"PENNY DREADFULS.”

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVIII, Issue 11334, 30 July 1897, Page 6

"PENNY DREADFULS.”

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —As a certain set of people who have never witnessed a play, or been inside a theatre, speak of the latter as the “ devil’s house,” so do some, others attribute the most flagrant wrong-doing of our colonial youth to the reading of the so-called “penny dreadfuls.” Now;I think this is very hard bn the authors of the little books in question, for anyone wbp will take the trouble to glance thjfou'gma few of them 'will find that they are' of a most harmless

character, the villains therein never failing to receive their deserts, while Virtue 'is Invariably rewarded (would that. it were as much so in our own world!). I know many a mother , who is truly thankful to the gaily pictured little book, which keeps her boy quiet and contented in the evening after his day’s work. Is it not better than street loitering ? Mind, I am not saying that a boy cannot be better employed. I si r’ply contend that he may do much -worse, r . nt all boys whoare willing or capable of r up scientific studies after the day’s tod; young people must have amusement of some kind, and I am very glad that this is getting every day more recognised, and as better things present themselves so will the “penny dreadful” sink into insignificance. It is most astonishing to hear people who would certainly not care to be termed ignorant, speaking with great contempt of “yellow backs” as though the thoughts of many of . our greatest writers Wore not to be found wdthiu paper covers. [ often recall how a splendid 'preacher, now gone to his rest, used, to' speak of writers of fiction as “ the greatest benefactors of humanity,” able to' transport' the invalid' or blie'weary toiler’in a, few" moments into other lauds, painting _ the' characters which appear before the'mind’s eye with such vivid distinctness that they appeal to us as living" realities. The truly “dreadful” papers which I think should certainly be suppressed are those police gazettes exp.'®id in the windows of tobacconists. They are what I should term “indecent literature,” and I have often wondered that they should be allowed to be on view in a public street l am, &c., *A LOVER OF JUSTICE.