Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-03
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEWELL.

scores Of novels poured from the
presses in such profusion these days,
who has not been struck with O certain
thin quality?
At first blush the reader may be
inclined to believe that this is due to
a lack of ability. A closer inspection
will convince him, We believe, that this
is not the reason for q certain mea-
gerness. There is no lack of ability
evinced. In fact, ability is the one
thing above every other quality, which
many such novels show.
Hundreds of the newer writer's can
write with vigor. aplomb and technical
and artistic skill. 1t is not lack of
ability which causes their backgrounds
to fail to be impressive, or to be
almost negligible, but rather a distinct
and almost snobbish reluctance on the
part of such writer's to do this part
of a novel.
Sophistication is at bottom RESPONSE
BILE This canker in intellectual proc
esses has prevented-there is no other
word for it--many fine modern nov
elist from achieving greatness which
will be lasting We find many clever,
intriguing, interesting works of fiction,
but they are as quickly forgotten as
read.
The attempt to be clever, to impress
readers, and particularly critics, with
the writer's powers at subtle delinea-
ton of character, especially modern"
character, leads some of these writer's
to thinneSs which is best realized in
retrospect.
1t will be discovered that the very
characters upon which they have put
so much work, and from which they
perhaps hoped to secure literary i'm
mortality, are easily forgotten by their
readers, often when the same book
people impress readers at the time OF
reading as being very lifelike.
Y 4 x =
The elder writers-and among them
we must include such men as Conrad
and Moore and Zola, for three-hap-
PLY were unhampered by this conn
pletely modern idea, that there is some
thing superlative in the ability to
"Wisecrack," to impress others with
ones powers at drawing bright and
witty pictures.
There is. in other words, in the best
work of the timers" a complete
lack of this belief in the desirability
Of smiles.
They dare to be serious.
Now this being serious is a tribute
to any reader, and most readers, even
the readers Of today, will be glad to
receive 1t at the hands of writer's.
It implies that the reader has bit
Of common sense in his makeup and
can take seriously, as meant, the higher
endeavors of the writer.
The novelist who puts all Of himself
into his books will know well that life
is often serious and will not forever
be attempting to polish his work down
to a fine point, in order to impress
some critic. often fellow novelist.
He will be willing to pile up several
pages of descriptive writing, devoted
to no more thrilling a thing than a
range of foothills CAS- one good modern
has done in a hugely successful recent
work.. in order that he may put his
men and women, as he mas conceived
them. in their proper places In the
world.
This gives them background, in the
true and only proper sense, and makes
them stand out, as all real back
grounds do, whether in books, gardens
or art.
This is the background Of life. solid,
satisfying. real in a very true sense.
against which the lights and shadows
of living come into being. Suns gilt
ter, clouds roll. happiness enters, sor-
row departs, against glorious curtain
Of memory And when the book is
shut the reader does not forget it, be-
cause he has been given something to
remember it by.