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CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL
OF
POPULAR
LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART.
CONTENTS
CIRCULATING-LIBRARY CRITICS.
BY MEAD AND STREAM.
CURIOUS ANTIPATHIES IN ANIMALS.
TWO DAYS IN A LIFETIME.
IN ST PETER’S.
AMONG THE ADVERTISERS AGAIN.
A STRANGE INSTITUTION.
MY HOME IN ANNANDALE REVISITED.
No. 6.—Vol. I.
Price 1½d.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1884.
CIRCULATING-LIBRARY CRITICS.
It appears to be a mania with some people tocriticise everything which comes in their way, nomatter whether it be the last new bonnet of MrsSmith, the pug dog possessed by Mr Jones, orthe last new novel by Mr Brown; and as a truespecimen of the ready-made critic, we might citethose interesting individuals who, having moretime upon their hands than they can comfortablyget rid of, endeavour to dispose of some of thesurplus stock by subscribing to a circulatinglibrary, and diligently ‘cutting-up’ and otherwiseabusing every author they read. Novels,of course, are the principal dish of these readers;and it must candidly be admitted that some ofthe notes pencilled in the margins are not altogetheruncalled for; though some of them aredecidedly personal, not to say unpleasant; whileothers, on the contrary, only raise a smile, andif particularly ridiculous, are underlined by somesarcastic reader, in order to call more attentionto the blunder, which has probably been committedby some indolent and not very well-informedcritic.
But taken as a whole, this criticism, althoughin some cases severe, is but the echo of publicopinion, and as such, is entitled to consideration,no matter how humble the source may appearfrom which it springs; and we know of nothingmore enjoyable than a well-read book, which hasbeen some ten or twelve months in circulation.And such a book would without doubt prove ofgreat service to its author, could he by any meansget hold of a copy; for he would then have theopportunity of judging for himself how his workwas appreciated by the public; and althoughsome of the remarks would doubtless cause himannoyance, he should remember that they arethe candid opinion of the readers through whosehands the work has passed. And if he has goodsense and a desire to please the public, he wouldavail himself of those critical remarks whichseemed to be just, and alter the text in anyfuture editions. It is an author’s place towrite his work to the b