Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-22

decade continue to discover In them,
for themselves, qualities which are time
less.
There is another portion Of the read
| ing public, which helps the new writer's
by buying their works, which neverthe-
older authors for their own sakes. These
readers, in many cases, have become
offended at the old authors because
| their works have been thrust at them
In the schools.
This Is an unfortunate situation which
Is all too common. The writer here has
never had any use for Dickens "Tale of
Two Cities" simply because he was
forced to read it as required reading"
sions Of modern education. We believe
that much more harm has been done by
this system than good has been achieved
by 1t. No doubt there are certain read
ers who are not offended by such force.
full methods: they accept teachers dicta
as the verdict Of the aforementioned re-
lentleSS time.
There are hundreds Of others. how
ever, who are unwilling to read book,
any book, Just because 1t is recon-
mended to them with the force of au-
thority. They resent authority, partic-
ularly as conceived In relation to works
Of art.
Not every one, for instance, can like
honestly 1.-THE Autocrat of the Break
fast Table" We have been trying to
read that sterling collection ever since
childhood, with little or no success. We
are unwilling to blame either ourselves
care for every writer, any more than
every writer can write for every reader.
II II X r
Among the greatest Of the elder au-
thors, both of this and Of other coun-
tries, will be found some Of the best
things which 1t Is possible to conceive
being written by the mind Of man. The
same may be said Of music: 1ntolerant
persons, eager to achieve success, will
be willing to declare that the new mu-
sic" is vastly more interesting than the
old; but solid majority Of music lovers
perhaps win be willing to admit that
they do not see how better music, more
interesting music, can be composed than
that written by the magnificent German
composers.
It is the same with books. It is ques-
tionable whether there can be better
autobiography than Benjamin Frank
Inns, or Cellini's. One may doubt that
any one in the future will do better
biography Of a great man than Bos-
wells Life of DR.. johnson" We do
not know Of o greater adventure story
than 1.-The Three Musketeers," or o finer
love story than Hudson's Green Man
sions."
Life Is short, and art Is long, and no
doubt future years will see many mas
terpieces sent forth from the hearts and
minds of men and women, to appeal to
like qualities In the minds and hearts OF
countless readers.
In all honesty, however, It Is dimcult
to see how the undoubted masterpieces
Of the past ever can be surpassed. Their
very finenesS makes 1t difficult for all
later writer's, endowing them with a
certain infsriority complex. II they can
equal these old works they win have
done wonders.
This column, therefore, Offers no
apology for considering, from time to
time, the great authors who have made
their mark, both upon their own gener-
atoms and Of later ages. There Is q
certain feeling Of elatjon which comes
both to the new writer and his reviewer.
He feels in harmony with his own times.
But this is q false elation which the
same remorseless time will remove from
him quicker than IL was sent. What u
once great, in literature, Is always great.
The shouting and the tunult Of book re-
viewing dies, but q great book goes on
forever.