The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-10-02

so brilliant a luminary of genius Wal
ter Scott could no longer be considered
worthy of attention as a poet What
rhymer of to-day would thus nObly
condemn himself in order to give praise
TO a rival?
May it not with due respect be sug-
gested to those who have the handling
Of such matters that neither the
avowed friends nor the avOwed foes OF
authors be permitted 90 review their
bOOkS-the same rule OF criticism TO
apply equally 10 the works Of r1usi-
clans. painters, sculptOrs and play
wrights? Neither personal prejudice
nor personal favOritism should be al
lowed to interfere with the impression
produced on the mind by work OF art
Vulgar abuse and fervid eulOgy are
alike out Of place. In the productions
of the human brain nothing is wholly
bad and nothing is wholly good Per-
lection is impossible OF attainment on
our present plane OF existence We do
not find il in nature. still less shall We
find il in ourselves. The critic can show
good in everything if he himself is OF
good mind. Or he can show bad in
everything as easily, should his diges-
ton be out Of order.
Unfortunately the wear and tear OF
life'-tO quote the patent medicine ad-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS natural havoc on
the physical composition Of the unfOr-
tunate gentleman who is perhaps set
down to review twenty novels in one
column Of print for the trifing sum OF
a guinea. All sorts OF difficulties beset
him. For instance. he may be employ
ed on a certain literary paper which.
being the property Of the relatives OF
a novelist, exists chiefly to praise that
novelist. even though it be curiOusly
called an organ Of English literature"
and woe betide the miserable man
who dares TO praise any one else
Knowing much of the ins and outs OF
the literary grind l tender my salu-
tatiOns TO all reviewers OF books, to-
gether with my respectful sympathy. 1
am truly sorry for them and do not in
the least wonder that they hate with a
deadly hatred every scribblinS creature
who writes a long novel Because
the pay" for reviewing such a book is
never in proportion TO its length. as Of
course il ought TO be. But anyway II
doesn't matter how much or how little
if il is criticized The bulk OF the pub
lie do not read reviews That is left
to the discriminating few" And oh.
how that discriminating few" would
love to capture the fancy OF the
masses if they could only manage to
do it. Yet-'never mind" they say.
with the tragedian'S glare and SCOwl-
''Our names will be inscribed upon the
scroll of fame when all ye are forgot
ten" Dear things, Heaven grant
them this poor comfort in their graves.
One cannot but regret that in these
days of wonderful research, discovery
and invention. so little is done TO pop
uIarize science in the columns OF the
daily press The majority OF the public
are appallingly ignorant OF astrOn-
Omy for instance. Would il not be as
interesting TO instruct them in a simple
and easy style as to the actual Won
ders of the heavens about US. as 10
I'LL their minds with the details or a
murder? I hardly like TO touch on the
subject Of geography. for out Of fifteen
educated" persons L asked the ques-
ton recently. not one knew the actual
situation on the map of Tibet Now il
seems to me that the press could work
wonders in the way of educatiOn-much
more than the "bilI'' will ever do
Books on science and learning are
often sadly dull and generally expen-
sive-the public cannot afford 10 buy
them largely. nor do they ask for them
much at the libraries. II the daily
journals made it a rule TO give bright
picturesque articles on some grand old
truths Of science or some great new
discoveries, such a course Of procedure
would be far more productive OF good
than any amount OF short sermons
such as we have lately heard discussed
in various quarters. For the press is
really a greater educational force than
the pulpit. In its hands it has the So
cial molding Of a peOple-the dignity
of a nation as represented to other ma
tons There could hardly be a nObler
task-there can certainly never be a
higher responsibility.