New-York tribune., 1921-10-13
Books Percy BY Hammond

Many Of Mr. Tarkington's admirers
are pcrplexed because his novels are
usunlly so fine and his plays so often
otherwise. They wonder how the au
thor of "Alice Adams" could contrive
and sign his name to "The Wren,"
which, though not a botch. is still
rather thin and careless little third
rater. When he writes for reading
Mr. Harrington shows the artists pride
in his work, the endeavor to make it
his best. When he writes for the stage
he is often negligent and inexpert. 1t
would seem that to man Of Mr.. Tar
kingdoms experience in the theater and
out of it good play would be easier
to write than q good novel. Yet his
comedies always contain thoughtless
blemishes of improbability in construc-
tion, which tend to "blur the dream
Perhaps, like Arnold Bennett, he re-
CARDS the stage as less difficult
medium, and does not try so hard. Mr.
Bennett, you may remember, boasted
vivaciously that almost all a dramatist
hnd to do was to write, in brackets,
Enter Milicent,' and the lady acting
Millicent would do the rest. There is
as much difference between the plays
and the novels of Mr. Bennett as there
is between those of Mr. Harrington.
1t may be that Mr.. Harrington per-
ceivcs us as less intelligent when we
go to the theater than when we read
book; which, Of course, we are.
:; !: ::
Some oe Meredith Nicholson's en-
gaging conversations on this, that. and
the other subject are collected by the
Messrs. Scribner in II volume called
THE Man in the Street." For the in
dividual Of his title Mr.. Nicholson has
great respect, knowing, as he says he
does, men and women in his home town
Of Indianapolis who are quite compe-
tent to answer questions pertaining to
any branch of philosophy or the arts"
In perpleXity over an elusive quotation
Mr.. Nicholson says he can, with all
confidence, plant himself on the post
office steps. and some one will come
along with the answer. Just a day or
two ago he called a lawyer friend on
the telephone and hummed few bars
Of music that he might be set right
concerning the correct designation of
one of Beethoven's symphonies
So, in his essay entitled Let Main
Street Alone" Mr.. Nicholson objects
! 70 ho
and similar thoroughfarcs, and refuses
to be sorry for them. 81 am increas-
ingly impressed" he writes. "hy their
Intelligence, their praiscworthy curl
osity as to things of good report. their
sturdy optimism, their unshakable am
bition to excel other Main Streets A
young Balkan diplomat, student of
America and an affectionatc admrer of
1t, told me the other day that "Man
Street" and American moving picture S
were doing more to cheaper the world S
idea of America than any other influ-
enccs. Mr.. Nicholson, however, be-
I lieves that the Main Streeters are
neither dull nor unseeing; they know
well enough, ne says. what is going on
in the world, and they arc not to be
jostlcd or pushed by condescending out
siders, like Carol Kennicott eager to
bestow sweetness and light upon them.
"lf Main Street knows what America
is all about, and bathes itself and is
kind and considorate Of its ncighbors
why not leave the rest on the knees Of
the gods
4 !; X
| Mr. Mic hol non ntrcrs eo.....sI l. ~.