论傅兰雅之“求著时新小说”

On John Fryer’s “Movement of Writing Up-to-day Novels”

英国传教士傅兰雅的"求著时新小说"活动在近代小说研究中一直得到较高的评价。通过对傅兰雅有关征文活动的文字以及应征来稿的分析,可以发现这次活动具有较浓厚的宗教色彩,应征者多为教徒,应征稿多非小说,它对近代小说的发展并未产生什么影响,与后来的"新小说"也并无关联。但这批资料具有较高的文献价值,由此可从一个方面了解外国传教士的思想和活动、各地教会组织的运转、教徒们的心态、社会中下层人们对国家现状与前途的思索,以及他们对文学的理解等等。

The 'Movement of Writing Up-to-day Novels' initiated by English Missionary John Fryer has always received high evaluation in the research of novels in modern times. By analyzing John Fryer’s articles for soliciting and the articles he received, this thesis is aimed to reveal that this movement was quite religious, most of the authors who participated in this activity were Christians, most of the articles they wrote were not novels and consequently this movement did not have great influence on the development of novels in modern times and was not related to the 'new novels' thereafter. However, these articles have a high value as historical documents, from which we can know about the thoughts and activities of foreign missionaries, the operation of religious organizations in different areas, the psychologies of Christians, the middle and lower classes’ understanding of the current situation and future of the nation and their understanding of literature, etc.