New-York tribune., 1922-05-21


~ INFERENCE Of opinion, saws
Mark Twain, makes horse
races. And 80 it contributes
to the making Of race horses
For without the races there would be
no incentive to breed Norwich.
Whether difference Of opinion between
critics has much influence on the breed
Of artists can never be determined
And there is no final test, as there is
in racfng, by which a critic can find
out whether he has bet on tho wrong
book
But onesthing is certain-d difference
of opinion is good for critics. A judg-
ment with which you disagree stimu-
lates you and makes ideas come rap
idly and easily So am rather pleased
that Brother Candy Of "The POST
had Vacations" reviewed by the jani-
tor, The janitor is an excellent man,
more useful to society than a book
reviewer, but he is not expert in lit
erature and he should not be called on
to give advice on matters that lie out
side his honorable profession
The janitor says that the appearance
of this book Seems to be due to the
anxiety Of Mr.. George Moore to see
an anti Catholic book published in
America" There is nothing in Mr..
Moore's letter to indicate that he had
any such anxiety or that he regards
the book as anti-Cath olic. 1t is possi-
BILE that Mr.. Moore, who has better
sense Of values than the janitor, was
moved by pure literary enthusiasm.
And it is quite certain that, however
much influence Mr. Moore's Judgment
may have had, the book was printed in
this country because the publisher, Mr.
Liveright, liked it and hoped it would
be profit table to publish it.
These are worthy and understand
able motives. If critics and janitors
cannot understand the obvious motives
of living people, publishers and au-
thors, they cannot be expected to un-
derstand the motives of fictitious per-
sons created by an artist. That is what
fiction is primarily. human motives
understood and expressed. And criti-
cism of fiction is a understanding
of those motives and appreciation of
the skill with which they are made
clear.
EHE jantor says that "Vocations'
is a "crude libel" There are only
The book is not crude and it Is not q
libel. The janitor further says that
the book is ian incredible picture OF
abject superstition, licentious and glut-
tonous priests, sexual1y hysterica
wcmen-all this purporting to be 8
portrayal of life in Catholic Ireland
Well, there are several things wrong
with that. The picture is not incred
ible, but perfectly convincing. The
girls are not hysterical, but normal;
little hysteria is natural to sensitive
healthy women. The emotional forces
that drive Winnie and Kitty. thei,
inner struggles, are studied with deli.
cacy and sympathy. The eontestine
forces Of their environment, tho father
the mother, the priests, the nuns, the
unacceptable lover, the clashes Of wills
and ambitions Of which the girls are
victims, are made thoroughly intelli-
gible. are worked out to inevitable
results.
1t is all true to human nature. One
can be sure Of that without ever hav-
ing had q glimpse of life in Catholic
Ireland. If it is necessary to call to
the witness stand n qualified expert,
who has literary taste and first-hand
knowledge Of ireland, perhaps Mr.
Francis Hackett will be considered
competent to meet the 3anitors
charges. Mr.. Hackett says that "vo-
cations~ fs Serious, deep, dignihed,