Moral Poison in Modern Fiction

"It is a grim enough charge against our generation. Dare we pronounce it untrue? Uponwhat theories of private morality are the young now fed?

Morals are, obviously, influenced in most cases by example and the atmosphere of thehome; but are not these themselves mainly produced, whether consciously or not, by theteaching and tone of these who profess to think? In these latter days most thought reachesus through fiction, most emotion through drama.

Without hesitation, I would maintain that an immense number of novels now beingwritten contain much deadly poison.

Let me not be misunderstood. I have no wish to draw down the blinds again uponvital questions of sex, to bring out once more the comfortable "wraps" of Victorian days,to uphold reserve if not silence, or shut the door upon open talk. Nor would I say toyouth: "We are older and therefore we know; believe us, things were far better andhappier in our time."