Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-08-26
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEEELL.

/ church at Steventon, Hampshire, did
not need the money, and that it was
| only pin money when she did get 1t.
Writing with her was an avocation, not
an occupation, an art rather than a
business.
She lived in a house remarkably like
some being built today, in the So-called
Georgian style. 1t had four windows
and a door along the first floor, five
windows across the second floor front,
and three dormers above, topped by two
chimneys.
The lighter novel of manners, So
called. was scarce esteemed as the
handiwork of a preachers daughter, in
the last days of the eighteenth century.
That was one reason why hers were put
out anonymously.
The modesty of the woman was an
other reason, but there is good cause to
believe that the possessor of her eX-
quisite sense of irony knew per-
fectly well, as well as the most intelli-
gent reader, that she had created emf
| nently readable books.
The three gems, Of course, are
Emma" Mansfield Park" and Pride
and Prejudice" For one reader, at
least, they rank in that order.
The greater maturity of Mansfield
Park and Emma" partly came about
because they were not written until
1914 and 1916, respectively.
/ Miss Austen, too, had known the
feeling of futility which the rejection
slips brings with it.
The publication Of her two earlier
books, however, gave her the old urge
| to write again, and when she began
| she was the mistress of her art. Mans
| field Park" followed shortly on the
publication of Pride and Prejudice. "
Emma" came two years later.
To all those readers who strive SO
heartily to keep up with the flood of
modern fiction, but who have not read
Emma" one may recommend rest
| ing en- the reading oars, at least until
this jewel of fiction is peruSed.
| For sheer art which takes the little,
| everyday life of humanity and trans
| forms it, with every slight thing about
| it, into something vitality interesting
and even important. there is scarcely a
work of fiction which can equal Jane
| AuSten's Emma"
Here is genuine interest which carries
! the reader with it. not with "balted
BREATH" but with that satisfying mental
and emotional joy which is the solid
reward of a first-class novel. Undoubt-
| edly there is no other type Of writing
which has exactly this appeal. II there
is anything which makes reader tired,
| it is this attitude, sometimes displayed,
| that a work of fiction is somehow less
| than more solid" types of reading mat
| ter.
! The truth seems to be that fiction Is
! life. and life is experience, therefore
! fiction is experience. If one loves life,
he will want to get as much of 1t as
! he can, and one of the best ways Is
to read as many well told stories as he
| can.
Men have always known this, that is
why they have loved good story IN all
ages. even from the earliest, and the
end will never be in sight, it would
seem; always the experience seeker in
us will pine for adventure, and always
| time and fate and circumstance Will
combine to prevent us from going.
But we may read.
And, if we are wise, we will read
! good novels of worth, and among them
will be, must be, Emma" and Mans
| field Park" at least.
There should be no faint of snob-
berry about the must" in the above
+ sentence It is not command, based
on some one persons likes and dlsllkeS,
| but simply universal acceptance.
| Not to know Emma and Mr.. Knlghtly
and Mr.. Woodhouse is to miss some
member of the house party at Mans
| field Park is unthinkable.
! The sensible reader will accept these
! invitations, If he has not done so, and
see for himself why one may think
| that no man can be called well read
until he has made the acquaintance
of these interesting, charming people.