Evening star., 1932-05-06

We see that James Truslow Adams,
the historian. is going to write new
narrative history of America in two
volumes. Evidently the author of The
, Epic of America" learned so much
about his native land that he feels the
urge to write more.
Thus It always is with writing. What
the reader may get out OF it is but a
part of what the writer gets out of it.
No matter how fine a book strikes a
reader, he may feel sure that the author
found it finer.
Matthew Josephson, who wrote that
excellent biography, "Zola and His
Times" no doubt knows a great deal
more about Emile Zola than he put in
his book and could write another
equally fat volume about him upon de-
mand.
Every writer perpetu"ll lily educates
himself by his writing; he is fortunate.
in that he can pass on some of his
learning to others. in the form of print
Not every human being who knows
something or other has this opportunity.
x x
The relationship of reader to writer
any reader to any writer-remains one
of the most interesting relationships in
the whole range of mind impact on
mind.
There is about it, first of all, none
of the necessity which, in so many other
of the relationships of life, leads on to
compulsion.
With several historic exceptions. there
have been few books or writings Of any
kind which have been forced upon
readers.
One is free to read or not and if one
reads, it is presumable that he reads
because he wants to read. He may read
because some one has recommended the
book or article to him; he may read
because it is the fashion at the time. or
he may read out of sheer curiosity, but
ii is safe to say that in each and every
case his main reason for reading is
simply this:
He wants to!
Thus reader comes to a writer-any
reader to any Writer-Without any Bit
terneSs of compulsion in his mind that
sharp taste which has been swallowed
by so many countless millions through
out history, in all walks Of life. but
which never went down willingly or
pleasantly.
Reading is free of it and therefore
has certain nobility which some other
occupations lack. Even children resent
necessities which are for their own
good" as they are told.
If one reads. he reads because he
wants to-at least that is the presump-
tion. and in an amazing number of
cases 1t Will be so. 1t will be found
that mind calls to mind; that Is, like
minds call to like minds.
1t will be found that the vast major
ity of readers have decent and whole
some respect for such writer's as they
read. This is another fine element in
their relationship. Not always in this
world does acquaintanceship make for
respect Indeed. at times, especially
during the past decade. it has seemed
as If there were no truer maxim in the
world than that familiarity breeds
contempt"
1t is a harsh saying. 1t is true, and
one which the world of men willingly
would not believe. Actual living, how
ever. often proves its truth and in the
most amazing ways. Small irritations,
magnified by lack of real knowledge, re-
suit in something dangerously bordering
on contempt.
Lack of actual physical contact, there
fore. may be regarded as one of the best
features of the writer-reader relation
ship. For that reason one may question
the naive desire on the part of so many
readers to become personally acquainted
with famous authors.
While this desire Is human. as we
say. it may be submitted that it strikes
at the root of one Of the best features
OF their mutual relationship, for 1t