Show POISONOUS literature ONE of the most potent and dangerous agents that operate to undermine social purity and lead astray athe toe young and innocent is the impure literature of which the present time lime is so productive france is a hotbed of it und and the customs officers of the united states fleet and it necessary to take special precautions respecting the importation of french literature for a national law prohibits its admission regardless of the matter of tariff recently a bookseller ta la london was wa tined fined tor selling sellin a novel hovel written by a noted french author and not long since a consign anent of copies of the same work was wa i 1 to elved at a united states customs house and detained pending a determination mi of the question of adlissa ability the treasury department bad a translation of the boos book made when it ii was formally decided that it was obscene and could not A TO gawf lawfully ally admitted and the consignment was burned some months ago this imper paper was re esterly pea eSt telly edLy but in vain solicited to publish fi an announcement that the same author had just written a book which a young lady might read with ous blushing and which proved his bis ability to write fiction of pure tone as well as the sort anon watch he be had built his reputation such literally is the manner in which the announcement we were assed to print advertised the new noyel novel this french writer though gifted with a powerful and artistic imago imagination na has made his brain a fountain of moral contagion that be he describes real life with graphic fidelity anti and realism only makes his bis work of under mining inin loff the moral sense of his readers the more effective though his bis works are notoriously vile they are being sold in this city and read by young people in our community that hat a respectable bookseller would deal in such stuff is isa a matter 0 of surprise as well as of regret and the fact tuat poisonous literature is placed within reach of you young a people eo should put parents and otters others interested in the welfare of the young on their guard it would be a good thing if the mutual improvement associations of the church would make a special effort in their members bers as to what sart sore of literature they should avoid such a labor is eminently appropriate tor for those organizations to perform their members should be instructed that the fiction of such authors as scott and dickens may be rot roa 4 with profit as well as interest ints rest and amusement while works of the libidinous french school or which mate crime and moral filth the main elements elemen tn of interest to the reader ought to be avoided there exists a present and pressing necessity for at eption to this subject in the community |