Page 27 - 1911 November - To Dragma

24 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

contention) some American criticism escapes that adjective, might
we not call it apoplectic?"

Mr. (Percival) Pollard on the other hand amongst the host of
women writers, mentions but two with commendation, and one of
those is Mrs. Atherton. While of the men he allows us Henry
James and Ambrose Pierce—utterly debarring Robert Chambers,
David Graham Phillips, and Winston Churchill from the community
of artists in Belles Lettres, although admitting that all three were
trying to write of America for an American audience with some
measure of success.

And so the individual rank and excellence of contemporary writers
seems to hark back to the individual critic for decision.

Now what seems to be the lack in our present day standard ? Surely
there is originality of thought when such works as Seton Thomp-
son's or Jack London's are possible. Certainly there is an effort and
at least a partial success in depicting phases of American life in the
work of Margaret Deland, Alice Brown, Mrs. Wharton, and O.
Henry. Incontrovertibly there is to a high degree a mastery of
technique in the work of Howells, Thomas Bailey Aldrich, and
Henry James. Assuredly our poets have attained the "Heights" in
the very limited output of Agnes Lee. I n the latest work of Mrs.
Marks (Josephine Preston Peabody) and in an occasional moment of
Guy Whetmore Caryll's writings. And again surely we have a
masterly and earnest effort to portray some of our more sordid and
perplexing phases of American city life, with suggestions for their
amelioration in the morals of Robert Herrick. Prof. Herrick has
a distinct message which we would do well to hear, and behind his
sordid, and often unpleasant episodes and settings he preaches a
doctrine of hope.

A curious and deplorable fact, about the best work is that it isn't
popular. To meet this condition some of our ablest writers have
adopted as their literary vehicle the jargon of the man of the street.
The late Sydney Porter, or as we more easily recognize him O. Henry,
is a flagrant example of this debauchery of literary style. Not con-
tent with allowing his clerks and shop girls, and messenger boys to
talk this "New Yorkese," a perfectly legitimate device, he uses the
same language to carry his own ideas. I n spite of this great defeat
his work is so extraordinary as to have earned for him the title of
"De Maupassant of America." And his stories, simple though they
are. grip you by their humanity. You know that they are true. Of
course they are popular.

There are many other writers, were there time to cite them, whose
work shows this same stain. Writers whose stories mar the American