Life — December 5, 1895 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

366 * LIFE: THE TRIBULATIONS OF AN AUTHOR. {The following is valuable as showing the importance of what is called literary criticism in America. It represents the actual experience of a well-known author, and the extracts are literal transcriptions from notices of a recently published book.— Zhe Editor of LiFe] HE French have a truism that no one is a fool always, but everyone is a fool sometimes. Without stating positively into which class I fall, I will prove the saying as to myself by making two confessions. First, I wrote a novel, and then I subscribed shekels to a pre: “] agency for all reviews of the book which should appear. don’t expect many favorable notic I lied to myself, “ but at least I shall learn my faults and failings,” and it was in this humble but hopeful mood that I read what my critics had to say. Of the book as a whole I learned as follows : ** Why was it written? Asa novelitis dull; the dialogue is tedious, and the book a bore."—Catholic World, . ‘' To be commended from several points of view, but one could box the compass without occasion for finding faul Philadelphia Ledger. * The long-drawn-out dreariness makes one ache for very boredom.”— Chicago Herald. ** Every page, every line, is full of interest." —Detroit Free Press. * The end is very long in coming.” —Vew Haven Register. he dramatic interest never flags." —/ndependent, here are some striking unprobabilities."—/eoria Standard. There is no improbability about his story."—A antic Monthly. * Improbabilities somewhat mar the impression."— Hartford Post. ** A faithful mirror of this year of grace."—Chicago Post. “It is very long in reading."—Book News. ** Not a word is wasted,"—NMew Haven Register. he story is long and dull."—Providence Journal, “There is not a dull or stupid page in the book." —San Fran- cisco Chronicle, “Written carefully, labor- iously, anxiously, but without an effort to conceakthe labor,” — Critic. “The manner of writing is especially to be commended, sh, offhand, breezy and ."—Boston Post. “GREAT SCOTT! WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH THAT HOUSE?” “OH, THEY'RE ONLY HAVING A PADEREWSKI RECITAL THIS AFTERNOON.” “aap ad Clie gut ii “MAN'S INHUMANITY.” Mr. Drake: READ THAT SIGN, MY DEAR FELLOW, AND TELL ME AS A FATHER OF A FAMILY IF YOU WONDER AT MY GIVING WAY TO MY FEELINGS? I NEVER FELT SO CHEAP IN MY LIFE. A little shaken in my own mind as to how much I was to learn of my faults, I still hoped to gain something by the comments on the subject of the book if not on the novel as a whole. So I looked over the critiques with that in mind, to read: “The author evidently knows New York politics thoroughly."—San Francisco Chronicle, “The hero is typical of nothing in New York politics."— Hartford Post. “To be waited for as a product of the millennium.”"— New Haven Register. “The lesson is for practical politicians of to-day."— N.Y. Commercial. Impossible in real life."—Afinneapolis Tribune. “*Reads like the actual history of certain political movements." —Literary World. “(The hero] could not have done anything of the sort in real life."—Chicago Tribune. “* There is not an experience the author writes about that has not happened."—M. ¥. Times. Feeling quite discouraged, I thought, ‘* Perhaps, at least, I shall find something of value about my characters,” and for a third time I re-read and compared the clippings : “*The men and women are such bores !"— Catholic Sun. ‘Phe dissection and examination of character is skillful, and in many respects masterly."— Buffalo Commercial, “(The hero is) a commonplace, mawkish, stupid, goody-goody chump. He is simply an old-fashioned idiot."—Chicago Herald. “* One of the strongest and most vital characters that have appeared in our fiction."— Zhe Dial, “Too priggish, and not original."—Aew Haven Register. comicbooks.com