THE ENGLISH GIRL'S LITERATURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12786, 1 November 1919, Page 4

THE ENGLISH GIRL'S LITERATURE.

*, 'Hie girl in oho corner of the carriage was reading Charlotte Bronte’s "Villette.” Her companion was buried in the first .volume of "Sinister Street.” Desultory fragments of conversation, only possible wheu there was a simultaneous turning of leaves, indicated that they were both employed in a Govcrflnient Department. The

■ - ■ I — mm b—fiima girl in the opposite corner, who was obviously a clerk or typist©, never lifted her head from the pages of Mr Conrad s victory. It made one doubt whether one could find a penny novelette in the whole length of that suburban train. These girls were not exceptional• they wore typical. Prom careful observations in train and tubs, tram and ’bus, one comes to the conclusion that there is little doubt but that the modern cosiness girl is cultivating a taste for the finer things in literature. A suburban bookseller,

’ questioned on this point, remarked that the sale and circulation of rim more ephemeral type of novel is as extensive as ever, but its chief patron is the middle-aged woman. Ho would not, however, go so far as to assent n a generalisation that tho mothers ,iro Popular Mon! jUulst their daughters are devoting hemselves to a study of the younger •r iOU9 .. sdlool of delists, although it sometimes seems Hire it f he cautiously added.—“ Daily News.”