The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-24
WILKIE COLLINS AND OTHERS

of the Austrian dynasty is a dubious
question, and the revolutionary move
| ment in Spain looks ominous. IL 1t
were to be decided by wager, would
/ implicitly follow Gibbons Tip" and
| put my money on Tom Jones'. The
/ prudish may object to the "impropri-
cites" which they are sure to see in
Joseph Andrews and in Amelia"
But those who appreciate the human
/ in literature will admire the inimitable
portraits of Squire Allworthy, and
! Partridge and lParson Adams and that
! best of wives, Amelia.
| Again, Jane Austen. as different
! from Fielding as parsonage Is from
a hospitable inn, will live when all the
story-writers of today are forgotten.
/, Her maiden aunts and eligible young
women and unromantic bachelors are
undying types. We may forget SCOTS
"big bow-wow," but cannot forget
pride and Prejudice" Sense and Sen.
sibility." .Northanger Abbey or
Emma" When we read 'Ivanhoe"
I and "Old Mortality" We are inclined
to ask: Did such things ever happen?"
But when we read Sense and Sensi-
bility" and "Northanger Abbey" we
are convinced that Jane Austen paint
led 9Afe g. "tnsSasos~ AZ tsa.-s--- -.
| We do not feel SO certain about Bull
wer Lytton or G. p. r. James or Will
liam HARRISON Ainsw orth. III their
novels we find pictures of past that
may never have existed. For this rea-
son Harold" and "Rienzi" and Darn
ley" and THE Tower of London and
old ST. PauFs" impress us as unre-
liable history as well as very indif-
ferent fiction. But Charlotte Bronte's
masterpiece Jane Eyre" is at least
more human. Jane is perhaps Char
lotte herself whom Swinburne called
"iery-hearted vestal." Rochester is a
fascinating profligate probably based
on her knowledge of her dissipated
brothers vices. which as loving sis
ter she condoned.
l will venture to predict that
George Eliot's creations will outlive
those of Thackeray or OF Dickens In
the character of Adam Bede we have
a real man. Hetty Sorrel is such a girl
as one may meet any day in rural Eng
land. Squire Donnithorne is a true
British squire, and Mrs. Poyser is
countrywoman with a sharp tongue
such as England will always produce.
In the United States fiction has been
so miscellaneous that its vitality is
questionable. But We may be sure
that Nathaniel Hawthornes wretched
minister, the Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale,
and Hester Prynne and Hepzibah
Pyncheon and Judge Pyncheon will
live as long as the American republic
and / as one Of Hawthornes most
ardent admirers would add, as long
as the English language.
Henry James, who has not long since
died, wrote novels which are impress
sive as speciments of style. But how
many characters did he create? Alas!
Il fear we can only remember that
dainty irresponsible creature, Daisy
Miller. George Meredith's Diana may
/ survive for few decades, but doubt
whether the hero of THE Egoist" with
his intolerable leg will long find
place in human memory. Thomas
Hardy is, however, real creator
and he is living still. When he is
sleeping in the Dorchester cemetery
or wherever else his last resting place
on earth may be, Farmer Oak, and
Bathsheba Everdene and Winterborne
and Marty and Angel Clare and Tess
and Jude will not be forgotten.
Perhaps this rapid view Of the crea-
lions Of fiction may suggest the cause
of the deep oblivion which is Wiikte
Collins's fate. 1t Is his incapacity to
depict to men and women as real live
people He wrote books in which per-
sons We're OF no consequence and Incl
dents alone were important As the re-
suit he and his kind must pass out of
human ken as novelists of no i'm
portance.
LUCIAN.