Newspaper Page Text
13
LITERARY NEWS, VIEWS AND CRITICISM
THE SUN, SATURDAY, NOVEMBEfc 16, 1912.
LI
Tl
letters Ponrcd in to Gonan
Doyle Begging Detective
Not to Bctlre.
NOT AUTHOR'S FAVORITE
He Trefers "Sir Nigel" and
"The White Company" to
Mystery Yarns.
Southern, tint nil llirmiah bin ntnrlont
days he was givlnR his leisure) to llterury
worn, ana in on) or inn nrotossors nt
Edinburgh. Dr. Josonh Hnll. a man of
aAtonifthing nnnlrticnl and deductive
povrpr. ho found tlm orlcinid from whom,
in duo course, Sherlock Holmes vra to
.w oWAfttArn of flotion have taken
suoh a hold on the popular iroaginatloa
an Sherlock Holme, and a. tn. ionn nn
cook. writing in the London" Bookman.
kIvpa lettew received by Conan Doyle,
the author, showing how the world In
general iw impreosed with a few or
the detective's reality. ...
When it was announced that he was
ahout to retire into private life," t7
Mr Arirwk. "lettolU POUTed in. M
addressed to Sir Arthur Doyle, but moat
of them directed to 'ShcrlocK noimee.
Esq..' care of the author, at Hlndhead.
.nro.atnn trat at thia decision and
several applying for employment in hta
service A letter to Sir Arthur ran:
Will Mr. Sherlock Holmes require
a housekeeper for hta country cottage
at Christmas? I 'know some one who
lores a ouiet life and bees especially;
an old fashioned, quiet woman, lours
faithfully. Ao.'
"And here are two of those, evidently
written in alt seriousness, to 'Sherlock
Holmes. Esq.' himself:
'Deab Sib: I trust I am not trespass
tag too much on your time and kindness
by asking for the favor of your autograph
to add to my collection. I have derived
much pleasure from reading your memoirs
and should very highly value your famous
signature. Trusting you will seo your
way to thus honor me and venturing
to thank you very much in anticipation,
I am, sir, .to.
p. 8. Not lelng aware of your pres
ent address I am taking the liberty of
sending this letter to Sir A. Conan Doyle,
asking him to be good enough to forward
it to you.'
"The other is from a professional leo-
tnrap anrl irnlnrV SDeclallHt:
"Dear Sir: I seo by some of the morn-i-
ruinnm that vou are about to retire
and take up bee keeping. I know not
if this correct or otherwise, but ir cor
rect I shall lie pleased to render you
Prvict. by Riving any advice you may
require. 1 make this offer in return
for the pleasure your writings gave me
as a youngster: they enabled me to spend
many and many a happy hour, therefore
I trust you will read this lettor in the
same spirit that it is written.'
The story Is told of a number of French
pehoolljoys who were brought over to
i taudoii tiion a sightseeing expedition.
On twine asked what they would like
('to see ltrst. Westminster Abbey or the
Tower, they unanimously declared that
be larcelv drawn.
"His first published story, n romance
baaed on an old Kaffir superstition, ap
peared in Chamber' Journal In 1878 and
brought him 3 gulnens; but It was not
until nine years Inter when 'A Study in
Scarlot camo out in Becton'n ChrMmaa
Annual for 1887 that SherJock Holmes
and Dr. Watson rando their first amiear
ance in nrint. Durinir ten vnarH nf hnnl
work as medical student and practitioner
Conan Doyle had been going through
tho Usual axtieriencn of llm lieirlnnnr in
literature; ho had suffered innumerable
rejections, had contributed short stories
to many magazines, and never in any
year had his literary earnings exceeded
60 pounds. His first long novel, that great
romanco of tho Monmouth rebellion,
MIcnh Clarke,' after being rejected on
an nands, was sent to Ixingmans and
accepted for them by Andrew Lang, I
whom Sir Arthur looks upon as ono of 1
THE MAKING OF BOOKS,
'Mr. Achillea," tlie latest liook by Joan-
nette .Lee, which was. tmbllalied Rerlally
In the Outlook nnJ. brought out recently
In hook form by Dodd.'Moacl & Co., Is to
bo published shortly In nn edition for
tho blind, Mrrf. Leo's well known sto
ries, "Undo William" and "Happy Isl
and," have also been brought out In this
way.
The diary kept'by Queen Victoria, start
ed when slio was thirteen years old, and
continued, without missing a any, until
her marriage eight euis later, Is to be
Ins tho plates that made the hull, bulk
heads and decks there were millions of
holes to be cut and virtually miles and
miles of plate to be shaped. Instead of
sawing these the workmen were cutting
them with the oxyacetyleno torches.'
"A Quarter Century of Public School
nevcloDnicnt." by WIlllAin M. Maxwell,
Superintendent of Schools of the city of
New VorK, lias neen announced ny
tho American nook Company. This vol
ume, which has been prepared by the com
mittee in chirge of the celebration of Dr.
Maxwell's twenty-fifth annlversury as
Superintendent of Schools of Brooklyn
mid New York, consists of articles and ad
dresses on educational subjects which ho
lias prepared or delivered daring his term
of service una oi selections irom nis an
mini reports covering a period of twenty.
live years. The book contains an Intro
duction by Nicholas Murray Butler.
The English tianslatlon of "Social Life
In the Insect World," by J. II. Fabre, the
famous French scientist, has proved so
popular In this country that a third large
edition has been ordered by the American
publisher, the Century Company, The
flj I
AmA Alice Ompin
Stephen Bomsal
sfuifiorgf "TAe AmertaA Mrfltemwttt.
his literary godfathers, James Payn being
the other.
"'I used to send nil my short stories, to
Payn,' ho says, 'but not moro than one
in six found favor. As his writing was
absolutely illegible, each answer of his
gavo rUo to n long period of horrible
anxiety, trying to discover if it wus ac
ceptance or rejection. In one letter I
could only mako out three words, which
worn 'infringement, oi copyngw.
to this dav I do not know what that par-
ticular letter was about.'
"Micah Clarke' appeared In 18S9 and
was followed in the same year by another
Sherlock Holmes story. 'Tho Sign of tho
Four.' In 1800 Messrs. Chatto A Windus
published 'Tho Firm or (lirdlestono,'
and 'Tho Whito Company' 'began its
serial appearance in the Cornhill. Shortly
afterward, taking his courage in both
hands. Sir Arthur resigned his practice
at Southsea and came to London. Pres
tntly, after practising for a while as on
eye specialist, tho success, in their widely
differing kinds, of -'The White Company
and 'Sherlock Holmes' decided him to
abandon medicine and devote himpeif
wholly to literaturv. He had endured
the usual wearv and unlucratlvo waiting
J&.'D BERLSrORD.
published the latter part of this month
by Longmans. Uteen & Co. The diary re
veals the Intimate domestic side of the
Qilcin's life In contrast to her "Letters,"
which dvalt mainly with political matter
Little. Iliown & do. announce third
printings of the I'laers Edition of Louisa
M. Alcott's "Little Women" and of "A
Little Hook of Christmas," by John Ken
drlck Hunes; the new Illustrated edition
of Jiffery F.irriol's "The Ilrn.ii! Iltghway."
Illutriit1 by Charles K. Hrnrk: a new
edition of ".Mother West Wind's Animal
Friends," by Thornton Burgess ; and a
derled hlV profession until it had de-.h l.lg edit on or ueorge i-it.-n s . minor
sorted him oua book' At aix"' OM Klw"Hl'"
"Wlien Mr. Gillette was constructing! , .. ,
his druma he had thoughts or introducing' New books announced by i cllrlde. Nat
a love element into it and cabled over to Co. Include: "Along .Spain's Itlver of
Sir Arthur asking: 'May I marry Sherlock Itonnnce." a deserlptlv an I historical hc
Holmes?' and though the notion must count of following the GtiadaUiuU Ir Itlver.
have come as hornet hing of a shook to'by Taul Owynne: "Afilcan Shores nf the
Holmes's creator ho promptly cabled Mediterranean." n historical and decrlp
him. or nninler live account In two parts, by ('. F. and
rclse," by Perclval G. Mnsters; "Pic-
s of i:urope," by Albert 15. Os-
' . ni.- ..rt'nf the vout 1IUI speciausi, uuu unvu ire-
they would preier i Ku " , pLmHl nfter .lays, that he had not
1 and see nu
LHolmoB."
I Just as the author's astonishingly
varied and various every day doings
' are reflected in his books m they aro
roflected in his home, according to Mr.
Adcock's description or the house ut
Crowborough.
In the hall." ho says, nangs wemiia , w -or do wha't vo ,ke with llitll,. so , i,. l5
rrlrket bat with Which lie I f, frm iuirini lliekens's horror of Hxeri
made a century on a wet wicket in the seeing his storim on the stage, Sir Arthur ture Town
i -rv flrht match ho played at Lord's: in conreK-.es that when he wiw Hherlook borne.
very ""f .JI,r??T.,,M. t..-tt- If olmoH before tho. footlights he. was
one room a "'j'V r, L Interested and delighted with wnai .ir. Heading
Of Lord KoDens. pronouns """" "' Gillette made of him. IComiun)
.the memliera of Uie ian&umu ntPiia.
1 staff in recognition of the work he did
during the Boer war; and in another,
t again in spontaneous recognition of his
, national services in South Africa, is the sil-
k1 Riihscribed for by sir Aruiur s
neighbors (and tho grooms and gar
deners of his neighborhood) when he
was living at Hindhead; there hangs a
blood smeared handolltr taken from a
k soldier who was killed in a battle on the
veldt; there, a haversack containing
a set of cheap chessmen. This, too, is
' a relic of the Boer war.
As Sir Arthur was riding with a small
V party across country they were sioppeu
I by a native who told them that a dead
imr Englishman lay somo little
1 distance aside, and they found a soldier.
Ldnad of hlswounds, with one of the pawns
1 out of this haversacK oi ms ciaspeu u
'twecn. a finger and thumb.
"Trophies' of sport are on many or the
. .nil. Hnd nictures of famous prize
fighters and prizefighting; in one of the
i windows is a largo bust of Sherlock
'Holmes, modelled In clay and sent to
! the author by an unknown admirer from
Manchester; and. to Bay nothing of many
and similar mementoes, on the floor of
' the billiard room stand two huge fossil
! feet of the prehistoric iguanodon, and
' on the table above them is the flint head
of an arrow that has survived from the
stone age. It was tho disovery or these
' relics on tho downs that stretch for miles
' i.frn his own door that set Sir Arthur's
imagination at w6rk on the period to
which they belong anu resuueu iu mo
,,.i,.n of the astonishing Professor
Challenger, the sending or him and his
search pnrty to that almoat Inaccessible
1 plateau in the wilds of South America
which tuoy una stiu inimuiKm uj ...u
animals of the prehlstorio type and, In a
r imhnwrltlnirof 'The Lost World,
which is at once one of tho most realistic
and ono of the most romanuo oi nis
l.n.lU "
Mr. Adcook gives a summary of the life
of the author, Interesting in showing his
various si'les and how llioy were orougm.
to the sufacc.
"Born at Kdlnburgh in 1859," says Mr.
A,inv;k. "Co an Doyle had commenced
writing stories or adventure by the time
ho was six, and it was natural that ho
should illustrate those productions with
pen nn'S ink drawings or his own; for ho
was born into a very utmosphere and
world of art His grandfather, John
Doyle, wiis the well known Klitlcul carl
....inriMt. who for over thirty years con
coaled lii Identity from the public under
the initials 'II. B. i his rulher, unaries
Doyle, and hreo of his tmoles wero
artists, ono of them being that Richard
Doyle who.e iiuine Is Inseparably asso
ciated with Ihe early years or I'unch.
In 1KHL after live yrnrs or medical
fUideiitshln ill llinlmrgh Unlveibity,
....,.. IWln b.r-iiiri( I his ilinloma. and
n year later, after u ciyago In West AWca,
Ai started at) a medical practitioner ut
the list of Houghton Mllflln
nnn'.t nttl.1 nfi 1 1 (in k Ifl Miirv
Out then the Sherlock Holmes stories ,,j0h!lton''s ll(.w novel. "O.isc Firing."
are not those nearest to tnoir author s 0.hr volumes are T. It. .Sullivan's "Ilos-
heart his own pix-rerence Is lor Sir Nigel . New aniJ, old." w Ith draw Ings by ls-
and "mo White Lompany -uieso m nis ,cr 0 iIornby-. -Humanly Speaking." a
regard are 'the least unsatisfactory or collPCtlon of essays by Dr. Samuel M.
his book r.. !,. ,. I CrotliHrs: two volumes of "Poems and
"'Through ho Magio Door gives you l)y ,e ,ate William Vaughan
glimpses of tho days w en tonan IJoyle .Moo, Uradfori's "HUtory of Plymouth
rJ?fT "When f Was a Child' by
or the
elected by
her hus-
to buy. and he selects Macaulay's 'liys' . band, Thomas Halley Aldrlch.
as ine one tnai jiiui iiveu inui ie-n-ure
and most protlt Next to this, among
books thut have influenced his life, he
puts the work of I'oo, 'the world's su
premo short story writer, tho inventor
of the detective story ' He was fasci
nated, too, by Marbot's 'Memoirs,' and
later has found hints In them toward the
character and dashing, daredovil ex
ploits of his own Brigadier Gerard. Ho
has a fine enthusiasm for tho 'glorious
brotherhood of ricott's novels.' and de
r'1?'.'"'?. . r; .r.. . X Voshlo Marklno. and "Shadow
"BuLCK," ""U" "'".' h' . V. .liv. hi - Flowers." a collection of verko s
""i Sr: ; "i. I ". r j; ,i, ,. im Mrs. Aldilch from the poems of
same house reports also another large
Million of Frances Little's sequel to "The
Lady of the Decoration." "The Lady and
Ha da San.
Harper & Brothers announce the publics
tlon this WMk of three new books: "Par
allel Souice Problems In Medieval His
lory." by Frederic Duncalf and August
C Krey. and two additions to Harper's
Library of Living Thought: "Rough
Stone Monuments." by T. Hrln Peet; and
"Klements and Klectrons," by Sir Will
lam Itamsay.
The same house announces reprlntings
this week of the following books: Shake
spearo tbc Boy," by William J. ltolfe;
Messrs. D. Appleton & Company beg to announce
the publication today of an important novel by
Mrs. Edith Wharton, entitled
The REEF
"The Reef" is a remarkable study of the character of
a woman of the world. The scene is the life of a
group of Americans in Paris. The story is the happy
solution of one of the perplexing problems of society.
EDITH WHARTON
is the author of "The House of Mirth," "Ethan Fromc," etc.
D. APPLETON & COMPANY, Publishers, NEW YORK
'Chita," by Lifcadlo Ileum; "George
Washington," by Woodrnw Wilson, and
The Passing of Thomas." by Thomas A.
Janvier.
One of the most Important announce
ments of tho week Is the Macmlllan Com
pany's of the tecond. volume of the "Life
of nenjamln Ulsraell," Dy vtiinnm t:
Monypcnny. which covers tho years 1830-
1846, one or tho most critical periods in
Disraeli's career. Other announcements
ror the week from this house are: "In
creasing Home Efficiency," by Martha
Bensley Ilruere and Robert W. Ilruere;
"The Government of American Cities," by
William Bennett Munro: "Christianizing
the Social Order," by Walter Itauschen
busch ; "Crops and Methods for Soil Im
provement." by Alva Agce, and "Is There
a Santa Claus?" by Jacob Ulls.
IF
The success of "Llttlo Women" on the
stage has created a renewed demand for
the likeness of Louisa M. Alcott and this
has now been supplied by tho publishers
of the Alcott books. Little, Brown & Co.,
Boston. On receipt of live cents In stamps,
they will mall a 14x18 Inch portrait poster
of Miss Alcott, suitable for framing, care
fully lolled in a tube, to any address.
OF
lights nllko in ino noriier iiaiiuos aiui
Inalllavs 'Lavs' because of their swing
and rloah, their strengm ami umpiiciiv.
wing
icitv.
noble
their lovo of all that is manly ami
and martial,
"These and a good story are the quali
ties that nppeultolilm, especially In a work
nf fiction. Ho will never write a problem
novel. As a novelist ho is a novelist
pure and simplo nnd not a preacher or
political or social reformer
"'I havo always envied tho man who had
deflnlto views on nrt and messages (or
the r nee ' ho sad tho other luv. It
must make Tor a tidy mind and clean eut
life. I fear I nover nati any particular
views or mission. I havo hot! tho ono
hiimbln idea to havo u storv to tell, to
tell it as clearly as I could, never to bo
redundant or wander from tho line, und
to Interest others by trying so far ns
possible to writo about tho things which
interest myself. I have been an omni
vorous nnd ranid reader all mv I le. with
a Tairly retontlvo memory for general
facts, though not a very good ono lor
accurate detail, This has given ino a
fair ri.ed quarry out of which to got my
stones. Some authors havo the enviable
power or making tho solid things in life
the subjects or their novels without spoil
ine- the novel. I have no such power.
"'I should onlv hore neonle ir I wrote
fiction about the things to which I have
dovoted most thought and work', the
reform oi' the divorce laws, the Congo
(mention, criminal reform nnd the like,
That was one of Charles Kendo's great
gifts, to. mako the actual interesting.
The Putnams announce the publication
of the following books: "The L'pis
Tree." a novel whose central theme
Is selfishness, by Florence L. Bar
clay, author of "The Itosary" i "Tho
Diaries of William Chailes Macready,
1S33-1SS1," tho personal record of the
stage career of' one of the world's great
est actors, edited by William Charles
Toynbeo: "Jntmductlon to Metaphysics.'
by Henri Ilcrsson, the eminent lTencu
philosopher, translated Into Kngllsh by
T."K. Hume; and "The ftellglous Liberty."
by Frank Hurflnl, proressor In the Univer
sity of Turin.
mfm
Balkan
War
Klaps
and Maps of nil other, roreign
Countries and Cities. Bncdaker's
Guides, and Guide Books of all
kinds. Automobile Maps. Cable
Codes. Foreign Periodicals and
Msgsiines. Books in kll Languages.
BRENTANO'S
Sib Air. and Sitli M.,
New York.
An ENTIRELY NEW SORT of BOOK
THE ADVENTURES
KITTY COBB
By JAMES MONTGOMERY FLAGG
T Mr. Flagg it not only a
ll remarkable artist but a
clever story-teller as well. In
this new book he tells, by
means of thirty-one inimitable
pictures and short descriptive
legends, a delightfully humor
ous and tender love-story. It
is distinctly the cleverest and
N most artistic gift book of the
season.
. Decorated Boards. Quarto.
Net, $2.00
AT ALL BOOKSELLERS
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY, New York
PUBLISHERS IN AMERICA "FOR HODDER & STOUGHTON
lml''VT:T''K"''''Jl1l''l',' i.
It Ih reported that the limited edition
do luxe of "Charcoals of New nnd Old
New York," by F. Hopklnson Smith, to b"
issued this month by IXtubleday. 1'age &
Co.. has been completely subscribed for.
The edition was limited to 12u sets, nil
signed by the author, and none of tlvm
will remain In th publishers' hands after
they are ready.
THE
STRONG
HAND
The Powerful
and Absorbing
New Novel by
WARWICK
DEEPING
"This is the best book Dr. Deeping has written. His
previous novels, ahvuys carefully constructed and generous,
mainly of romantic order, have earned their own public,
but "The Strong Hand" will achieve and deserve n
wider, more thoughtful audience. Drawn .from 'real life,
based on actual experience, it is endowed with n power and
conviction that comparatively few stories attain. Ycs,
this is a Hue novel. It pretty surely marks the opening of a
new epoch in the writer's literary life." Chicago Record
Herald. Fronlinpiccc in color. AV $1.35. (.Po.it fi id $1.47) ,
Telephone your bookseller to send you a copy today.
CASSELL & COMPANY, Publishers, New York
Simultaneously with tho launehlnc of
the New Yolk, tho newest superdreacl
noucht, tho publication of Harry H.
Xlaulo's "The Hoys' Hook of New Inven
tions'" takes tho boy reader In one chap
ter to Itrooklyn navy yard, whein the
principle of heat r-oeesses for worklns In
metals Is being Illustrated in the work on
this createst battleship:
"The naval constructor had made con
siderable headway on the framework,
The huge steel ribs of the ship
towered upward amid tho scaffoldliiK,
nearly as hlsh as a five, story bulldlnc.
In InjItiK this steel framework and shap-
The Mercantile
Library pur
chases new
books as issued
in numbers to
meet the de
mand in all
classes of liter
ature. I.lbmrj CunUlm 94.1,U)II Vnl.
A N.MAI. HlUISt HIl'TIOM, 5.
MIX MOM as.
Heme Driller) .Sen Ire, 'i rear.
Prllmcd At IteMdenres Twice n Week.
Astor Place & 8th Street
biia.mu.ui uno.uwAr.
By RICHARD DEHAN
Author of "One Bracer Thlnf'
BETWEEN
TWO .
THIEVES
"A romance of fascinating interest
and impressive power." The Dial.
Publlahad by STOKES.
$1.40 net; postpaid SI. 53
Said By
The Critics
q Chicago RcordHsrald His earnest pur
pose is of the very fiber of his work a sweet'
and fine love story it is sweet-spirited, wise,
full of ripened thought and feeling it is a
noble and wholesome book.
4 Bsston Globs This is the gentle story of the
love oi a man and a woman in which the vigor
of "That Printer ofUdell's," the kindliness of "The Shepherd of
the Hills," the power of " Dan Matthews" and the grace of "Barbara
Worth" are all woven into a, strain more delicate and more beau
tiful than this great writer has ever before penned.
J Memphis News Scimitar A really great book you feel better,
you feel refreshed, and you feel a' desire to drop to your knees and
thahk Almighty God for such a book and for permitting you to read it.
THEIR YESTERDAYS
By the Same Author
THE WINNING OF BARBARA WORTH
Illustration! by Cootcs. Each $1.30 Net
Publishers THE BOOK SUPPLY COMPANY Chicago
Mr. Andrew Elliot of Princes Street, Edinburgh, an
nounces the appearance on December 1st of two new books
bv Miss Clare Benedict.
"European Backgrounds" is a collection of ten hitherto
unpublished stories with foreign subjects, while The
Little Lust Prince," which is attractively bound and il
lustrated, is a short account of Don Baltasar Carlos of
Spain, and the portraits of him by Velazquez. Both tx)k
may be obtained at Messrs. Putnam's. West 23d Street, and
Edwin S. Gorham, East 28th st.
v.
The Holiday Book Number
of the New York Sun
On Saturday, November 30
will contain the cream of publishers'
announcements of new holiday books.
Thoughtful reviews the present and
future in books and many special
articles by men who have made a life
study of literature.
The contents of the Holiday Book
Number will be republished in
The Sun Weekly Book Review
i i
The Holiday,BooH
Number , of The
Ney'Vork Sin
will be published
on Saturday,
November 30th
Book Binding
Beit results -moderate prices.
Old bindings skillfully repaired.
All work dons st our own bindery
Tlie Knickerbocker Prcns
45t!i St.
23d St.
Putnams
juii "(; titt Me,
