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    ^^MV'^B^BjH^p^pV^pVn^pVp^p^tfViMp^pt^Hp^...

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    Ti^ad^ G^angef

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    REALISM IN FICTION.

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    Obituary

    mainder London , of where his nearly life was the spent whole . In of his the ' Re re-

    f miniscences ew ars of ^ B he PPP an PP PJPF- p states Old ^ pp » - > Bohemian —^ ' that -W I he V , traversed ' published W the a ' m ye L ago O ^^ ^ pP , ^^^^ ^ pp ^^^ pr ^ p ^ Ph ^ ^^^^ - ^ ^^ ^^^ ppi mM ^ pp ^ m — m ^^— ' ^ ^ * ' ^ — — —— " ^^ ^ ^

    German whole of University Germany on fro foot m Koni , walking gs berg to * in every the

    extreme east to Heidelberg in the far west .

    ^^Mv'^B^Bjh^P^Pv^Pvn^Pvp^P^Tfvimp^Pt^Hp^...

    ^^ MV '^ B ^ BjH ^ p ^ pV ^ pVn ^ pVp ^ p ^ tfViMp ^ pt ^ Hp ^ pS ^ p ^ plp ^ v ^ Vpl ^ tfp ^ p ^ pVpYpBp ^ pM ^ BpVpflpNH ^ HM ^ MpiMpVMp ^ Vp ^ pMMpVpVtf'VMpVBp ^ pWWp ^ plpMVBtfpMpWpflp ^^ ioo 8 . The Publishers' Circular sept . 15 , ri 88 7 ^ M ^ »» " ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^^ " ¦¦ ^ ^ ^ ¦ ^ ¦ ¦¦ ¦ ¦¦ ^ ¦¦¦¦ ¦ ¦ ^ ¦ ^ ^¦¦¦ ^ ^ i ^ n ^ ^ M ^ HMHB ^ lHM ^ i ^^ B ^^ MHMMM ^ VMMi ^ a ^^^^

    Ti^Ad^ G^Angef

    Ti ^ ad ^ G ^ angef

    an ^ p ^ V ^ Ptp * important mmmmm We ^ m ^^ m t <^ ^^ omitted ¦¦ ^ r ^ P *^ FP" »^» ^ mr " alteration » p »»^ pl W in ^^^ M W" our W ^ Tp" » ^ p ^ a 4 last V in phpbp ^^ pj the ^ impression ^ ¦ pbppji ^^ publishing p »^ ^ VV ¦ ** ^ p »^ PJPJ- ^ PF ^ P- ^ P » to PPPJ ^ p *^ P »™^ notice fc trade ^ P » ^ ppi V V -w ™ - ^ v

    change which in has the recentl firm of y Messrs occurre . Ward d , namel &> Downey y , the

    withstanding following the the retirement fact that of this Mr house . Ward has . been

    Notbut mmi _ a short ^ pl tim ^ e , in a exist ^ enceit has ^ pa as is A well ^ pb ^ B knownw published some very , important , vand

    the enduring bppb whole ppppipppt - ^ mW books business pf ^ p-pppp mmtmmt . Mr which . Downey will has as heretofore taken » over

    be ^^¦ pp ^^ w continued w w *¦¦ V w ^ ™ p * w under ^ tr ^ v jpw ¦¦ , H V V ppw the ^ pp ^^ ^^ ^ p »^ p" st y pppppjpip le ^ , pb mt pw p ^ of p ^ ^ p ^^ p" ^ p ^ Ward pp ^^ pp' ^* " ^^ ™ ~^ " ~ ^^ " & ^ pp » , v Downey .

    publishers Spencer The ¦ business 0 , . will Blacket in of future t Messrs the be partnershi . conducted J . <& R . p Maxwell between by Mr . ,

    i . ^^ . _— - ' . l . 1 - ' ^ ¦ __ ' , < ¦ " . JL ~ ¦ - - b dP ¦ ¦ J- PPPt PPk ° A having PPPPI that W ^— ^ fmj Wg ^ p ^ pBPVPPV gentleman ^ W ^ B ' been ^^ PP ^ ^^ P' ^^ " ^ ^^^ ^^^^ dissolved ^^ ^ W ^ and > ^^^ P ^ Pi ^ P ^ ^^^^ P ^ P * Mr » ^ PPF ^^^ ^^ *^ . on John ^^ ^^^^ ™ ^ p ^ ^ August ^^^^^^^^» ^ Maxwell ^ ^ ^^ ^ P ' * " ^ P ^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ 31 ^^^ ^^^^^ , . junr " Mr ^ " . . ,

    the Blackett firm , of wh Hurst o was f & Blackett many y . ears announces a partner that in ¦

    all Messrs < pfa PH' the - « ¦ . books *¦ J . & enumerated R ' ¦ . ' - Maxwell 7 ¦ ' ¦ - - in m ' * the including ft ^ B catal ¦ - A ¦ ' ' V ogue ¦ ¦ Miss of r 4 %

    Braddon that _« - ^ p ^ I ^ w it - is ^ ' s his v wor . ™ intention ks , will to remain , improve , with the hiih class PJ ; and of

    publications generally , by securing works by

    popular authors of the present day .

    Realism In Fiction.

    REALISM IN FICTION .

    That realism exists to a very great extent in the current fiction of the day , and that it is idlincreasing » we believe b there r are ¦—¦ few ¦ w who ¦ b

    ¦ will rap plpfe ms ^ F B ^ pr ^ pi ^ p ¦ ^^ not fc ^ p » y * ¦ admit pp ™^ p * ^ fc ^ " pp ^* ^ m *^ F p *^ ; ^^ ^*^ but ^ H ^ k , V r whether ^^^ w ^ r - ^^^ ^^* - ^ - ^^ T this - ^^ ^ b ^^ - ^ v ^ ' ^ re ' ^» alism ^^ - ^ ^^ " ^ i ¦ is con " - ducive to an increased healthiness of tone , or makes the book containing it of more absorbing

    interest to the reader , are questions that may be very profitably discussed . During the last five decades fiction has made

    enormous strides ( in quantity if not in quality ); but realism is a very recent importation , and , like other questionable benefitswe are under

    an many obligation to our lively Gallic , neighbours for its presence amongst us . During the infancy of the present popular style of fiction very little

    realism was to be found ; but on the introduction of translations of some of the lighter French liovelspublishers F and authors began to find that

    ^ ^^ tm ^^^^ W ^^^ F British w mm " , V ¦!_¦ fr'Vh ^^^ 1 ^ a ^ ^^ public r ^ r r ^ m ^ ^ ar ^^ ^^ ^*^^ r , ^™^ or ^ ^»^^™ , we ™ -- ^ ^^ v ^ ¦ ^ vn should ^ i ¦< v ^^ - ^^^ - ^^^ % ^^^ say ^ ^^ , ^^^ a ^^ — certai * — — ^^ — n ^^ portion of it , took very kindly to the literary food which was relished with so keen a zest by the

    frequenters of the Boulevards de Paris . From . this time realism began to make its appearance in our fictionand rapidly established itself as

    a permanent feat , ure in our literature ; and now the question that arises to the lips of the most ordinary observer is , What have we gained by its

    adoption We are ? sadlafraid that the answer must beVery little . y We have no intention to

    individualise , authors or books , but we think we may safely say , without fear of contradiction , that

    many mativ authors authors have have made made a a nam name e and and a a com corn--

    Realism In Fiction.

    petency for themselves by , describing , in all its minutest detailsome repulsive scene of horror

    or lbathsoineaess , whohad realism not found many patrons , would , have , floated along the tide so

    of life unknown , and at last have ended their career in that oblivion from which their facility

    for tor describing describing - all an that tnat is is worsf worst in in human Human naturp nature and mankind dragg 's ing most out , unlovely to a terribly characteristics painful degree has , ,

    enabled them to emerge . , "Were all realistic writers such as thesethe ¦ ^ B > ^ B a ^ h V ^ K mm ^ h ,

    reply to the question would be very simple ; but -r —r that — -w they —^ ^^ are — — — not ^ - — — we — — -w ^ . — full — y ^^ admit " ~ " ' ^ - ™ - ^ _ r - ^ , — _ for - ^ m- ^^^ we m W | m ^ J

    find many men of noble minds and honest aspirations who purposely dwell on the loathsomeness of vice , stripping it of all its gaudy

    trappings and tinsel , to show us , bare in all its hideousness , the bones of the skeleton , that that the reader he or ^ she may may not know err throug the horrors h ignorance that , exist and

    on the stage behind the fascinating and resplendent drop-curtain . These are the inen to ¦ admire ^^^^¦^¦^^ ¦ vh andbefore we pass a sweeping hk condeinna BB

    tion ^ m *^^ ^^^^^ ^ on - ^^ - , ^ j ^ m ^^ realism ^ ^^>^^^* ^^ v ^^ v , ^ p * ^^^~^ ^ mm * w ^^^ ^^ v as ^^^ ^^^ a w ^ r ^ wh ^^ r H ^>^ ^^^ ole ^^ v ^^^ ^^ mr ^^^ mr we F ^ k ^ w ^ ^^^ w ^ ^ ^^ ould H ^^^ ^^^ ^^ " ^^^ ^^^^ mmr do ^^^ mw ^^ M * well ^^^ ^^ ^ m ^ ^^^^ v ^^ b ^^>^^ B to v ^^ p consider if the lessons taught , by these writers may not coiinterbalance the evil done by those

    who , for the sake of gain or popularity , produce those meretricious works which all right-thinking people must condemn .

    Bealism may , then , be divided into two classes : the one which simply has for its object the sale of a book and the consequent gain to author and

    publisher ; and the other which is written with the praiseworthy object of showing vice in all its hideous deformity as a warning and a vigorous

    moral lesson . The latter class has also the merit of holding up very frequently to ridicule one of the most detestable failings of humanity , namely ,

    hypocrisy . It is interesting to note the changes in works of fiction —¦— mmmmf ¦¦ that «¦ mMi have mtgt been ¦¦ 4 ht by the intro mwmmmmmm

    duction - ^^ ^^ ^^ - — -m ^ ^^ ^ of ^^ the m ^ mm * realism ^ mm » " ^ i ^ T * T ^ mr ^^ mw * of mm wroug V V ^^ the ^ i ^ « tf VK mm modern * mBm V T % ^ _ m ^ r m ^^ mwm school ^ ^^ —^ - ^ . Hal £ a century ago the novelist relied principally

    of upon his stirring plot . * historical Taking some events well for -known the groundwork and momentous mmm ^ mr ^ mt ^ m ^ ^^ ^* ^ b ^ ^ w ^^ period U ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^ " ^ ^^^^ , V he w ^^^ ^ r * ^ introduced b ^ ^^ a ^ ^ v ^^ A ^ tm ^ ^^^ ^*^ ^^^ ^ m ^ ^ mrmm ^ his ^>^^ ^ m ^ amr ^ hero ^ m ^ rm - ^ m ^ < B ^ ^^ into mmr * ^^^^ ^ v ^ v the ~^ *— ' —

    midst of the exciting actions of the times , and very often made him play an important figure in them , associating him with generals , statesmen , or

    politicians whose names were already enrolled in the world's book of fame . Of course there was a heroine style her , or ' whose walking part lad mi' y generall ' as ¦¦ a dramatist y consisted might of

    suffering p w ^™ w ^^ " ^^ «^^™ - ^^ mmm , ^ p innumerable ^ " ™ ^ ^^ *^^ ^^^ ^ nm * ^^ ^ m * rnisfortunes f ^ 4 ^^^ ^^ w ^*^^ ^ mm v ^^ ^ ^^ , ^»^ ^ m ^ ^^^ sometimes ^^ . ^^ ^^ ' ^ ^^^ ^^^~ brought about by the sternness of an unrelenting father or uncl ¦¦ eand d «^« Bi at Tf others f 4 pdpi Tii by the machinations VW ffpB * Ph 4 Pb

    •• 1 H "W —* wm *¦ ^^ ^ pfe ^ B ^ r . ^ h %% a lA ^ pBprBfpbi mm ^ , ^^ tfvjr « p ^« ^ » fjrf ^ p ^ r . ^ ^ ep ^ p ^ _ f r ^ p" r " ^ ^ p ^ pp * ^ pp < ppbpkpk ^ ^^^ ^^ # < h Pi ^ PJ ^ p * P *« ^ pr ^ - of tiently ^ p » ^^ ^ pp" ^— the " ^^ ^^» » villain born fm ^ ~* mr m ^ ^^^ e - ^^ , -w with t of ^ P ^ ^^^ ^ the ^^ ^ a trmr plot m resi ^^ ~^^ r ^ mr PB , gnation ^ ppppm ^^ but ^^ ^ p ^^^ ^ p ^^ p ^ ^ vp < at ^—™—v ^ and ir ^ pr all ^»^^ ^^^ m time ^ meekness ^^^^^^ ¦ ' ^^ ¦¦ s pa - — -

    truly amazing in these days of self-assertion . Love , however—that inexhaustible treasure , which has and » ever poets been since i the the pihpi theme *^^ first of day romancists s of literature V J »> , dramatists Vf in »¦ " all ,

    m ^ m * p v ** w ^ r ^ p > ^ pf ^ fp _ r >^ a « t a ^^^^ «^ AArfp > »^_ f *^ > . «*«^ v » * v ^ - ^ " ** w ' ^ *• *^< ^^ , 9 ~ countries and in all ages—love for the hero always supported her in the hour of trialand eventually

    the ^ - ^ p ^ fc F *^ VV stormy r " ^^ * mm mtr ^ p * ' P ^ IP * ^<«> waters ^ ^ p"p » pp ^ ^^ v # ff IPPJ were ^ pp' pv »^ ^^ ^ p passed ^^ PV - ^^ ppppj PkpriPPr 4 PP and ^^ v pv , W —Jrf the — ^ p ^ nPj ^ pp- — weather -m ^ I i ¦ — ' ¦ —~ >— — * J - beaten f ^ F ^ Jl ^^ i J V > M , Jk Vp craft / JL mJV M , V % , with TV A U JiA Cup ^ - ^ *^ t . J ™^ A id V- * . (> at V V the UAAV bow F—^^_^ ff , VAX entered V » V > JL ^^ X ^ w the **^— ^

    harbour and amidst of peace the joyous , hero acclamations and heroine were of the united good ,

    having characters AIM * AAI ^ generall C ^ ^»> AIV of UIA the * . y T story been ^^ X ^ V ^ AJk — sent MVJLJ the evil to WV ones a « UV far Jk « AUK by , reg AX this JWAVr ion 1 ** time to *"'

    expiate their many sins , and of course mainly hy was the instrumentality finished and the of reader the hero laid —the down author the ' s book task

    IT WKT M . M AAAUMVV « VrfWAAV- * , V * A V- * JL VtWVAVA . ««>•« . ¦ . ' % * % - % X ^ V V A A «^ A ^« - ^ rw -w- v - with included a sigh Sir of Walter satisfaction - » Scott . past In this grand school > - i master may be of

    his M A * V"S art » J » ¦* - •* ^ , V >» G . » s _/ P *> * . ¦• R . * James ^ * W ^ L ^ A . |\ , whose /\/ V * " , # ^ ' »^ ' **» descri F * ' ^ " > * ' *"' * ptive ™ . ^^ ^ pUp ¦¦ . ^ i ' W powers ^** «« - ^> p > wppj

• Citation
  • Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), Sept. 15, 1887, page 1008, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/pc/issues/tec_15091887/page/10/