months. living on terms of
genial friendship with the types Of
people about whom he writes SO CAPT.
tally. and saturating his mind with the
Of ferl1h nphnndc n
which they dwell. After half 4 year
spent in receiving impressions and
making notes. Mr.. Harden comes to
New York. where. in the midst of the
metropolitan rush and hustle, he writes
down the results of his summers
study. Mr.. Harden is one of the most
earnest workers among American lit
ereiry men. and has fairly earned his
present success.
Literature. Art and Music. the new
magazine, has the finest writers and
the best stories. Every month it gives
either a sheet of new music. worth
fifty cents or an art study in color,
worth seventy-tive cents, each Separ-
ate from the magazine. 1t can be
bought from the newsdealers, or send
Literature, Art and Music III East
23rd street. New York City. The sub
Scription price is one dollar year.
In "A Problem for Critics. in the
current number of the Forum, Prof. w.
p. Trent says: 1T is still an unsettled
question whether it is best to let a
poor book by an established author
tx
criticised. or to censure it thoroughly
and emph&tically according to the
critics ability. A hundred years ago
brilliant men that founded The Edin-
burgh Review" would not have ad-
u4ued The existsnGe. Of such CUES
tlon. They applied to criticism Straf-
ford's method of Thorough and
their most brilliant pupil. Macaulay,
afterward gave, in his essay on the
poetry of Mr. Robert Montgomery.
what is perhaps the classic example in
English Of unmitigated literary con
demnation.
Gradually. however. such scathing
criticism became questionable. both
because of a general softening of man
ners and because n higher view be-
gan to be taken of the critics func
tons. To set a writer's merits in re-
lief rather than to emphasize his faults
seemed at once more kind TO the in
dividual and more adVanta geous to the
cause of culture. Iudiscriminate cen
sure was not, indeed, completely re-
placed by inordinate eulogy. as read
erS of Matthew Arnold'S lectures on
TRANSMITTING Homer and of sundry of
Mr.. Churton Collins uncomplimentary
reviews of books by Mr.. Gosse and
Prof. Samtsbury will easily recall.
Still. the trend toward mider criticism
has become stronger and stronger. un-
til but the other day Mr.. Collins in his
'Ephemera Critica, felt obliged 10
make an earnest plea for more rigorous
and vigorous methods. Many of mis-
arguments with regard to the neces~
sity of maintaining high standards of
scholarship and taste We're undoubt-
eddy sound but probably most of his
readers. used as they We're to urbane
not to say anaemic criticism. We're
somewhat i'll at ease while perusing his
trenchant pages. They were too
familiar with the injunction Put
yourself in his place to be able thor
oughly to enjoy righteous denuncia
tions of erring writer's.
'Rut although the day of slashing re-
view is apparently over. to the salts
faction of most of US. ii can scarcely he
questioned that the cause of literature
Is deriving little profit from two forms
of criticism that seem to he in vogue.
on" of these forms is that of the ex-
travagantly Mandatory review written
by q weil-kuown man of letters, who.
through kindheartedness or for some
ether reason. praises n contemporary
book or writer in terms which he as
suredly would not use if he We're deal
ing with an author or work of the
past. No reference is here made to
mere notices in literary supplements
and other such journals. or to what is
sometimes called 1og-rolling.' nut to
elaborate essays that seem to the un-
wary reader impartial studies of books
and writer's, yet are really friendly
tributes or solicited advertisements.
Reviews of thfs character are becom-
ling sd ustial'that it is scarcely neces-
'safWto cite EXAMPLES? If they were
only friendly tributes. properly certified
sas eiich. ntheSs eouftf do little harm and
Hriiss7t do Some good But they are too