Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-09-03
HAROLD BELL WRIGHT.

Once again Harold Bell Wright
rings the bell. This writer of fiction
whose sales would cause the average
commercial traveller to gasp in amaze
ment has given to the fiapper world
and the nurscmaid world and the
sweet young thing world and the
bored person world another master
piece. entitled Helen of the Old
House." Judging by previous rec
ords. and remembering that Mr..
Wright is at the zenith of his popu-
larity and power. one is safe In pre-
dieting that half million persons
will pay two dollars apiece for the
privilege of reading his latest work.
His publishers proudly announce that
nine million persons already have read
his nine other novels.
II has been the fashion in the past
for metropolitan critics to sneer< at
Mr.. Wright. We have been told by
those erudite persons that he vio-
lates all the eanons of art, possesses
little taste. cannot create flesh and
blood characters, and generally is a
ten-cent novelist in a two-dollar
cover. All that may be true. yet his
books sell, Instead of pronouncing
him anathema. we would give him
bay leaves. for he has done more to
advance the serious art of writing In
the United States than any living
man. That is a strong statement, but
it will bear the strictest investiga.
ton.
Mr.. wright's nine million readers.
taken as a whole. are persons who
90 not care for the more serious
works Of fiction. They prefer sac
charine to the salt and pepper of life;
but by continuously reading his works
they unconsciously create desire
within themselves for something just
a little better--perhaps a little more
thrilling, and bit more human. II
those nine million do not graduate
into the serious class they at least
will inspire their children. 1t is
Wright than that he read not at all. /.
But it is the aid and comfort which
MIR. Wright. and authors of his cali
bre, give TO the aspiring artists in
the novelistic field which makes the
best seller a benefactor of letters.
Your understanding artist who knows
his world well realizes that his own
books give prestige to his publisher,
but little profit. II there were not
best sellers to bring the money in
by the wagon load, tomorrows Bal
zacs would have TO enter trade. But
as 1t is. whenever a novel begins SELL
ing i'm the two hundred aety thou
sand class the publisher generally
brings out dozen books which he
knows viii not sell more than two
or three thousand copies apiece, but
which he can pay for out of the
profits of his bonanza. On this ae-
count the real novelists in America
who are not yet appreciated--and
we have that class with us-always
hope and pray that Harold Bell
Wright, George Barr McCutcheon.
Robert ". Chambers. zane Grey and
others of the tribe will hit the bulls
eye with each book. for that means
that they also stand an opnortun-
ity TO have some work published. As
Harold Bell Wright is the greatest Of
the crew. his sales naturally benefit
more men.
Those persons who enjoy art-she
capital A kind--in novels should on
bended knees thank a kind Providence
which provides Mr.. Wright with nine
million readers, for Mr.. Wright in
turn makes money for the publishers,
who then bring out works of art
which we imagine could never find a
publisher otherwise. II takes the
best seller to float the high brows
barque these days.