The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-25

as we'll 90 let fly at the moon, even If
one only hits a tree But when fiery
footed Pegasus would fain gallop away
with its rider into the realms of imagi
nation and enchaEtment-when the as
Piring disciple of literature, all aglow
with freshness and fervor, strives to
catch some new spirit of thought as it
rushes past on it's swift wings, or seeks
TO create some fair consoling idyll Of
human circumstance. then all the pub
fishers stand massed in the way and
cry, Halt" Don't let US have any
great ideasl' they say-"they are
above the heads of the Dublicl Be do
mestic-be matrimoni2lly iniquitous-
be anything in the line of fiction but
great Don't give us new things to
think abouI-the public have no time
to think. What they want is just some
thing TO glance at between tea and
dinner"
Now. this condition of affairs. which
is 50 positively disastrous to all liter
airy art, is entirely brought about by
the lack of one vital point in the mod
err education Of the British and Amer
lean people, namely, that they have
not been taught how to read. AS a
result of this they frequently pro-
nounce a book too long" or too dull'
too this. or too that, without having
looked at more than perhaps twenty
pages of its contents. AS an example
of what I mean I will here relate
little experience Of my own which L
purposely entered upon for my own
instruction and entertainment, con-
corning a novel which | greatly admire
Simon Dale" byAnthony Hope. Dur
ing one entire year l made il my bust
ness TO ask a goodly number of we'll
to- do reading people their opinions
on this book and ! found that not one
of all whom 1 asked had read it ac-
tually through. One lady, of such
blue" blood that l should not like to
risk comparisons without having what
washer women call the blue bag" be-
side me as a witness to it's color. as
sured me that it was the most delight
full book she had ever read. When [
asked her what character in ii she
liked the best she replied: ooh, Simon.
of course-that dear big man who was
SO fond Of Lornai And Lorna herself!
What a creation" And then l found
she vas talking of Lorna Doone." l
said-"but that's by Blackmore. Yes,
Of counsel" she agreed vivaciously-
That's the man you meant, isn't it?"
Not exactly" 1 answered. Il was
speaking of Simon Dale by Anthony
Hope Anthony Hope-you know his
name, of course?" Her face fell. "Oh
vesl" she said. He wrote 'Dodo.' I
I
agreed that IL was no use entering
into any discussion as to the merits
of Simon Dale" with this excellent
gentlewoman, who, however, is only
one of the very large educated" class
who do not know how to read. They
have never learned-and some Of them
will never learn. They cannot realize
the unspeakable delight and charm Of
giving ones self up to ones author,
nrQin6iQp prifipfSY11
everything that could possibly break
or mar the spell, being carried on the
wings of gentle romance away from
self, away from the everyday car0es
and petty personalities of social con-
vention and observance and living
with" the characters which have been
created by the man or woman whose
fertile brain and toiling pen have unit
eddy done their best to give this little
respite and holiday to those who will
take it and rejoice in it with gratitude.
But unfortunately these are few.