The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-25

nance and realism. Having played on
both sides OF that line and having under
taken ut times TO straddle II I may mod
estly lay claim to a variety Of experiences
with the public that Is our hope and our
despair. Romance is. generally speaking,
more profitable to author. editor and pub
Usher than realism. The public or a vast
division of II. wants to be amused, and
life as 1t isn't Is apparently better calcu-
lated to amuse than a transcript OF life
as It IL.
Characters are the main thing In
fiction. and the development OF character
cannot be made plausible where II Is not
marked by sincerity. Nor can a writer
who hopes TO persuade particular editor
to ecrialize his novel utter the best that
Is In him with the photograph OF that
editor on the desk before him.
Mr. johnson has struck tho nail squareiy
on the head In his remarks upon tho
limitations that embarrass the novelist
when he undertakes to paint an erring
woman. The reading public. like the
gallery gods. must have chance to hiss
the shameful creature from the stage.
However. In my "Otherwise Phyllis' !
sent an erring woman home to the COM
munity she had left In dishonor and made
cheerful affair of her return. and I
don't recall that any reader or critic has
complained Of 1t. II isn't important, but
! consider that woman the best and truest
character ! have ever done.
My publisher quoted to me recently the
remark OF "A distinguished American
novelist who said that those Of us who
want to deal with life as II Is. not az the
boarding school girl would like to have II.
must learn to live lean" We all know
that by writing "A certain kind OF thing
for certain periodicals we are likelier to
gather in shekels than by pleasing our
own consciences and taking our chances
with those people who are willing to lay
down a dollar and IS cents for a novel
that contains a clean slice out OF the
huge layer cake OF life. The number OF
American magazine editors who are will
ing to print n straight novel OF life
and manners is limited to three or four :
the rest seem intent upon printing as
much beribboned and perfumed naughti-
ness as they dare. A number OF very
promising novelists and one or two Of real
achievement have been utterly democrat
lied by this salacious tendency or move.
ment. or whatever II may be called. The
spectacle OF writer's OF ability furiously
initiating each other in sprinkling red
pepper over the Ice cream they serve the
public In not edifying. In fact nothing
In American literary history has been
more deplorable A friend at my elbow
remarks that Mrs. Wharton's fine novel,
THE House OF Mirth." started the trouble
There may be something in this Ger
tain 1t is that much sewage has been
switched into Mrs. wharton's finely or
dered garden. Or TO change the compari-
son. her palette has been seized by n
number OF clumsy worknen who have
heightened her colors and proceeded to
retouch with q whitewash brush her
carefully considered canyases.
As my adventures with magazine edi-
tors have been few and on the whole
highly satisfactory and agreeable 7
speak Of the presenter recent-mad
rush for the prurlent with no personal
grievances ranking In my soul. Offend
ing editors seem to be wearying OF their
orgy and already show signs OF contri-
ton The standards OF public taste were
not 70 low as they had assumed them to