A NOVELIST AS OPTIMIST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 710, 8 January 1910, Page 9

A NOVELIST AS OPTIMIST.

TENDBXCm OF MODERN LITERATURE.

.In- an.article in the Christmas number of 'iT.P.'s Weekly," "Mr. Arnold Bennett ■oppresses j tho. following 'views' on the .tendencies of-modern literature:— ..!, ■ nu optimist: '.By which : I do nbt.'.mean ■ ono of those tediously cheery, persons who discover α-virtue.in looking only- at tho bright sido of' things.' -I prefer to --look at both-sides,. and I think that I derive as much pleasure in looking :at one_ sido as at the other. Certainly, it would irk'in'o.tp'.bo one-eyed. Having 'looked: impartially and long at; both ■sides, I am very strongly of opinion !that : the gonoral tendency of this present uni-jvorso-is to -improve.'' Hence, though far' jfrom convinced that: the ' universo. ;is' ordered in .the best ■ possible manner, I call myself. an'optimist. ■ '■•'■■ '■~.' ! ."One thing may; eafely bo asserted ■'O^. S"ur ; ag'o, and- of no "other ago—to wit, has .'the literary ■ profession' is. at last fairly well organised, on.a/basis.of social justice, aiid-that' , its ' circumstances are therefore.favourable"to;tho production of a : large quantity: of- good'.work, •. out of which • o'/proportion • of really: great work must; emerge. :',Tho hasty and thoughtless frequently ;that the: old days, of litorary Bohemia are no more.. • They seem, to argub that tho epoch when a 'man, in order to. write masterpieces, had either to. .possess .an independent fortune,-or ,to starve,.,or . tq : fawn' on; a; patron; 1 0r,.t0; foil' hi&self for - a song. to.-, booksellers— that/such an'.epoch was in .some myster-! ion's.TTiiy better for,the "art of literature than!',our own, in which,: thanks to the yast:;growtli of the reading public, and : exploitatibn of authors'by publishers, a writer'may live by. his pen in ■dignity and.-independence. ■ . . ;•■■ ■ ;• ■ ' ' "A;'..senso of .social responsibility. Is -In the'yery.air, and it affects peoplo of overy!-rank-of life.'. Nearly'all thinking!peoplo are.questioning.things. Tvhicl) . untii lately 'riono .but. a, handful of'oxtremiEts.. had questioned. The racial, conscience ia groused. , ; Novelists have , been affected ' Uko ■' the; rest, /and! thoy :.aro. beginning to respond to the ' stimulus;' This .tendency-;, must , '•'inevitably,,. develop.,' The artistic novel will moro and more becomd •an enginb of;wide general criticism.. It will, not/ consciously -preach, but it will have a/sub-conscious moral/aim. ; . . • : . • "It is curious,' but.'.quite .explicable,• that there faro . almost \ no! good , political novels in-:English litorature,:. The reason is that the- governing classes;haye never cared -for! art ■ .and! have tbercforo produced T. very, /few [■'■.. artists. iTho '. vast majority ;.pf / artists .of! all , kinds spring I from .'the'middle ; or lower middle class."