New-York tribune., 1906-12-02
Gbe Netn'Work gribmss.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2. 1906.

With Christmas Day scarcely three weeks
distant the general character of the season
books is plain for all men to see The holiday
publications are nearly all in hand or nav"
been announced. They form an exceptionally
interesting body Of readable stuff. with prac-
tcaIly nothing in the mass that resembles the
old gaudy christmas Book once so conspic-
nous in the winter lists The book that leads
all the rest is the book Of biography or remlnls
cenrn and this year there seem to be fewer
tnan ever of the merely periunctory memoirs
History likewise comes more ana more 10 tle
front and, though the essayiSt of genuine glltS
IS now as always, rare, there are many WRITERS
of purely literary studies who do their WORK
we'll and have no difficulty in finding puDllsh-
ers. The art book, as we nave receniiy ha''
occasion to point out is to-day in its best es-
fate 1t is produced with seriousness and IN
practicable, inexpensive form. The Illustrated
book of travel on the other hand, is the one
thing that is being overdone. Every scribblInS
tourist writes his little volume, and the effec-
tyeness of the haIftone and three color proc
esses tempts the publishers TO turn out lot
of pretty books which are not in the least
needed. This however, is the sole point OF
error which we have to mention. There is no
slackening in the reprinting of the classics
Juvenila. though abundant, is being kept
within bounds. Best of all while there is
plenty of new fiction, the "boom" novel would
appear to have had its day.
In the Christmas number of "HarperS" Mr.
Alden has some suggestive things to say about
current fiction Its most frequent defect he
declares is ''tS lack of spontaneity in consruc-
ton and expression" The writer of the aver
age novel 'has a certain pre-calculated effect
I'm view with reference to which he amb
tiousy contrives every incident and situation
Of biS ctO 70 IN observed tendency
in many writers who fancy themselves, and in
some ways are, much above the average OF
course, inborn genius is the one thing in the
world that will save an author from the habits
of a manufacturer, but some of Mr.. Aldens
comments might not unprOfitably be pOndered
by the novelist whether he be veritably inspired
or not He must have joy in his work, both
in the quest of truth and in its embodiment"
There is even more that is helpful in these say
inSs:
The writer Of fiction who has not life in its |
ouickness and its eager awareness, in its buoy
ant uplifting and delight, may as we'll lay his
pen aside If the wood. the meadow the flowers. |
and the songs of the birds. and the laughter of
children have no compelling charm for MIN; II
he is not thrilled 10y the beauty of women and
the supple strength Of youth; If he does not
drink deeply of the wine of life, and is not
deeply moved by its pathos, his imagination is |
stagnant az its fountain. The joy and pain Of
the heart are the mothers Of all the graces and
dgntieS of life and literature.
We know what many n novelist would say
to this. He would assert that the JOY and pain
of the heart were the objects of his constant
sOlictUde. Nevertheless, his work is apt to
give the impression that lie handles life from
the outside, that he has not an atom of the
;,isto for existence and all the delights of eX !
perierce without which, Mr.. Alden says. one
may as we'll lay the pen aside.
There is something pathetic about the way
in which thn thick and thin admirers Of