Life — June 9, 1887 — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

- LI SOME TRUTHS ABOUT CRITICISM. N the Editor’s Study, of Harper's Magazine for June, Mr. Howells has discoursed on Critics and Criticism in a most thoughtful and discriminating essay—full of a quiet satire which is none the less effective because it is good- humored. He finds that the office of the critic is “Mainly to ascertain facts and traits of literature, not to invent or | denounce them; to discover principles not to establish them ; to report, not to create.” ther than this guarded -statement of the critic’s office and concedes that “Perhaps criticism has a cumulative and final effect; perhaps it does some good we do not know of. It apparently does not affect the author directly, but it may reach him through the reader. It may in some cases enlarge or diminish his audience for a while, until he has thoroughly measured and tested his own powers. We doubt if it can do more than that.”” These sentiments are in thorough accord with those ex- pressed in LIFE, on January 13th:—“ The critic’s main duty is to the reading public, and not to the writers. inspired the readers with some degree of faith in his opinions, then he begins to wield an influence of considerable impor- tance on the literature of the day. The appetite of the read- ing public which he influences controls the character of the supply.” * * * NE of the best strokes in this essay, and one in which the satire is most deserved, is¢ Mr. Howells’s character- ization of women-critics: ‘‘ They bring a lively stock of misap- prehensions and prejudices to their work; they would rather have heard about than known about a book; and they take kindly to the public wish to be amused rather than edified.” This applies equally well to the fast increasing tribe of women correspondents who fill the press of the smaller cities (and even some that aspire to greatness), with the most absurd “ Literary and Social Gossip,” in which “ Literature” is generally taken to mean the pot-boiling product of a semi- Bohemian circle and “Society” the occasional log-rolling “Soirées” of these same hack-writers. It can be put down to the credit of New York that Boston far surpasses it in this kind of writing. What a terrible eye- opener it would be to many of the fine, intelligent men and women of what these correspondents call ‘The Provinces,” if they should attend one of the “social gatherings” of these alleged “distinguished people” whom they have been read- | ing about in the wonderful letters of “Our Boston Corre- spondent!” Oh, that Thackeray might arouse from his long sleep for one short hour to tear away this sham from all that is sincere and genuine in American letters! * * * HE drive which Mr. Howells makes at the brutality of British criticism—as “ personal, arrogant, egotistical "— is another of the telling hits of this essay. It would seem In conclusion he goes a little far- | When he has } FE: that the English critic assumes something of the same attitude toward a book that he preserves toward his wife if he wishes to retain her love. Apropos of this, it will be recalled that | Charles Reade was once asked what sort of a man a woman | liked best, and replied: “A woman likes best a ruffian who | ill-uses her, but with intervals of tenderness.” | ‘American women will resent this generalization by the acute | English novelist; and American critics will, we believe, heed | the entreaty of Mr. Howells and “Be warned by the examples which they have hitherto sought to imitate.” | Droch. + NEW BOOKS «+ rALLO, MY FANCY! By Charles Henry Lider and S. D. S., Jr. Philadelphia: David McKay. Was Shakespeare Shapleigh ? A Correspondence in Two Entanglements, Edited by Justin Winser. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Life of Henry Clay. American Statesmen Series, By Carl Schurz, 2 vols. Boston: Houghion, Mifflin & Co. In Ole Virginia, Marse Chan and Other Stories. Page. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. Renée, (La Curée). By Emile Zola, Translated by John Stirling. Phila- delphia: T. B. Petersen & Brothers. Obiter Dicta. Second Series. By Augustin Birrell. Scribner's Sons. The Story of a New York House. By H.C, Bunner. B, Frost, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. The Art of Angling, How and When to Catch Fish, Hoiberton. New York: Dick & Fitzgerald. The Alkahest; or, The Home of Clais. By Honoré de Balzac. The Comedy of Human Life Philosophical Studies. Boston: Roberts Brothers. Renaissance in Italy. The Catholic Reaction, 2vols. By J. A. Symonds. New York: Henry Holt & Co, Daniele Cortis. By Antonio Fogazzaro. New York: Henry Holt & Co. Yesterdays with Actors, By Catherine Mary Reignolds-Winslow. Boston : Cupples & Co. Around the World on a Bicycle, Vol. 1. By Thomas Stevens. New York; Charles Scribner’ By Thomas Nelson New York: Charles Illustrated by A. By Wakeman Struggling Artist (to patron to whom he owes a small advance): CONGRATULATE ME, MY DEAR SIR, SUCCESS HAS COME AT LAST. Patron: BEEN ADMITTED TO THE ACADEMY OF DESIGN? Struggling Artist: ACADEMY OF DesiGN! 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