CHEAPENED FICTION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 604, 4 September 1909, Page 9

CHEAPENED FICTION.

' Nt. Eveleigh•■' Nash has published a novel called "The' Hous- of- Whispers, , ', .by 'Mr. William leQueux,: as an experiment in the new'-publishiug policy..-. It,is described is .in", all respects 'tho. 'same ..as', a ' six-shilling; novel, but.the.price is .only two shillings' net j .whichj.'as six r shilling novels are sold at.four and ..sixpence, .is "a of. half-a-crown , to J the., purchaser.' Mr.'.-Nash v has .'.fulfilled his part of' the;..bargaiii viery-'JWell-jHheiboqt'js ueatly jijd fairly printed,, it exceeds the-300 pSges that is now a common ■.novel", length, and .there.is. onHhe cover, a portrait of the kind of .beautiful lady, that we associate with chocolate ; boxes. It Vis: not sary " tp,.det.ail- t tho: ™tj'of;'!t^e.ist.ory",-|biit} it may be:saidHhat tnis'-beautifui lady'i'is 1 tho daughter of; a. blind:millionaire -who.carriespiV: mysterious-and , , gigantic'; financial operations .with. the.:Russian'-. and ; other Governments; .and'-that thoro is a good deal, of r trouble :with;;a: criminals of, fashionable .exterior avhoso'eyes, are set too near, together. Improbability and. :flatness are,''perhaps, tho pervading, qualities, and it is melancholy that these should "be" expected to bave'aiwide appeal. . Mr. : Nash ,has issued a circular in w.hieh.lieVsaya/that'ifbis innovation is to be justified, the 1 -reduction/in: price, "must be met , byj.a/-substantial -increase in circula-tion.'-'v Hereris; put very, clearly, the danger, of the .cheap .iieWi/noyel.' It, mean's- tho enlarged circulation of .such. writer's. as. Mr.">lo. Queux and tlio consequent disappearance of. ;lesa popular" ones. The danger may be overrated, for the buyers of tho, best;novels will hardly .want.' Mr.',lo"Queux at! any price:' They arq'ithe people who, .if the /Gaiety •Theatre-' shut" up,'.would not;want to: go to. "East Lynne"' for, > "Sweet Nell'of ; Old Prui"y,"and the Gaiety, is not going to shut up nor arc we'going without good hovels. .Thero' ; are,plenty ; of-us to suftport Mr..Wells and.vMr;." Galsworthy if they do comodpw'n to two!'shillings, which would really:beirather; jolly.v The trouble: is,"rather that:_ the ir.eritonousi younger writers niay find it increasingly, difficult to get, a: footing,'but in those who. care,' tq: ,take a little trouble to search and disoriminate.we'may- yet manage, very well Guardian." .' ■ ■• :' '