520 EDITORIAL COLLOQUY. 



precisely the same effect that is, they sell the same number of 

 copies ; but here it stops, the moment the public eye loses sight of 

 it, it perishes. I do not believe it makes the slightest difference 

 whether a work is praised or dispraised ; because however worthless 

 a book may be, there are some men whose taste it suits, or whom 

 personal or political motives influence, and thus the good and the 

 bad neutralise each other : indeed, some of the most successful 

 works of the present generation seem to have flourished upon the 

 denouncements of Reviewers." 



" There is another thing about books which seems to me peculiarly 

 absurd, and that is, the bringing out such multitudes at one and the 

 same time. You have, I see, lying before you not less than a dozen 

 novels I should think ; what is to become of most of them, as the cir- 

 culating libraries, the only recipients for this class of literature, only 

 buy the newest, and I should fancy that a batch of a dozen would 

 exceed their appetite? What kind of things are they ?" 



" Very various ; some lamentably poor, others respectable, and 

 one or two absolutely good. Mrs. Norton is, you know, one whom 

 we, fastidious as we are about literary ladies, like particularly, and 

 her ' Wife ' is worthy of her. There are parts too of Miss Agnes 

 Strickland's ' Pilgrims of Walsingham ' which are calculated for en- 

 during popularity. On the whole, novel writing is decidedly im- 

 proving, and it seems to have reached its lowest depth of degradation ; 

 and if a few people of sterling talent would regularly supply the 

 market, we should have fictions worthy of going into families ; and 

 thus again make novel-publishing something more than a doubtful 

 calling. With the exception of Scott, Edgeworth, and the Porters, 

 I doubt if a single copy of the multitude of novels, which have been 

 issued during the last ten years, has taken its place on a family read- 

 ing-shelf. A pile of waste-paper has however been distributed, of 

 dimensions not far short of the great pyramid." 



" The question has often been raised amongst us is literature 

 encouraged by government support, in the shape of pensions ? The 

 Tory Administration have given several, and the selection of 

 objects is decidedly good. My friend Montgomery, and Mrs. So- 

 merville, are cases of pure merit ; and it seems to me, that in such 

 cases at least the fostering hand of patronage should be ever open." 



" Unquestionably. The successful or unsuccessful military man 

 is pensioned. Admirals, lied, White, and Blue, are pensioned. 



