New-York tribune., 1919-05-24
Tips for Writers
Our House Tells a
Story With a Moral

OUR HOUSE. BY Henry seidel Canby.
Published by the Macmillan Company.
30s pages Price, sleO.
And at that, it is $3.50 cheaper than
buying Canby's other books, which give
in text form little more of practical
advice to would-be author than is
contained in his first novel.
Not that we intend to imply any
thing whatsoever derogatory about an
excellent book, from point of charac-
terization, construction and interest
Professor George P. Baker, of Harvard
and "47 Workshop fame, once told us
that the person who wanted to make
writing a career should take o job in
volving none Of it, By indirect method
Professor Candy evidently would get
across to struggling literary geniuses
still in the embryonic stage the same
maxim. For he forces Robert Roberts
through all the processes of romantic
and imaginative output which charac-
terizes nebulous immaturity. He has
him make an intensive study of liter
ary and philosophical masters. Brings
him into intimate-we might almost
say intime-contact with growth pro-
voking experience CLEANED in the Wash
ington Square district; drives him on
, through the nard school of facts and
statistics; finally brings him to the
Offices of a literary agent of the hack
variety, and ultimately sends him back
home to his Quakerville and the girl
who has been his inspiration. BY
stroke of circumstantial genius Profess
sor Candy endows this girl with fort
une sufficient to support Robert Rob
erts until he shall forget his thcoret-
cal and romantic apprenticeship and
buckle down to achievement That is,
II he ever does. But we go back to our
original premise and re-aver that, in
our opinion, Professor Candy would in
directly imply that Robert, by making
OF writing a vocation instead Of an
avocatlon, snuffed a literary glmmer
before it had sputtered to steady
glow we suspect the author would
nave had Robert business drudge by
day and literary moth by night, if he
would rank with published immortals
We do not intend to seem fiippant.
Our sincere advice and earnest exhor-
tation to those who would see their
names in print would be to urge upon
them careful consideration Of "Our
House" Johnny Bolt, with his humor.
keen common sense and pertinent oues-
irp ctvil-o
IN the links of a dilettante writer's
armor.
Hearing from Robert the hating
confession of his literary aspirations,
Johnny tosses a coin to decide whether
to offer advice and thereby make a
fool Of himself. Being in for it, he
loosens upon the unfortunate Robert
barrage, which the victim calls an
inqusition and Johnny an exposure:
DO you understand the nebular
hypothesis? Have you read Kant and
Schopenhauer? What do you know of
| Nietzsche? Neo-Platonism Early
Christianity? Heredity? The de-
termination of race? The psychology
of suggestion? Do you know more
than college history? Is your knowl-
edge of social conditions still limited
to your sophomore course? How
wide is your reading in French and
German? How about English :?
Sculpture? Architecture Painting e?
Music ?"
BY this time Robert has let them
count ten without murmur, and
Johnny winds up by calculating, "Good
God Robert Roberts, how in hell do
you expect to write when you don't
kno,o anything!"
Robert aflirms Professor Candy
"was painting angrily'
"lt's life that really counts-not
just knowledge"
Damned nonsense!" retorts Johnny.
"Waiter- beer"
Yes, the novel is laid back in 1898
when you could still get it,
Professor Canby's novel is, above
everything else, American. 1t is the
well-told story of a chap who knows
what he wants and tries every pos
sible road that may lead to it, The
characters are live. The book pull
safes with actual living, actual expert
ence, and is interesting throughout.
Personally, we consider Johnny Bolt
CHc WOSC human character IN the BOOK,
his tragedy gripping in its inevita-
bility and the authors poignant pre-
scntaton of it.
Mary and Katherine are excellently
contrasted in the nature of their
appeal to Robert; but of the two
Katherine is better drawn Mary
rather lacks conviction in spite of
Roberts and the authors reiterated
avowal of her worth.
"Otr House," is a book deserving of
, more than hasty perusa. 1t does not
, class with those outputs which serve
as diversion without stimulating
: thought. 1t challenges the reader to
/ admission or contention, and is not a
book for the quiescent. N. M.