The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-01-10
FAvoRIrE NOVELS.
Fiction Which Has the Stamp of APP
prOval Of Famous NOvehsts.

Gus and candid enough to declare
that he finds almost asmueh pleasure
in reading a good novel as in writing
one; and his tastes lie chiefly in the
direction of fiction Of past genera
tons. "If you ask me to name the
novel which in my opinion is without
a rival he says, 81 should without
hesitation say sThe Cloister and the
Hearth a story which, long as it is,
has genius on every page of it. The
second place l should award to Scott,
his 'Iyanhoe' for choice; and amsng
recent works of fiction Barrie's books
have given me most pleasure"
OF the last generation of story writ
ers, says London Tit-Bits, there was
perhaps no better critic than james
Payn, who divided his allegiance
equally between Scott, Dickens and
Thackeray. 'To my mind Ivan
hoe, " he once said, sis the greatest
novel in our language and one that
will live the longest; but it has a for
midable rival in Vanity Fair and
perhaps in David Copperfeld' and
Martin Chuzzlewit.'"
The late Sir Walter Besant always
found a fresh charm in Lorna
Doone," which he considered quite
the best novel of his time. He had
also a gerat admiration for Hardy's
'eTess Of the D Urbervilles" and Mere
dith's 'Richard Feverel;" indeed,
with the single exception Of "Lorna
Doone," Sir Walter, like so many ex-
cellent judges, held that Meredith is
head and shoulders greater than any
recent writer Of fiction.
Mr.. Meredith, however, while adj
miring Sir Walter Besant's books,
awards the palm among his rivals to
Thomas Hardy, many Of whose books,
such as Ear from the Madding
Crowd and "Under the Greenwood
Tree" he finds unfailingly delight
full. Of the giants who are gone he
holds Scott, Thackeray and Dickens
unapproachable.
Mr.. G. A. Henty, the author of so
many charming stories for old and
young,admitsth that amongallthe books
Of modern writers that have given
him pleasure he is most indebted to
Lorna Doone." Mr.. Rider Haggard
among living writers admires none
more than Mr.. Stanley Weyman,
whose gentleman Of France" he con-
siders a masterpiece Of fiction. He is
also a great admirer Of Conan Doyle,
and considers that that clever and
popular story teller has never writ
ten anything to equal "The White
Company" a verdict which Sir Ar
thur himself indorses.
Miss Marie Corelli ~confesses a lik-
ing for Marion Crawford's Italian
stories. She places the author of
doctor Claudius" at the head of
~present-day story t%ellers; but her real
heroes in fiction are George Eliot and
Charlotte Bronte, Scott and Dickens,
Edna Lyall has a similar affection
for Dickens, whose David Copper
feld7 she knows from cover to cover.
SCOTS novels she loves, especially
"Rob Roy" and among other books
which hold a high place in her regard
are "Silas Mariner" "Esmond," and
Mrs. Gaskelrs "Cranford."
/ Mr.. Christie Murray says he has
i spent his happiest reading hours
+, with Charles Reade's "Cloister anC
: the Hearth" but in very close rivalr,
he places David Copperfeld" an(
: "Iyanhoe," while he pleads guilty t.
t an affection for "Tom Jones'" Nh
George Gissing's favorite authors ar
e Charlotte Bronte, Meredith ant
s Thomas Hardy, in the order named
g and of all their works he loves bes
"Villette," Richard Feyerel," an.
"The Return Of the Native;;" an
t the late Mr.. R. L. Stevenson, who's
o taste in fiction was as indisputable q
a his gift Of writing it, placed Scott 8
the head Of his favorite novelists, wit
) "Guy Mannering," "Red Gauntlet,
e and "Rob Roy" as his best stories, an
t. Of later works Of fiction he had Ii
a highest opinion of Thackeray's "E
mond" and George Meredith's "Ricl
It ard Feverel."
! The Inusionary 60"