New-York tribune. [volume], April 06, 1912, Page 8, Image 8

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Literary News and Criticism
A Learned Princess and a Ro?
mantic One.
MARGARET OK FRAN! R l>r?'HKSs. .?!'
savoy. '?- 4'i a biography. By VMnl
fi.d Stephens. Illustrated. Ivo, pi?. 371.
.lohn Lane Compan)
MART TUDOR, QUEEN OF FRANCE
' (;, *?jary . room Brown, Illustrated.
Ivo, pp. -y ' G. P. Putnam's Botta
Margaret of Kran?" fettgater "f
irtanc s i and his p? or litt'.?' Q ? '
?Claude, Is fort?nate In her newly found
biographer. She Is credited with nil the
Virtues which moat of the Val?.is ?lid
without : with n large inri <-f the learn
.,,._. w| Renalai ince brought to
women; a Ith I it? a I feeling, eallgbt
?anment, and in e period of persecution
h ven noble aplrll ol rellftoua I
tion. Bhe waa nol s writer Hko hot
mint. Margaret of Ang?r??l*in?*, nor like
);, r ,,. . i . Reine Margot, but ahe
loved study, and patronlaed and t?en
tioned po? - ' l'l'isaiit story
of her Impetuous defence ?>f th?- young
?Ronsard, whose verse was attacked at
. ourt by Saint ' MM kMia wi Iter
of another school? * eoneeltad youth,
h m. r?- Imitator of Pindar," said Eteint*
. . Kli ti Henry H. Margaret's
brother, and - 9 Hansard's latest
poem In pri Is? of Ins majesty he r?'a?l it
m au? h s i shlon as to make it rKUcu*
lous. The large-minded princess v.as
angered, and, snatching the poem from
: a in bo proper and
?winning a wa* that the laughter of the
rourt aras ! ush?ed In admiration it v.,is
turning point into prosperity of
Ronsard, thelt follower?
ol thi - ? ? hool
\H the ; ?"! every achool
looked worshippingl*. toward Margar? t
Rn,i . ? .ii . ountleas num
>i< t- .i than reason*
?t,i. Th. ? ? plain royal
t hymned as tiie tenth Muse.
the fourth Or i i'aiias Athene?
rn d? Court did bee*
Limoges enamt I. II
i*r reproduced In this volume, ami gives
ample testimony to the lady's lack of
looks The band of yo
? P lade," showed
great sk and Margaret's
common sens? was nol proof against it.
That - i moved to pose a lit tK may
1 ? guessed from tlio emblem, which, as
thi Pallas of her day, she promptly
I ranch wound about
with n serpenl and beating the device,
?: i .- The
rospered mightily, '.'or
wai rieh and generous, and
an?! hicii offices in her
glfi li i.- related that s translator of
Hi- ? the ri a ard "f his
work college, and for
H writ? r had I .?
rd upon him : In the King's
? That Margaret was not too
? ? in l.'-r lit. rary apprecia
I to her by her Judl
Chai or, Mi< h.-l L'Hospltal;
? .?n one ol her train ?if poets, Jo
i ointed ?.ut that in Pallas Athene's
temple "hoarse crows" were cherished
Hy with "rarest swans"?Jodelle
a an ol
? itj
Like othi r ? mini i I prii ? ens. of tlie
?" :i"d M . - a pawn in th. politi?
cal marriage market, though with some
Sx what mon than had
?\ t.- marry the D
mf ?r Vend?me,on the ground that tl
lo- i he blood i-.?'- al he was
her : Henry *flll pro
d for h? r uft* r Vnne Boh yn's un?
lucky head had il off, and King
Francis's dislike of that proceeding
brought him to n I lent an
allia* tion of marry?
ing her to th? - V as
tils second wife, Charles being th<- most
e personag? . But
i ? ' ? old for
it vas well thai
In r thirt> -sixth
w?'d foi " waj h< i mai i
I nui l Phili
?. was a happy one.
He ' ragu uis man of
ard si udi nt. He was kind
1.1 t'..i..i looking, and a gentle
? n< -- and rew .
' dominions
> "iil'l offer his wife a
li?-; and as comfoi tal le as was
t He ?pted her vlewg
? ? . partlculai ly that of
I 'aithful m
of tl ? ' ? i Bom. were,
tion of the Wai?
den? ? to one of his g nerala
Ihe ?I'll i that he had par?
tit sake
mber? ?J of
Margare! il e of 1 -.- ?,?<!
f is t ?? Savoyard
? n . "tni ars pace an?!
1 It i I -i ? ? nt-.r- h may
he -.f her, to... that si:.' ti led
to ii ' ? ? ; .n 'a Cathei la
langer in the ?
? without
? ? n th. ? : ions; then
3 ' ? tween th?- t v. u women, If
1 and tru. Italian ?mild
) aid to lovi . ? in her
1 ? Stcpl ens Is
most ?
"# ? I reigning duchen. Mar*
? le. To ihi- ..n
? ? ?
jo.. . mid to o' m? I
I : .11).
M h' n
?t ? i n England a princt sa w ho
fi-.d '.".n for thre?^ itp.nths. the ??
ti?- int!? triri'? grandfather, ?Louis XII.
As.- ! r;. ? less <.f ?i.?- <l.ii!\ life of Mary
? ?f Murgi
3-*?-an ? ? the hero ne of a romantic
i s! ?? is <.;t. n- -? remem
*>*****M*********^***********************'*****?i***M*************"** ? i ?
BOOKb AND PU?LICAT?ONS.
THE PATRICIAN f
I Y |OHN GALSWORTHY
vi.Vi Net Tostare extra
INSPIEINO AND INFORMATIVE
THREE WONDERLANDS OF
THE AMERICAN WEST.
i .-..-.,.. a. bosed. Net i
I.. I PAGI J, rOMPANY, PaMh>bers. ?Bo*toa,
In t... 1 i ? paign
i
THE NEW ULMOtHACY
? ? ? ;
i V
"THE BOOK OF 1H? Mi."
RARE ROOKS & PRINTS IN ?EUROPE. I
ttAl L-OUT-OF-PRI NT-BOOKS"
?a n|i r book -*<tr I
?.. ? . I - most . ip^ri
ill ?nd
?MM I. , ? RJ*At I
SCOiv nHQP, Jvtiu Bright at? Uout.ii?..*,?,
bered. She WM the youngest and fa
trortte ?sister of Henry VIII; she ?a? very
pretty, very sprightly; she ha?l good
manners ami some BO omplishments, but
no vperial intelligence. At thirteen .?lie
was manicd by proxy t?i the Prince of
Castile, the boj who eras to beoons tin
great Emperor Chartes V, and for ti\?'
years she was called Prill? ?-ss <?f CsstllS
I Si her brother's court. Not lui' off was
the day wh< n the young husband and
juif?- were t<? meet for the Brat time,
! v? hen tli?-miitaM'- current ?>f international
, politics and royal alliances changtMlj
1 again. King Henry and his Wolssy i"T
suaded .Mar? t.? renounee her marriage
: with Charles In ?favor of a ??"Tench bride
; gyootn, and the jilte?i Castillan gol no
i mote satisfaction when bo complained,
1 than the response of his MUnclllors:
, "You ?re ? nung. but the Klntr ?>f Fran?'.'
; it? the first King in Christendom, and
| having no wife, it rests with him t-> take
I for Ins ??.ueen any tvoinnn be pteases."
The pretty English pr1n??'ss was
; teen and King Louis was a feeble, sick
old man when Henry suddenly told lus
; sister what her fate was t?. be. Whethei
it was al thai moment that the King
discovered that she had given her heart
I to hi? chosen friend, Charles Brandop,
I Duke <?f Suffolk, we do nol kn"\?; si
j any rat?- he gave her to understand lhal
'the old ?frenchman could not live long
m ml thai when widowed he would leave
j h? r free to marry bs she pl??ased. "Once
: she had allowed h< >? II to be dazzled
Into consenting, things were hurried on
I ami she had not a chance for reflection "
?Sh?- was almost buried in Jewels, and a
? marvellous trousseau kel t her busy when
she was not dancing and dining. The
old Kinn waited for his bride with seven
cofter? of jewels beside him. She should
n?>t have them all at one?-, he Is quoted
as saying with a laugh, "but at divers
times, for he would have many, and at
divers times, kis--' s an?l thanks f,,t th, ?,,."
Fur three months the young wlft sal
i-egide the ailing man's bedside talking
and singing to him, so kind in her be?
havior that hr wrote to her brother that
he loved and honored her more and
more each day. Then he died;?and while
formait) mourning for blm in Paris, the
secretly married her fascinating Duke
Of Suffolk. The duke hesitated, as well
he might, for he had not KinK Henry's
permission to take his ?sister to wife;
and weeping sorely, the headstrong young
exclaimed that "unless be mar?
ried her before they wenl io Bnglsnd
si would neither marry him nor go to
England." What could Suffolk ?1?? but
yield.' King Harry stormed?It is not
said that h?- concerned himself ??'-'ti the
???.-. the ?ir.ke had previously ma
rled ami deserted several wives?but he
Anally bridled his wrath and consented
t.? a ceremonious remarriage when the
??air returned to England. Mary's i
lif.- wan more or less happ* often less,
perhaps, for Suffolk was not a particu?
larly good husband. She was thirty-six
when sh?' died, and three months after?
ward her link?- married a ?rirl
h l- the -?tory of Mary Tudor, told
bj h?-r latest biographer with much de?
tail and am Id? scription. Th.?' i.k
; ? ai, ? ? specimen of the mod? rn
fashionable memoir?a thing which, for
man erves to ..i.1 eeablj sugar
? oat I hi history of the past.
MODERN JVFRICA
Travels from the Gulf of Guinea
to Algiers.
Al.'iVi: IN WEST AFRICA By Mary
Gaunt. Illustrated. &vo, pp, x\%t ?.,4.
?'hai I? ? Scrll n?
THROUGH TIMBI'CTV AND ?.CROSS
THE GREAT SAHARA An Vj counl
n Advent iroua Jourm j ol Bxpl t .1 -
? t, from Sierra Leone i<< the Sourci of
Niger, following Its Course t-> the
1 ?- I .' ? ;.,ii and th? nee across : he
Grei : Sahai a i?. Algier? Bj U iptaln
A 11 w. Haywood, 1'. r <;. s. Royal
\rtill. r\ With IS ill; stratlons
man. 8\*o, nu xii, 34ft Philadelphia The
.1. 1: Li 1 plncott 1 'ompany.
Mrs. ?h.'int comes of s typical English
family <>f globe trotters and empire
builders. Her grandfather was an ofll? lal
?if the East India Company; her father
:. i- ?vemment warden In the Australian
'gold ti? i?ls. where sin- ??as born. When
sh?- and her brother and sister were
young, she rays, they "generally regard?
ed money as a means of locomotion. We
i o\?-r th?- habll as >et."
The Wamlrrlusi was In her veins, where?
fore, when confronted with the n?
of earning her own livelihood, she de
. Ided that the b? st way f.,r her to 1
it was to go travelling in Africa and
? a book about her travels. An Eng?
; iblisher gave her a commission t?.
? rite the book, and his ronflden ?
been Justified, for a m?<st delightful book
It is
One rends with undiminished delight.
?".?r t!,i-- woman alone In VV'csl Africa
aav. ?..: ? es uni n nimble,
practical mm?! that yet was fully allv?
i to th? ol nature and the I
tion. In this day of deprecation ?
atroi -? -, womanh.1
; it Is pleasant to find hei paying w hole
hearted tribute to th?- chi\ alrj cou I
ti .1 ni failing 9* '"' i- ?? i- stowed upon
' - men of her ra< ?. English,
I 1 ' ' rman. She t ilka senslbl:
of th? potential rh h? ? ol -.1 ,,
. ml agriculture, of rubbei and
doubt s? lz< s ..; ?-H h< 1
she compare? Prend and German meth
? ?1 colonization and administration
with thus? ..f the English, The Liberi ns
made ?? deplorable impression upon her;
TI - Lib? 1 Ian, th? d< if the fr? ? d
despises \?mi< He aspires to be a
gentleman <?/ leisure, i?? s?rv?- In the ?.'?.?
? rnm? ? >>r In the chui ch ...
Tin re are, J belli v- ??*> ? --U01 s. . . . But
? he 1 ns, after < loae
on ninety -.<;??- of self-Kovcmment,
sink?- the ?tranger :is an ? bla
1 d m roganl ?if bj.h, an .11 roj
; that 1- only equall? ?i li their spi 1
nee, a rac? I . .n? ? abockinKly
with the Mai.?.'ill?.'??, im' state!) "Ashantl,"
?,r the bui.- BRI i? '?'i ural 1 o rube
men are ??-nth-men l>? their own Blmnle,
untutored way, courteous and dl 1
TI ' Uberlan Is only ? ti ivest) of (he
, ? Ithont propei
boast 1 nl ? i'ii abeolut? ly nothing In
11. world to boast about, unless ?1 h.- th?
? ? , country li?' mlsman
-0 shamefully.
The 1,?,?,k is packed with Information,
bul throughout it has the charm of s
gs through an unknown and beauUe
?fu! country In the eompany of an eacep?
' tlonally lnt?erestlng wotnsn
Captain Haywood, Ilk? Mrs Gaunt,
?tart? d from 1 i eetown Blei ra I.? on
Stationed at*dhis town, he utilised 1 sis
month! It ave .?f absenci. nol In 1 ?
atiiiK In England, bul In exploring th?
ramlfl? stlom ol the middle and npi"-r
Niger and in croaalng the Sahara fn.ni
Tlmbuctoo almosl direct'* north to Ai
ih- a- ? ouiii "i Un- .1 lp a? rosi 1 'i ?
? : ? besi pari ol hli narra
1,ni-,. eallsm. II
? -. ,1, .,,, 1. ?
1 - . i 1 ?, . ind ? 1 "p
ment cannot safeguard th?. travail
I against th"m. imr author del
page or two to thi famous veil
Tuarega, bul what ?Impressed him mo
of all, far more than sandstorms at
thirst ami the welcome relief <>f th?' ra
loaeia, was the lnd?e?sciibahle heal of t
it. I!.- had travelled for thi
months through ?tropical heat In the h
season ??f the year, inn h? re in
afonlea. (Sven ih" natives' feet we
bllatared by th? sun and the mi.May re
was the greatest ton uro of all, with n
.- bit ?>f shade t?> give momentary reib
Timlin, ta, the almost fabled clt)
our Imagin il Ion, v...s :i gore dii ?,
int-nt l?. i 'aplain Ha) wood.
There was aomethlng rather fasclnatii
ab. .it mis quaint d?.t city, so solemn ai
| subdued ?lia it appi ar lo be. But on t
' whole mj ft ? ling wa one of dl um i h
m. ut, foi I had I ?' fat m? ?
posing pla? ?. I ban plctui ? -i lo nv
toa n ?it tin-- M?
I".Int of fact, ? \ epi loi the three m? -
general appeal anee .ft'.
very much like many others I had
mj |ournej through Western Soudan, Tit
tu'a ?'li!' t ?lil'f. rence Its ran . r |n i
surroundings than In her Individual!)
is atom in the il? a? i ' The dei rt i
her on all
in the earlier pari of his i.is tl
author describes some "f th? ? iston
and superstitions of the mai
ih?- British protectorate, among themtl
belief that twins are a curse from fl
local deity, who must be conciliated i
i instan; death and tlw easting n
of the mother Into the bush, l**st tl
whole family '??? strli ken with m
The undoubted progress of Islam la a?
cording t?> Captain Haya.I, decidedl
t" be wcl. om? d as it has a beneficial it
fluence on these heathen and ral -?? s tho
moral standards. Being an Englishmai
i he author v, is out for r***o] ?
noting such luck as he had with gan
! large and small British Wesl Africa
| st ill a !,,? ?-.- ncxplored and uncu It
i vated fi?i?i of great ?pot? ntial rf? I i
is al last beginning to receive, ?
literature of trn \ el at least, If not froi
t?a' British goi erm i are of tl
1 attention which lias so long i ? ? n b.
! stowi d upon Britl h East A '???
-?
THOMAS HARDY
?His Comments on His Life'
Labors.
"That many If any, stand as the
: would stand If written now is not to I
j su] posed." That is a sentence take
from the general preface which M
Hardy has prepared to accompany th
forthcoming "Wessex Edition" of hi
w.-rks. His admirers, we believe, wl
not K> sorrj th I those works ar<
to be "written now," foi ihe author'
determined pr? fi n m ?? for lis poetr
scarcely Indicates an Improvement in hi
taste.
For the purpos? i i f this ni w an
! I? Hnitive edition Mr. II u ly h
; his ti.ti.'n in three group*}, "Novels ?
Character and Environment," "Ri
I mancea and Pants lea" and "Novels ?
ii | -unity." The List croup Includ?
? -." 'Far from the Madding Crowd,
"The Return of the Native.' "The May.
of Casterbridge,.i'ln- Woodlan
"Jude thi ' tbscut e," "Under th? I
i Tree," "Lift's Ut;'" [ronli
a Fea Crusted Characters" and "Wei
ral< ." The romances and fnntasic
Include "A Pair ol Blue Eyes," "Th
Trumpet-Major," "A Oroup of Nobl
"Two ?ai ? Tow i i " and "Th
Wi ll-Belovi .?.' 'l he novels of Ini
an "Tin Hand ? ; ! ?thel' ei la,"
te R< mi dies" and "A L
J Them classifications seem rathei arbl
? trary and interchangeable, btit ?
not disposed to qu irrel a Ith the i
thereof. He says, apropos ol h
rangent! nt
In ace pting a proposal foi
! etlitli : i..i!'?' tioi In i rose an
. vers? : .i i unit > of cla*
;l s ho
I achlevemi i series
: tli>- date - t It? coml
aim wan lower than I Inn s sonn
w ! . r< th? Intentli i i Imaril:
for? e '?(" ' whirl
' ;!.?? chl. f were l
, puhlicationi con
i | ? : : I. .i i w
hon . ; ? ? - I ol
, ..t tii.- short, r tal? s II ?
iii. . WO I?
ha* s! - <?'. Il nu id. ni ha I o
hannel b. I .\. en tl, ? wrlter and tin
I public. That many, it any, Btand as the?
would stand II v. i Itten now 1- not to b.
? suppos? ?1.
He thlnka that his "novela ol Inge
miity" "ahovi a disregard of the probabl.
. hain of ? vei is. h d depend for their in
ten t mainlj on t1" Incidents them?
selves. They might also be char
as 'Experimei Is,' i nd n ? re writtei
< tor the nonce slmpl) : thouiSh dt ?? e tl
? fl 'lallty i f their fable ome ol tl i li
scenes i i ' ellty t?
. . . '
His verse, :
( the ni"; t indh
I fruitage, and : I lat, ui Ilk.
ol th? ' ui ? no ? ntcrl
: the v. 'it. i ' i ? lom i respect <
?
? Several <>f the i.rnt in?l? ? il inanj w< r?
?
| iIi..iil-mi .a a- ?' pursuit I it
: till all th' nov. il llshi.!
The II
t) . latter conf?n?- theii ? i* not
i p,., :, adh? i? 'i !" Insi? in th? sann : ?.
: Hon, tin- ?'?ram? rt ?
; ven broad theatr? ol a? !?on. it may ?nus
; r. lleve th? ? lr?' ' '? '' '"
' the pi * " '"
? ' ere |
?p.i h. m - ?Jo. - f; um thi :
?
? ai it
v. 11!
Mr. Hard) -
of verf
some eight?
volumes ol fiction i
ty-four year* ? r< minded," h
i remarks, "by thin - lion In time
. nd t? '.t how much mon
and quint'
! a hat? v. r Its vi -n m n Ih.
? m c form that I iped in the Ian*
I , e of prose." How glad would his
' p. adera l" to ill hi- *< el ?? ' I
[ ..un mor?- H"v el !
PRESERVATION OF HAILSTONE.S.
i The Loii'
The can ful a!
i ? expei ted to tl o? light on tii.n
0 thi ; illat met? .? fall and h o
. n the coi dltloi upper alt
rapid m? iting maki ? diffi?
culty. Hence the means recentl) de*
-,. . d b> Pro ? ssor Borla '?'? ? '?? ' >*&? "''
'.. - '?
: I..mid I.? lp t" m. ,. knoa led e
of the sub i ? istoi ma and th. i
origin Prof, toi \v< nl ? : ?-?' I 'nn ,;
tO | 1 .:,:?- them MU? o ! ii- ! , 111!" ?? M luid
01 in arlj ? 'in.. I del .: . ..ni.n.???'! m a
double v'. all? d rcn-ptucle The | i'
iv\.. n ihe wall -. Ih i
m .? of les and i
the ? ontents an kept al a auffii
1. t. mpt ral ire. \\ hen requin <i f??r
are n not ed nd
etc., foi ml? i.pi? ? '??"" n ?
Hon. If the phi noun n illy I
aton? i 't v hi? I. ?? so in in. nf' n ad
n ? ounl ol I or ma i ould thus ' ?
Ted it might ? .. i ? ren
prevailing si
? .
'
powere.
FICTION
j Leonard Merrick, His Liter
Repute and His Qualities.
A COMEDY OF ERRORS.
THK ACTOR-MANAOTBR. By !??''
M? m. k. iSmo, pp ?t Mitchell l
nerl. y.
The old truth that a man's fate la
I rled In his nun bosom is neatly I!
tratad In this story of English theati
life. Mr. M.-rrlrk's hero is a young at
who has done creditable wort in
: province and Is clever enough, int??
lin, t.. have w ritt, n a play,
1 whose efforts t?. rnak? s placo for 1
.?-rit in ?London reetn, when the
opens, pretty nearly hopeleaa. He
at the moment a small engagement,
; .. loi fore tha opening of
through the outrageous sm
mindednes i ?a' the ".-tar." A yo
actress, also In dlatreoe, for whom li?'
just been privilege?! t?. .1" a trifling
vine, has t?. talk lar beat t<> save
from too cruel discouragement. But
onfidence In hli future becnuei
told her nf his high Ideals, an?! th
she f.. is, cannot bul triumph. A
King presently sails for the Cape,
joi. ing in emplo) ment, and Royce
\ j liant stays behind. We suapeel I
i the separation "f the two friends
going to have unfortunate resulte, i
'in- surmise is confirmed. Oliphant's j
' a ) reduced, ho wins Mi'v-.-ss us an ac
: ami there is every i rospect of his cai
Ing '.at th ' noble Intentions be has
Scribed to Miss King, lint In- happ
t.. tali ?n love with a girl who appe
in in-- drama, a minx not Inefficient
th.- stage, but at bottom ? fool, and
I] sordid an egoist that their m
ultimately makes them both <?>
pletel' v retched. When he geta a t
..;' 1 r own lm wants t.? manag?
and to act in it as an artist. She "a
? ; j and ?ash. Catastro] he ?mst
' and f. Ilowlng tl.?- good ?.Id ."ti\
I tlons of popular fiction Miss King
brought back upon the *c?u>\ so i
? Oliphant may learn that he has been
. i with her all alnnsr, and ruminr
\>iii' du-t ami ashes in his m.-uth.
?what might have hp.-n." Obviously,
.- i .. -a..' i. it himaeli to blame. Wl
! multitud, s of voung men. in and out
i novels, have married in liaste only
reren! m insure! ?Sometimes t ey i
at tin pr.ds, regarding themselves
illy undone. Occasionally there
Indi ? d. something tra>:i?: about their ?I
comflture. But moro often their v
la? ks th?' dignity which belongs to
human drama in its higher phases. <
can give only a pitiful smile to tho or
nary victim of silly impulse, "oyco C
phant 1'- such a victim. It is no m.
? : .n ..'i average comedy of errors tl
Mr. Merrick Rives us in "The Act?
; M ana y.'f."
This fatrt w uld not, in most clrcu
stances, provoke atiy very serious er|
I refli ctlona, Th?? book H readal
ami doubtless true to the life It s?-ts r
to depict But to read "Tho Actor-Ma
r" in tiie light of all that has he
'.. enforce upon the public a d
Ol Mr. ?Leonard Mern? ks ablllt
i novi list is to read it with downrla,
llderment. Several of his count!
?. have arisen to belaud him ami
.-?wl reaa iip ir surprise al lus not havl
wn to himself a much wider aut
? i.' e than he lias hitherto claimed.
kind of esoteric Merrick cult has cot
'ii'?. being. We nro nske.l to tak<- hi
? ? . ualy, We ar" expected t.. read hi
with delight Of late this campaign h
spread !" America, ami it is not su
i
.n ii ?; thai a publisher here has print.
n i. th m one ?if bis books and promis
others. The enterprise Is legitimate ai
om. Decidedly, American reade
Id have a chance to know Mr. Me
- writings for themselves. Hut v
shall be v?-ry much surprised if In tl
hot they take them at the valuatlc
the rhapsodical commentators wl
have ?given them so much repute,
One of the first things to strike i
about this author la his poverty of ii
vent ion. in certain of his short st?rte
such as those we touched upon not ion
iti reviewing "The Man Who Undei
l Women." he has disclosed b Bt<
\ vensonlan cleverness nol unpleasing, bi
hardly, we suppose, through thi
i magazine fare that he has wo
; tin- sp. ' lal p gard ?>f his partisans. Tlm
we take it, is attributable t" his novelt
. i i v.m!- we have nol read all of ih
?s.- Willi which we are acquaint
fford ti" pen eptlble ground for char
acterizina. Mr. Merrick as a maatei
"Conrad in Quest of Ills Youth" was a
!? nt tale, but In no wise remark
. ble. "The Position of P ggy" conveyed
we admit, a tolerably good Impression
'i'ii. a It ol a self?<. ntred tllr
?was drawn with .considerable penetra
tion. Bui it was n little disconcerting
to ii:-. e mi" 1, tin' same type t un up ii
..-r collection "f tip- author's shor
-.1 p..v., meeting similar per
? ? on? igain in "Thi
tlfess l" boredom
It la not the re] etition In iis.-li thai
wear!? - it \- the hard facl that Mr
Men no novi ii--t enough to mak?
. *h" rei ' :it."i! worth while. if mis
i mon ?.f no v > ry great In?
ter. '. ? th th? ?. ulgar s oung worn, n
, Into whose i 11? ious hund? the* ? hoos.
to pul ih.'.r fortunes, are to be made
tolerable at all, once, twice or thrice, it
i ' ' ? ? : roceas of art akin, it
- :im> Now . Mr
of \ ? rj modest
tl\.- passages are In*
dubltably v i\ id, hia dial? guu Is spr ghtly,
and he carries his narrative along with
ous sei nf things which is
the birthrlghl of a thousand contempo
Bul with the beat w. ? 11
: ni tip- world t.. discover in him some
originality, some distinction. some
chai m, some new and mm Ing emotion,
-nain, d t-> say that v\<- have
? more mildly entertaining
Journeyman. Tier?- is nothing in him
?.n which t?? bite, as th.- aaj Ing.
?i his which we have cited
.i.- always agreeable t" meet but, as we
have already Indicate, they are more
than i traillar to-day, v h? n fiction i
ttall) ?m?di,,. re is written with all man*
n? i "i .aii' s, and, what |s more, th,,
m. r.t:- which this author shares with mo
mnnj of l;i' '"""a" ? oi,i;.ani,..|
,;' !'1"1-- commonplace atmosphere
"""'?" n"?" Ml, .ml y?t did not ab*
solutelj dominate, in The Position of
111 "The Actor-Manager" then
?s m. getting awa) from li Nol for a
momi m. ..n that account are we * orn*
Mr. Merrick. Btil neither .; .-- ii
"? '" hall hi ,, ... , ,, w
.
SH0RT~8 TORIES.
m in i.ti. BIDE DOWN Mto - hi
.";' ' "!' ' Front! H' ' In color ??
1 rord ll..rp. . and other IIIumi ii
;,;'".*.' '.' "J Tl. .
'...,- pp -..
1 ? 8 in book form front the maga
r.ines In which the*/ originally appeared.
There I* humor in them, shrewd obser?
vation. :uid, und?-rlying these, ? ?"*>???"
pathetic ?knowledge and und?srstandlnf
of the hard ride ?>f Ufo In our large cttte*
Chicago anil New York ur?? the s??? n? *?
,,[ most of them, their character! ?n?
taken from the ranks of the workers, or,
rather, they sre kept there, ami i>r<i
sent.'d in th'-ir daily round and Its ro
' latioii to the human comedy. Miss
j i-', rber is of the school of O. Henry'. She
I Is brief and to the M.lnt, she knows how
! to sketch rapidly a situation or a char?
acter, sh.? sei.- ts the essential outlines,
making It easy for the reader to lili out
j the picture from his ??wn exp?'ri<-n<-?-.
; Anil if occasionally she I? cynical, It
is With the cynicism of the gr^at city.
j beneath which there may lie 90 much
j of i-ompa??-i?.n und of Indignation at
; things that be. There Is considerable
technical dexterity In nom?, of these
tales, In the telling stroke-- for ?nstanos,
that place before tho reader a New
fear's Bve revel in one of our lobster
,,;,i:.:. th?? point of ?il ?ser vat ion being
from the Other side -from the checker's
desk behind the swinging doori of the
restaurant, nnd the barkeeper's si.ie of
the ??ouater, There Is profit In these
stories as well as entertainment
DOWN EAST.
I NAOMI OP Till-: ISLAM?. B) Lucy
Thurston Abbott. With a frontispiece
in colors by William Huntin?. 1-mo,
pp. ajg Ttoston: I.. C. t?sge & Co.
The happy ending somewhat convon
Uonallses this story, bul then, tim "reader
'is likely tu rejoice over Naomi's ?lood
fortune, sh?- disserves it so fully. Still,
! the earlier pages of the hook aro the bet?
ter ones In the choice and dee? ription of a
bleak environment on the New England
coast, iti Its studio-; of the longshore
f?>iu, and Its clear characterisation >f
I Naomi, a heroine In the making even In
Childhood Ihr? is the spirit of sacri?
fice for the sake ?.f'the child that calls
her sister, and her reward Is drudgery,
harsh treatment, injustice, which but
drive her on to the quest of Indepen?
dence So Naomi .sets forth to "work
her way" through college and emerges
I into the light. Here tho author steps
j into the foreground and takes charge ?if
! her fate through th?? windings of a plot
I that, far from original, yet serves Its
j purpose weil enough, and not least In
: the welcome justice it metes out to those
i who, having ill treated Naomi in child?
?hood, seek to harm h.-r in the days of
j her dawning happiness. It is a pretty
! romance, hut its beginning leads the
reader to expect sterner stuff.
A STRANGE CASE.
THE GREEN VA8E. By William R. Cas?
tle, jr. 12mo, pp ??6. Dodd, Mead &
Co.
It is the curious, sudden twist of the
plot In the middle of tins story thai sets
It apart amor.? the novels of the season.
A young woman of sentie native Anieri
1 can antecedente) but poor and a wage
earner, marries a young lawyer and rls
Ing politician of Irish extraction, a good
man and true, hut socially without tra?
ditions. The house to which he takes his
briii.- is in South Boston, a most unfash?
ionable region. The green vu.?" on tho
mantelpiece in Its drawing room Is the
?culmination of the crying had taste with
' which it is furnished. The neighbors fit
I th?- neighborhood; they, too, are an of
i fence to tho young wife In manners and
! narrowness and a peculiar kind of sn?-l>
blsbness ?if their own. Still, they must
i. conciliated for the sake o? the hus
band's political future. Into this un?
settling atmosph?re enters the Bos?
tonten, the type of the best f??r which ih?
Clty has stood In social ami ?esthetic
culture. He ?and the mlsmsted wife, who
\?-t loves her husband, drift Inevltabl3 t?>
gether, until?until the author suddenly
I twists his plot and brings the reader
face to face with a situation that, al
j though not new In Itself, Is j el strik
', Ingly novel as a far deeper complication
of the state of affairs which lias de
i veioi ed, though for the moment it an
, pear, to be the solution of if all. Thus ]
?th?- tirsi episode changes unexpected!] ?
i Into a s?.ml one, and this into a third
and last ?me, sime drat h is a factor "f
life, often unconsidered until it is
I upon us.
BOOKS AND AUTHORS
Current Talk of Things Present
and to Come.
Th?- ?.k -season in England Is suffer?
ing from the coal Btrlke. Those who
feel the pinch of income lessened by
the strike have cut down on r. adlng
matter; 'h?> booksellers complain thai
nobody Is ou? Pic- books. This means ol
course, thai there will be a Rood In th?
autumn In America, as in England, of
the l.o.-ks held ba< k this spring,
Miss Harrsden's New Book.
Miss Beatrice Harraden, ?? ho I ??
written nothing for four .? e irs, hs
Ished a novel which will appear In the
autumn from the Btokes press, sh?
has not so far repeated the success of
her firs! ?book, "Ships thai ?Pass in th?
Night " S! " I; is of late been d? voting
h< ' ? If t" th? ? au ?? ol v ?.m,n, pu (Trage
Illuminating America.
A not h. i English author Is contempl?t?
tour of illumli atlon for the be? i
nlghted uit, llects on this side of th?
water. This Is Mr Alfred Noyes, whose
" s n it Important. '
He . M-' i- to lecture here In th.- '
nun; ; r.d "besides lei turlng,"
! his publl ib? i "he ?? ill probably r. ad
? p . tally ins p? ace poema which '
h- M ., m? ai?? "f fratemlt] between ?
England and America." Well, well! To
tell the cold and clammy truth, th?ere are
few things thai Americans of judicious
literary taste could more Joyfully do
Without than Mr. Alfred Noyes's lectures
and i.m*
Mr. Vance's "New Kind."
Mr. ?Louis Joseph Vance, who is one
?if the most Industrious and persistent
of writers, Is modest, withal, .is to his
own powers, as his frank remlnlseencas
it. "The Bookman" show. "I've learned
a !"i sboui writing since 'The Brass
Bowl* made s hit," he says, "but the big
gest thing I've Lain.-,i is how much
more there is t?? learn." H. adds And
1'vi iccumulat? il ? nothm that, while my
Wings have i>?'?'ii a long time a-growlng,
they're now strong enough for inore am?
bitious flights than I've heretofore dared
\i ? .-.?,.mI book t" follow "lia- Bund
box' Is going to be such an attempt, und
? dont believe it will i..n down, because
it isn't designed to be s novel of the
? ;. , i ?.-?? Moor. SChooL It'll be realism,
bul another sori a new kind, or - a I
tlitier m? self horrihl? "
How to "Do" Pageant?.
?i h? lo- tori? ?i page ml proml
? orae popul ir In 'hi . -?'nit- ? is It ha
i.? ? o 1 eai i? ? ?i m England
? ? rn for th form of u
in? ni. ami ni h a. lion v\ill mm 11?
suggestions In "Pageants and Plgajt!
try." a forthcoming ?>""!< by ,; ,,''r '
Bates and William OTT. Many historic
subjects are named therein and fire a
companie?! by dlrectlona for ?ostumit
and staging. Olnn A Co. at? tlio pul
llanera.
An Explorer's Stories.
Mr. Harry de Windt. the explorer, ii
been dropping energetically int.. fictlo
He is bringing oui a volume of shoi
stories with .? title which reminds us ?
W'ilkle ?.'oillns. I! is "A Woman ?
Itl.uk."
The Thistle Stevenson.
The DOW subscript ion edition of Robot
Louis Btevenaon's works?the Tblstl
.Edition published by the Scrihners?ha
Just been completed by tho Issue of
volume of "New I,ett?-rs." There ?ir
Itwenty-seven volumes In 'ho ?-ditiot
. Bight contata th.? letters and mtscella
nies, twelve are devoted to novels an.
i tal.-s, one to poerns, four to travels are
I essay? and two to the antler's bjogrn
j pby.
Slancj in "Milestones."
The question Of slang in the pla'
I "Milestones," by Mr. Arnold Bennett aiu
| Mr. K. Knoblauch, hag been commenter
, upon in London and the authors' pro
' > duro as regards the year JS'/O Is thtll
explained by Mr. Bennett:
They practically r.-a.i through the who!?
' of "Punch" for that yeai and .hose a num
ber of c? nversatlonal phrases from its ? ,
j legues. They were much struck by "?
prevalence in UNO of phrases which the)
! had Imagined to be quite modern, I cannot
' at the moment consult *or Knoblauch, but
my siren? Impression is that "faddist" ?
! among the words discovered In "Punch"
: foi IS'1 "i should love to" la certain!) an
? Old phrase. As f< 1' "gOHO one better " I
? have been familiar with it all my Hie, and I
lean recall events In l*7L Ths fact is that
language changes more alowly than social
I conditions. Wo still any t:>?t a steamer
! sails.
| "In Cotton Wool."
Mr. w. B. Maxwell, the competent nov -
i oust and son .,f the author who In her
j maiden days was M. E. Braddon. has
i f?ni?ned a new novel, a study of temper?
ament it Is called "In cotton Wool,"
land is the story of a man nf assured In
?come who ?arrapa himself in the oiittnn
wool of selfish inaction and there!>y
. loses all but the husk, of himself.
BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
ART
THE -! i DIO ', BAR BOOK Of DBCQsUa
TIVK Alt!, 1?12 ?Ili.a'r?t.,! 4 to p-?
254. (TI John l,.?r,- ? .,.,-,;,,,i- . .
A i? .l- v of lie in- ?
the ;" ti?? ;? n, .i-. oral
rurnlahlai <?t the has
BIOGRAPHY.
KAPPT MUMANITT.
i;, .)> 1. l-'ini ?: ipl
? ii. uhleda . Psse a Co.?
?I'V MIMANITV. Hy Dr ft ?4?! Ml Va?
B? ?1? i. l-'i'.i ': -i. l.-'nn, pp v ?_?,?( |
? ? i. ,i,i?.m . pass a ??'? ?
An f'l?,?!il?.-;r; Jit-. \ ..f III? l|i>'-|||t ant
reformer in which he toll? of hi?
t ? ?? lo'nif In?' M a-i urtlaf. ?hen ?a a ph? ?
It an.l ..f the .xp. rl. i,. ??? hi? ,,f v. , ., ,
hi-i soclsl doeti IB? I fl
Till-'. COMBD1 '"' CATHERINE m
ORBAT. 1W I*r.4n?-!i ?Irlt.i.le. ||!ti*tra?*.l
Bvo, p| <0 P. I'utnam a 8>,na i
Th? at.ir.. Of h?-r ?,i-lv lift ?in<1 mai-Haft
i * 11. r lor? r? un?! h?sr court.
wKMiKi.i. rni'.i ns Th? rsJtft .' ,,,
Am?-' i- V.-io?j.
I'.'mo, PI?. <H <T .-.y
' -
An n?l?lr.a? ?I- liv?Ted at th? 'i-o'iar
en', t., commemorate th?- eeet? f
th? birth of rtiini*.?.
IRISH RECOUUCCTIOKg By Ju?-!n Me?
> -,i ?:, ? <vo. pp. ..i, j?f
(Th? g?org? ii Doras Coassay.)
ftAiatnleeeSoeS of Ireland In th? ai;?h^rt
of t > ?> anelei ,-(tr
of ?
EDUCATIONAL.
\?,i;?''i LT1 ?' ?:. EDUCATION I I 1HB
PUBLIC FCHOOLfl ''? BenjM n Ma-ihtit
w i-1 sn ir.?r-<i?i- ?lor ?v ? anss
I'd JU<1 1 8V0, 1 '
The iTnlrsrslty "f Chlesga tfmm l
\ ittidy nf Its dereleptaest I ? nr.
referan ? th? ? ? n.
TllK l-'l->TIVAt, nni<K. May I>av Paatlma
hi,.! the M.iv Pol?. i ? ?- ?i? ?ad
:-.l yamcs for th? pliyc-*o'in?i. ??hoot
By Jeannette Em?lin? c*r
:.--'?' '
T-i... ?, I Barnes Ces ??
Pi fi-an m?*s ?n?l *li?-<-tlori* ???.- m-?- pa?
relebratlon? with miwie, Sauna 1'?
..'l uiuat ratio? ?
FICTION.
? gS AND PALACg* B?- Jell?! Wll?
i?,r -, it? inn th* Home-maktag
adventure of Marl? Roes. Illuartratad by
' Howard Chaadler Chrletr. l2n,o, pp :.*w.
, i ?oubleday, l'a-.-?? & <:o )
\n .-?'ii'jnt of ths trials of si ??
p. "...
j THK CHILD OF TUR DAWN. Bv Artkar
li,-?or. I2me, rr? till ?'?Ml
i - ; r. Putnam'-? Son? ?
A ?<tory In the f irm of an a!l?eorr
dealing with th? hope of hnraortalltj
BUTTERED SIDE DOWN Storl?? b] BSSS
ror' er With frontispiece in color bj- R.
Ford liari.i-r ar..i ther Illustrai ? i
te by Th^ma.? i |
? ti mi i'.'n,i. pp - 0 fis
: ?rl? '-< A itos.ee Compel
lUvletred in ar.other ?-olumn.
I LADIES STHOSB BRIGHT BTfSJ v Ro*
BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.
BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS. ^
WOULD YOU PUT LOVE OR POLI?
TICS FIRST?
EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD READ
A Hoosier Chronicle
By# MEREDITH NICHOLSON
This is no tale to while away an hour: it is a
big book with a series of stirring dramatic
events in which you will live for days. You
feel that you know the characters intimately;
you enter into their lives and are moved by the
passions and motives that sway them.
Illustrated in color. $1.40 net.
?to,
HERE'S A PRESCRIPT.ON
"To all reader-folk who, being human,
have their hours of dull depression, of
tired discontent, of 'blues' when life
seems but a useless thing and all man?
kind appears unlovable. Read Polly!"
'hicago luter-Ocaii.
P0i8y of the Hospital Staff
By EMMA1 C DOWD
Grown-ups and children, doctors and nurses,
lovers of Rebecca, of Mary Cary and of Little
Nell will enjoy this book. It is full of cheery
inspiration and of that subtle quality which
has been best described as "the smile within
the tear, and the tear within the smile."
Illustrated in ???/<,?? .?l.ftf? pel
B-?ton Houghton Mlfflln Co
Full of Surprises!
Author m "The Brass Bowl," Etc?
?JJAn impelling story of d?eep mystery ??uitl breathless ?ad?
venture, culminating i ti lore- ?ill told with chararteristic
swiftness and buoyant humor.
Illustrated by ARTHUR I. KELLER
Third Bi? Edition Before Publication
$1.25 ?Me*, -it All Booksellers
LITTLE, BROWN & COMPANY, Publishers. Boston