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    ioio The ,Publisliers'Circular Sept. 15,...

  • 

    I^eview^, &q.

• Transcript

  • 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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    Realism In Fiction.

    pleasure and magnificence . On she rides on the summit of her triumphal chariot , envied by all her sexand worshipped with a blind fatuity by

    ^ * ' ^^ ^^ w admirers ^ ^^ ^^^ , 7 * " ^ ^^^^ . * * ^^^ ^^ Her ¦^ ' ^ ^^ w ^ m ^ chariot ^^ r ^^ v v ^» «^ ^ b ^ becomes b *^ ^ n ^ A ^^ b ^ b ^^ i * a i ^ m * w « kind ^ ^ M ^ fc ¦ ^ ^^ r ^ of ^ y Juggernaut U Ug ^ Ci l ^ ClUU UctX car , , and Ctllt-J . we WC dX are C ? ( shown 3 JUV / WXJI the LXiC votaries VKJliCUI . LKZB

    throwing themselves recklessly beneath the wheels , to ^ ^^ be w ^ r ^^ dra ^^ mt «¦» < a »^ gged ta ^ b ^ ^^ ^^^ away ^^¦ ¦^ v ^>^ v t crushed ^^ ^^ ^^ w ^^ m ^ ^^ ^^ i » m and * f m ^ ^ i ^^ ¦ maimed *¦ * ii ^ r r ^^ ^^«* for ^^ ^^ ^^ m life ^ - ^^^ ^^

    when the procession has passed . Through the 'whole of the book we are treated with a description of the triumphs and conquests of this

    loathsome creature , who is very often raised at the end of it to a position of power and honour .

    This is the class of w ^ riting we condemn , and we are certain all must e with us in dbing so .

    By thus raising a creature agre whose whole object in life is revelling in viceblingering fondly over

    the description of these , revelries y , by describing minutely minutelv the the wiles wiles and and artinces artifices bv by which which a a

    woman raises herself to riches and power , and by making a worthless wanton or ¦¦ a shameless

    w *^ v Ab ^ awv ^^^ fe *^ ^*^* yriK ^*^ w w ^^ r " ^ «^«^^^^ ta ^ . ^ p ^^ p ^^ w ¦ V i ^ j ^ h ^ fe ^^ ^^^ ^^ H ^ b ^^ ** ^^^ P ^^ ^*^ h ^^^^ ^ ^ fc ^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ri , _ f p ^^ courtesan the centre object of interest in his story , the author takes himself a heavy

    responsiupon bility , and it will be w ell for him if , with a clear conscience ^ m ^ ^^ aav ^ ^^ rfb ^ . ^^^^ ^^ r ^^^ , V he m *^^ ^^ f can ^ r ^* u <^^ m * g ^ p ^^ ive *« V ^^^ ^ a ^* vr good hA ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ k ^ account i Tf ^^^ ^^^ ^^ r ¦ ¦ ^ e f *^ ^ i ^ of ^^^ ^ i ^ . his ^^ ^ b r ^_ f

    stewardship . > What , then , have we gained by the adoption

    of realism ? The answer is , that as yet we have gained but littlebut that it be the

    medium of inculcating very , great moral truths may in the future we cannot doubt . The reception accorded

    to Zola ' s « Ija Terre ' is a lesson which it would do wel W W ^^ ^ h l ^ mr < for ^^ ^^^^^ our ^ t . ^ . ^^^¦ db English ^ m ** m * ** ^ V ^ h ^^ fc v ^ -r ^^^^ B ^ realisti ^ ^^^ an fc ^ fc ^ i l ^| , f ^^ ^^ c ^^^ writers V 9 ^ k ^ ^^ ^^^ ^^ P *«^ to ^^ ^^ take ^^ ^^«^^^^^ ^^^ to ^^ ^^^

    heart . The public is becoming tired of filthy and loathsome descriptions of vice , it is becoming tired and surfeited with details of the inner lives

    of those whose names we would not have pollute the lips of our wives and daughters ; but still if written * A-A- with * J _ T oble TT and ect i ' i

    a npure obj , they are willing to submit to the nauseous medicine , that is ^» PhwT onl ^^ 4 fe ^* A y ¥ administered «^ V ^^ i ^^ mm m ^ ^ |^ I ¦« r - V ^^ S * m- ^^ ^»^^ to ^ m * ^ Hm ^ prevent W * mmT « k ^^^ F ^^ — n ^ ^^ or ^^ Mm . cure m kmS ^ " ^ ^* ^^ ^ a ^ W worse V V ^^ Jk *^ ^ h ^

    disease . If this is once thoroughly understood , that we tolerate , for its ultimate object , but do ^ not ^¦ 4 ^ - ^ ^ m * enjoy ^* + W ^"^ W realism ^^ ^^ ¦ ^^ ^^ ^* " ^ ^ Mi ^ B ^ HB , we V V ~ 1 |~ think ^^ ^ . » tma mmm , ** , jm , ^ ^ m » ¦ there ^ # fi \ , / J ^ ^^^ T is ^ k P- ^^ littl rfk ^^ ^ m * ^ p ^ ^^ e ^^^ doubt ^ . ^^ b ^ mmf 9 »| F ^^ ^^

    that our libraries and bookstalls will soon have upon their shelves a collection of books honestly written by rttmr those + ¦ authors mtrti kis of a SW typewhose

    efforts w » rfb * w u ¦** " —*¦ we ** , j must m—m . ^ --. mr r ^ r all . * appreciat *^~ »• •^ t . ^ -m , - » >„ f ^ k . e , and purer u ^^ . rf * . 1 that _ r ^ h , «^ J ¦ the m ~^ - ^ . ^ , a others * m * . ^ t v « r * a ^ ^^ will cease flooding an ungrateful public with t . Tipir naiiRftmis ar \ c ] r . nn iT . rsplv 4 written st / n-ff

    -^^ ^>^ B ^ at ^ ^ fc ^ fc | am ^^ ^ mt ^ 9 * m * ^ m * ^ mmT W ^ W *^ ^ mf ** A ^ ^ tf" ^ ^^ ^»^ ^ » P ^^ ^^ « W ^ ^ ^ U , ^ ^ mf ^ ^^ ^ _| fc 0 ^ , ? ^^ ^ ., ^ . 1 ^ .

    Ioio The ,Publisliers'circular Sept. 15,...

    ioio The , Publisliers ' Circular Sept . 15 , 1887

    I^Eview^, &Q.

    I ^ eview ^ , & q .

    From Mr . J . W , Arrowsmith . ( Bristol ) . — ' Dead Men ' s Dollars , ' by May Crommelin . The title of this excellent ¦* story has little / to do with its

    ^^^ i » l W A >^ fc Ak *^ ' ^ m * r 0 l * m , ^ mW ^^ » % * ^^ ** ** »^ W—r «^ ^> r p « - V * H *«*^ p ^^ ¦«**¦> ^* *•*** ^^ ^^ ^^ ^> lb " ^ rf w V *» " ^ " » ^* ^ " ^^ contents . The dollars of the dead men , when recovered from the seaare the means of

    sweetheart sw enabling ^ fithfifl . rt the . and and hero th th at at to is is all all keep , . This This a promise same sauna sweet swftftt to his -

    heart , Vilette , Jones by name , is the most interesting character in the "book . A short essay might A A A A fcw . A A »/ profitably T * S A » \^ A A ^* # rv « I be r >^ ^— ' written v * > m . «¦ » - »* ^^ o » jt on -n ^ aa , the «** bM ^ - ^ - type »* w ¦ s- ' ^ r of ^ - ^ ¦ " »

    womankind , fickle , feeble , and false , that she represents . But we think Miss Crommelin is scarcely consistent in her delineation , absorbing though it undoubtedly Vh and i it is rfrsf hard vwrialuih to

    imag VAA W I ^« L _ ine A A A the ^ J ^* » A * soft * -r ^*» , insinuating w * - * " ••*• - ^ F proves » - ™/ <"« ^ -r » ^^ r—• young % , ^ -wa ^^ ^• c f *« , V girl of the , ^ - *^ earlier art of the story developing into the

    bold , vindictive p woman of the latter portion . But perhaps the fault is our own . We had

    thought from the first indication of Vilette Jones that the authoress was about to portray

    I^Eview^, &Q.

    another and more subtle type of character , and we were disappointed when our anticipations

    were not realised . Anyhow , the story is an extremely interesting one , and , allowing for a

    little improbability here and there , and a few errors in knowledge , is one of the best the

    authoress has yet written . This to those who remember * Brown ISyes' and * Queenie ' will

    appear matter of no slight praise ; in the present instance it is thoroughly well deserved .

    From Messrs . G-eorge Bell & Sons . —* An Egyptian Princess , ' by Georg Ebers . It is nob

    everyone who possesses the power of Professor Ebers to convey facts of history in . such pleasant forms as to charm and instruct at the same time .

    The work in its original form has reached the fourth edition , and is now very faithfully

    translated into English by Emma S . Buchheim . It constitutes one of * Bohn ' s Novelists' Library . '

    From Messrs . Blackie & Sons . —Mr . G . A . Henty has done good work before in the education of boys bwriting stories that some

    y convey knowledge of history , but in * The Sovereign . Keader : Scenes from the Life and Reign of

    Queen Victoria , ' he now enters more directly into an educational here . The book is

    designed for the upper classes sp in schools ; and , like all that this author has written , gains much .

    from'the robust healthy vigour of the style . For the purpose for which it is intended it

    should be found of much valuable assistance . From Messrs . Burns & Oates ^— ' Claire Vaughan '

    by Lady Lovat . This is an . interesting : and , , in some respectsaffecting account of a good

    , woman ' s life , her trials , temptations , and experiences . It is more especialladdressed to

    Bqman Catholics , but possesses y elements of a attraction . ttra . c \ tinn for f nr all s \ J \ rp readers . aci ^ rs . The Tih < 3 work -vsrnrlr is is ve > r \ 7

    tastefully and elegantly bound , and its general very appearance and ' get-up' reflect much credit on the publishers .

    From Messrs . William Collins , Sons & Co . — These publishers have issued a new and revised

    edition , with grammar and analysis , of the Fifth and Sixth Books of * The Improved Illustrated

    Keaderi * ~* The contents of *¦ each J- volume have been T ** ^ v' ^^ «¦•¦& V selected ^ ' ^ i ^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^ . ^^ and «/ VA * ^/^ arranged ^^ rt 0 ^^ m * «^^« B * rf » a t ^ k ^^ ^¦ ' ^ with V V ^ ^ Jk ^ k dis ^^ ' ^ J fir criminating ^^^^ ¦ __ n J ^ * A ^^^ ^^ M * ** H « m

    care , and will undoubtedly be of service for scholastic purposes . The exercises in parsingand composition are useful . Both volumes

    maintain in a high degree the reputation for efficient educational works which this firm has acquired .

    From Mr , Dennis , Scarborough . — ' Cooper ' s Walk to Rome . ' Mr . A . N . Cooper , of Christ Church ,

    Oxford Oxford , . occupied hnrvnTvip . fl five fivft weeks vi 7 P > p . lrs in in a tramp t . rn . m-n from frnm Yorkshire to Rome , a distance of 744 miles . He landed at' Rotterdam and made his

    through Antwerp , Brussels , the Ardennes , way and the Vosges to Strasburg ; thence by way of

    Basle , over the St . Gothard Pass , to Milan , Bologna , Florence , and so to the Eternal City . \ A Walk to Rome ' makes an interesting little

    book , of which a third is devoted to preparations for the journey , which may make it the more

    useful . From Mr . John' BCeywood . —Few the

    many works issued by this publisher among in connection with the Manchester Jubilee Exhibition

    furnish 4 The Booke so thoroug of Olde h Manchest a tribute er of and interest Salford as , ' ¦ ¦ ¦ :: ¦ ' , „ , == ^

• Citation
  • Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), Sept. 15, 1887, page 1010, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/pc/issues/tec_15091887/page/12/