The sun., 1919-03-02

CONDUCTED BY.
FRANK PARKER STOCKBRIDGE.
FICTION FANS.
IS a ND less than fifty per cent of the total cir
\. culation was felton,, - :. -.rE...... -n.


the American Library Association S Library War
Service. 1t reflected the ancient grudge Of the libra
rian against the fiction reader born, perhaps, OF
the fact that fiction readers are constantly demand
ing something fresh and are not to be put off with
the dusty tones that have been on the shelves since
the library was opened. Whatever its origin, the
feeling that there is certain merit in the reading
of non-fction that does not accrue TO those who
dissipate lfe's precious moments in the perusal Of
makebelieve stories was not very long ago in fair
way to dominate the public libraries of America
many Librarians assumed that there was reflected
credit TO themselves in keeping their fiction circDla
ton small as possible.
A Live Librarian
There are still libraries where those who would
read the really interesting books discour-
aged; still librarians who would rather see two
brokers' clerks carpenter and plumbers ap-
prentice digging up Outofdate statistics in tho
reference room than hundred boys and girls and
men and women drawing the -Four Horsemen and
"Skavings" and the like from the circulating de-
partment. But there is one librarian who doesn't
feel that way and because he loses either his
temper or an opportunity to tell his fellow-lbra-
rians where they are all wrong he has been one OF
the most potent influences for sanity in librarian
ship in all America.
His name is John Cotton DANA and he is the
librarian at the Free Public Library at Newark,
N. J. number Of years ago Mr.. Dana issued a
little pamphlet called A Thousand Of the Best
NoUels. He has just got out new edition, upto-
date enough to include Mr.. BrIttling for example,
and broad enough to take in both Emile lola and
Ralph Conner and all that lies between 1t is
good list of good books list that but for the very
newest books would make sufficient list of fiction
for most any small library. But more interesting
and ever much more valuable than the list itself
is Mr.. Dana s Introductory essay the reading Of
novels
The Case for Fiction.
Zone may live we'll and be happy and read no
stories but most wiser, happier and worth moro
10 their fellows for the novels they have read is
the dctum, shocking to many Old-fashioned libra
rians, with which he damns those who would attach
all merit to the non-fction books 'There is much
discussion Of the novel, he goes ON, land most Of
it quite proftless To no two does life seem the
same Each, if he writes, must report that which
he sees One talks Of realism and processes to give
a transcript of life it truly is and forgets
that the life which truly is for him. is life no
other ever saw or ever can see, and that his own
vision set ont in words of his choosing is part
of his own self, and real to other mind.
at pleases some to write the fanciful romances.
They lay the scene in fairyland, in CAESARS Rome,
in Cromwe's England in Kansas country
town, is to them easy and attractive IF well done
they seem true TO fact as one reads them. They
portray men and women who seem like the men and
women of our daily experience. Between this good
romance and the best of realistic novels who can
draw line of separationf
AS to Purpose" in Novels.
To the demand that novels should have a serious
purpose Mr.. Dana makes the all-Suficient reply,
"If trees may grow and birds may sing then novels
may be as their writers please Tom SGseyer is
good story, but its moral is not easily found Many
have found morals in King Lear, and call it also
good tale. To read discussions of either
by one less poet than Shakespeare or less humor-
list than Twain is a waste Of time
How to classify novels, to distinguish the good
from the La1' "IS there way of telling good
newell when You see onei No, there is not
Their prime purpose is to please. We can
not make rules for pleasures, regulate tastes by
laws. Tastes, feelings, pleasures come by nature
and they come differently to every one. They do
not come by reason and they do not change to
order
do not know Of any better guide, either to libra
rians, to those who draw books from Libraries or
to those who building private Libraries of their