OCR Text |
Show LITERARY NOTES. Prof. Skeat is too devoted a scholar to underestimate for a moment tho importance import-ance of tho dead languages to modern culture, cul-ture, but ho Is a rational thinker, and in a recent rumbcr of "Notes and Queries" has this to say on the subject: "There Is often a great outcry about the educational value of Greek, for which reason It 'ought to bo compulsory on all. It la high time to Insist on the educational value of English, En-glish, but It will be long before the studv of It is compulsory' I vcrllv believe tha"t many dare not even to suggest such a thing, yet why should we not value our own language as much aa the Greeks valued val-ued thelrsZ Helen R. Martin has opened what seems likely to provo a new and promising field in fiction in her "Tilllc; A Mennonlto Maid," which tho Century company will publish In February. Material for this study of Pennsylvania Dutch life and character was gained In Mrs. Martin's years of residence In Lancaster, Pa., where her father was pastor of the Lutheran Luth-eran church. "As my parents were of Southern, not ...... .,j ....... u. Miiawuuii, .me.. .Martin said recently when speaking of her new work. "I was always ablo to realize the peculiarities of the Pennsylvania Dutch as tho truo native never does, and I had long felt that this homo of my rearing offered of-fered a rare and unworked field for fiction. fic-tion. As the town and country population of Lancaster county do not mingle with each other at all tho various 6ccts of the county being clannish and exclusive and shunning the vanities of town life any material for my writings of the country llfo was gathered with difficulty. It was no easy matter to get Into touch with these shy, suspicious religious orders." It seems that the chapter on "The Nutritive Nu-tritive Value of Alcohol," by Prof. W. O. Atwater. which appears In tho recent volume vol-ume on "The Physiological Aspects of the Liquor Problem" (Houghton, Mifflin and Company), has been very much discussed In France, where a peculiar combination of circumstances has given the question of the physiological action of alcohol a remarkable publicity. During a recent visit in Paris, Prof. Atwater was inid to give an account of his investigations In a popular artlclo for publication In one of the leading French Journals. Mr. Wirt Gerrarc, author of "Greater Russia." published a few months ago bv the Macmlllan company, has been offered of-fered an engagement for a long term by a manufacturing firm in Germany, who make a condition that he shall not contribute con-tribute to anv norlortloal or irrlfA hnnL-n The wholo of the Information obtained by Mr. Gerrare while on his travels will bo purchased by his employers for their own private use as traders In the markets of the world. This nppeara to lndlcato a new career for observant writers who do not crave publicity and are content to forego fame if they can gain a livelihood by their pen. "Tho Trail Makers" is the title of Messrs. A. S. Barnes & Co.'s series of great American explorations and travels The Interesting announcement Is mode that Prof. John Bach McMastcr is acting as consulting editor of this important series se-ries in which tho Lewis and Clark Journals Jour-nals and Mackenzie's Voyages will be followed fol-lowed by seme new volumes to bo made known shortly. Preliminary announcement comes from Jamea Fott &. Co, of the early publication of Charles Hemstreet'b new romance. 'Flower of tho Fort." Readers of advance ad-vance pages have been astonished to find Jn this book nn historical talo written on absolutely new lines and In a style that Is clasEcd as unique. It tells of happenings, when William III. was king. The author Is 'Widely known as the writer of "Nooks and Corners of Old New York," "Literary New York," and kindred stories. Striking testimony Is borne by the February Feb-ruary Bookman to the abiding popularity of Longfellow and the rcmarlcablo vogue of Howard Chandler Christy. The Christy Chris-ty edition of "Tho Courtship of Miles Standlsh" (the Bobbs-Merrill company, Indianapolis) Is tho first three-dollar volume vol-ume ever to appear In the Bookman's monthly list of tho six best-selling books in tho country. This compilation was first made In November, 1&7, and since then the highest price hitherto mentioned has been 2. It la noteworthy, also, jthat of the J2 books the only poem which has won a place In this cov'oted roll of honor is Riley's "An Old Sweetheart of Mine," Illustrated Il-lustrated by Mr. Christy. The Bookman's tables during 1003 men tion thirty-two different novels, ns against twenty-eight In 1902. Of these, twenty-seven twenty-seven were written by American authors a number which, according to your point of view, may Indicate good sense, provincial provin-cial taato, or simply that each land Is moBt Interested In the lltcraturo which rc-tlccts rc-tlccts Its own llfo, Richard Lc Galllcnno will Issuo through tho Baker & Taylor company at onco "How to Get tho Best Out of Books." a popuhir manual which should serve as a reading guide to tho average bualncsa man. Even those who feel that they havo read much arc usually floored completely by manuals of this sort, for they find In them titles which they never dnranied of. and the hopelessness of tho task which Is spread before tho average man Is so great as to dlscourago nn undertaking. Mr. Le Gnlllcnno's book does not commit thl3 fault. He eliminates with a stern hand dozens of books which few writers on this subject would dare to omit, and ho makes even more sweeping eliminations In advising advis-ing no man to read that In which ho finds no pleasure. As a guide to those who would seek enjoyment behind doors that busy lives have closed for them, this book will bo of gieat value One chapter on "What's the Use of Poetry?" Is particularly particu-larly attractive. Of special Interest among tho March Century's Illustrations will bo full-page reproductions of threo famous singers from daguerreotypes by Richards of Philadelphia: Phil-adelphia: Jenny Llnd at the age of SO; Catherlno Hayes, the famous contralto, at the age of 2C; and Adellna Pattl at tho ago of U, tho latter especially quaint Miss Josophlno Daskam's "Memoirs of a. Baby'' is completed In the February number of Harper's Bazar, and closes a sorlal which has aroused widespread amusement and Interest Miss Daskam has a way of showing us the mysterious workings of the child mind, on their funny fun-ny side. In tins perfection of which she has scarcely n j-lval. The "Memoirs." fully Illustrated Il-lustrated with Miss Cory's, irresistible pen-and-ink drawings, will be published later In bobk form by the Harpers. Houghton. Mlfilln & Co. announce the publication this spring. In a limited edition, edi-tion, of a volume of "Louisiana Purchaso Papers" containing a paper by Thomas Jefferson on the BoundoVlos of Louisiana togother with the famous Journal of William Wil-liam Dunbar recounting his Journey up tho Red and Washita rivers. Both these Invaluable In-valuable records are now printed for tho first time and will form additions to Americana of the utmost Interest. Tho coming Smoot inquiry calls attention atten-tion to "The Story of tho Mormons" by William Alexander Linn, published a couple of years ago by tho Macmlllan company. com-pany. This work narrates the story of the Mormons and Mormonlsm from its Inception Incep-tion to the present day. It sots forth tho origin of tho sect and tho character of Joseph Smith; tells tho story of the successive suc-cessive moves from Now York to Ohio, to Missouri, to Illinois, and thence across the plains to Utah, pictures Brlgham Young's despotic rule and defiance of tho United States Government, and explains tho origin of polygamy and Its place as a necessary dootrlno of tho church. Tho book is founded on Mormon evidence, chlolly when it gives Mormon practlco and belief. Mark Twain is at work on a new novel, which was begun many years ago and laid aside. Now that ho Is In Italy, with more lolsuro and less liability to Interruption, Inter-ruption, ho has gono to work systematically systemati-cally to completo It. He has Just finished a new short story, which will appear in an early number of Harper's Magazine Mr. Clemens writes his stories to suit himself, him-self, and then hands thorn over to his wife, as he says, "to edit tho hell-firo out of them." After Mrs. Clemens completes her important share of the work, their daughter copies them on the typcwrltor, for which her father pays her at the regular reg-ular market rates. Who wroto "Mary Had a Little Lamb"? Not Mother Goose, as many persons suppose. sup-pose. Thero are two claimants to tho authorship au-thorship of the Immortal Jingle: John Roulstone, who is said to have written the lines to Mrs. Mary E. Tyler, and Mrs. Sarah Joseph Halo. Richard Walden Hale, a great-nephew of tho latter, has explored the evidence and prepared the results of his Investigations for readers cf tho March Century. Ho explains fully tho "Tyler myth" and Its Improbabilities, and tells In detail the story of Mrs. Hale's writing of tho children's classic. Prof. N. S. Shalcr's new book, "The Citizen; A Study of the Individual and the Government," will be published probably prob-ably in February by A. S. Barnes & Co. Miss Genovlevc Hcck'cr, now Mrs. Charles T. Stout, who Is generally acknowledged ac-knowledged to be the best American woman wo-man golf player, has written a book for women, which tho Baker & -Taylor Co. will Issue the 1st of March. The chapters appeared serially at first In Golf, where they attracted a great deal of attention because of the clearness and usefulness of the Instructions Unlike many similar books, this is one which adapts Itself to the beginner, and aids tho more advanced player as well. So far an the actual golf instruction is concerned. It will bo a very Valuable book for many men too. but It Is made especially useful for women by discussions of details of dress, training, etc. A new field for fiction has been entered en-tered by the author of "Henderson," a story of a Mlssourlan, published by Houghton. Mlfilln & Co.. February 13th. In an earlier novel, "Sally of Missouri," Miss Young has shown her mastcry'of tho field, on wnich she Is to be congratulated. Senator Beverldge. author of "The Russian Rus-sian Advance" (Harper's), was a logger in early youth, and at 1G was boss of a logging log-ging camp. It is said that to this day ho Is an expert logger An amusing incident occurred during tho last Congressional campaign In Indiana. Senator Beverldirc spoko at a certain town and was driving across country to make a train for tho next appointment. At a point whero the road crossed the railroad track, the Senator Sen-ator found some men trying to load heavy logs on a fiat car. Ho told the driver to stop, and after watching the work for a II1U11IUIIL I1U Saitl IU U1U lllilll All UllcllOi "You have those skids and chains fixed wrong, and you are chocking that log wrong, too. If you do things this way, somo of you will get hurl badly." Resenting the Interference of a stranger, the mnn replied- "What the do you know about It?" "I will show you." said Senator Beverldge, Beve-rldge, getting out of his buggy. Ho then adjusted things properly, showing whore the men were putting themselves in danger dan-ger by a wrong method. They watched rather shooplshly, but, finding the stranger In tho right, promptlv acknowledged It and thanked him as ho climbed back In his buggy.. Thereupon the local politician who was driving the Senator told the log-men who It was to whom they were talking. "Well, I'll bo 1" said the foreman. "That settles It. I am for Albert J, Bov-erldgo Bov-erldgo from this time on." The man happened to be the Democratic Demo-cratic precinct committeeman from that township, but now he Is ono of tho hottest hot-test adherents tho Senator has in Indiana. In-diana. The voguo for so-called "detective; stories ueems In no wise dlmlnlnbed; and we are glad to learn that Mr. M. L. Scv-ery Scv-ery Is to publish early In tho spring ono of unusual complexity and Interest, entitled. enti-tled. "That Darrow Enigma," Dodd, Mead & Co., publishers. New York, It is, perhaps, the most Ingenious, most subtle, and tho' most haftllng detective story written by an American In recent years. At the time John Darrow was murdered thtro wore present with him several people In the room. T.hc. doors were all locked, and each of the witnesses of tho tragedy testified on onth that they saw no murderer, heard no cry, and knew no motive. ' Seemingly, such a narratlvo Is on the face of It absurd. The author's actual unraveling of the mystery Is, however, so ncute and so' Illuminating that wo aro left absolutely satisfied, absolutely convinced con-vinced of the motive of the murderer, the murderer's Identity, find the murderer's weapon. Incidentally, It may be added that tho weapon with which John Darrow wnB killed Is one that has never been made uao of in a novel before, th.iugh It offers, in some ways, advantages over nil other woopona as a means of murder. Fox, Dufrtcld & Co.. Now York, announce an-nounce for carlv publication "Practical Track and Field Athletics." by John Graham Gra-ham and Ellery H. Clark, a syfttcmatlc guldo and handbook for the modern athlete. ath-lete. Tho book Is written entirely from tho point of view of actual experience. Tho authors, John Graham, the Harvard athlete Instructor, ond Ellery II. Clark, the present all-around American amateur champion, and chairman of the committee commit-tee on hygiene and physical training In the Boston public schools, .ire both men who need no Introduction to tho sporting world. Mr. Clark's prestige Im o.f a very special kind, due to his having won back tho all-around championship after a lapse of elx years, and in general "Practical Track and Field Athletics" will lay stress upon the mornl and physical advantages to bo derived from regular and moderate oxcrclsea as opposed to merely professional profession-al athletics. In a recent newspaper Interview, Inter-view, upon his appointment as chairman of the Boston school Utird, Mr. Clark said: "My idea, ns you no doubt know. Is that physical training and mental Instruction Instruc-tion should go hand In hand." Among tho reforms proposed by the new chairman are; 1. The Institution of track athlotlcs In the public high schools. 2. The thorough Investigation of the system of physical training now In uso In tho public schools. 3. Tho establishment of closer relations between the mental and physical training courccs Jn tho public schools. A particular ftaturo of the new book will be tho Illustrations. The authors have mado complete collections of tho best work of leading photographers and havo had access also to tho largest newspaper news-paper collections, representing altogether the best work yet dona In the field of Instantaneous photography. From these have boon selected upwards of fifty photographs, photo-graphs, to bo made Into half-tones, showing show-ing all tho famoua athletes of tho day In tho actual performance of their particular events. A high athletic authority says of these Illustrations that he never beforo realized what an aid good pictures are In showing a performer how to master an event "To my mind," ho says, "pictures llko theso are worth pages of descriptive matter," |