THE PRESENT-DAY NOVEL [To the Editor of the SrEc-raliaLl' action
of the Irish Government littenipting,to • exclude from their country English novels is an-'extreme and probably a very futile Prorieeaing,Tire fact, hoWeVer, that such a thing has occurred gives us seriously to think. In my opinion the action is some degree "jUstified. Since the beginning of this century there has been an Un- doubted decadence in the morality and refinement of our fiction. R is asserted even that a regard to truth and the realities of human life require a disregard of those rules of deceney and reserve as to sexual matters to which we of an older generation have been accustomed. It is suggested. 'that the great writers .0 the last century showed an ur;thie sub- Servience to the conventions of the Period. We have now in my opinion, a number of very brilliant writers of fiction whose pOwer in the analysis of motive, and skill in producing clever and amusing dialogue has. probably never been requalled in any previous 'time. Thc 'pages Of :too many of these authors* is however, Marred by a cynical dis- regard' for the sanctions of religion, or, as it would seem, inspired. by mere commercial considerations. There is a very large section of the more serious and not the least intellectual readers in this Country who have not the least 'wish that our fiction Shotdd "rev. rt to the 'coarse style of Fielding," &toilet, and Richird.sOn. • ' • rain a local librarian in connexion with the 'new COUntk Library and recently have had several books returned .by my members as unfit for general cirenlatiOn. I aint:oh-eh in favour 'of more instruction to' the young and others on sex
matters, but the novel is not the Place for am, Sir, &c., Petersfield. G. H. BUTLER.
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