The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-30
JANUARY MAGAZINES.

In the Forum +. Marion Crawford offers
some very interesting views in answer to
the question, "What is o novels" After
discussing the realistic and romantic
schools. he concludes hat the novel. in
one shape or another, satisfies q
modern want. 1T may" he says.
"be fairly claimed hat humanity has,
within the past hundred years, found q
way of carrying q theater in its pocket.
and SO long as humanity remains what it
is it will delight in taking out
it's pooket-staRe INC watching the
antics of the actors. who are
so like itself and yet so much
oil. the best answer to the question. What
is a novelf 1t is, or ought to be. q pocket
stage. Scenery, light, shade, the actors
themselves. are made of words and moth.
Ing but words, more or less put together.
A play is good in proportion as 1t
represents the more dramatic. passionate.
romantic or humorous sides Of real life. A
novel is excellent according to the degree
in which it produces the illusions of q good
~play-but it must not be forgotten that the
play is the thing, and that the illusion is
eminently necessary to success" DIR.
Rice discusses the school system of
New York city as ne found It
as antiquated and barbarous., Among other
topics considered are: problems of Silver
and Currency" ealth and Business Re.
%lations of the West" Alien DEGRADATION Of
Stability and Economic Unrest" Can
Moral Conduct be Taught in Schools" and
Jay Gould and Socialism"
The January Harper is largely given up
to fiction. Constance Fenimors Woolson
and A. Conan Doyle have each the first IN
stallment of q novel. and Richard Harding
Davis and Elizsbeth Stuart Phelps
contribute q short story each. w. u. How
ellie has an amusing farce. in which
those old acquaintance. the Robertses and
the Campbells, again figure. Julian Ralph
describes a trip from st. LOUIS
sketch by Theodore Child; Poultney Big.
Glow tells 'Why We Left Russia" Annie
Fields offers some "reminiscences of Tenny-
son, and Edward f. Waite discusses Pen.
sions; the Law and the Administration"
OF the making of new magazines there is
no end. worthington's illustrated Maya
zine and Literary Treasury" is q new ven-
ture in this line. issuing from Hart
ford, Conn. Among the contributors are
the names of well-known writer's. which IN
themselves 90 far to fix the literary quality
Of the publication. Mary A. Llvermore
has a chapter of personal "reminiscences
ole ShlnpOclA q btoky u A1ChAt
Brown tells how o man feels under fire, and
Sir Edwin Arnold describes "A Sultana's
Tomb" the Tai Mahal at Agra. Other
sketches and poems make up q readable
number.
The Tilson Club. of Louisville. publishes,
in q very handsome and elaborate form,
the proceedings of the club on juno Is,
1852. in celebration of the one-hundredth
anniversary of the admission Of Kentucky
as an independent State into the
federal Union. Speeches were made by o
number of distinguished Kentuokians. and
their preservation is u matter of general
historical i'm DOrtance, while as q club
souvenir they arc Of especial interest. Pub
fishers, John p. Morton q Co.. Louisville.
The Department. of State at Washington
has issued a monograph giving the
origin and history of the seal
of the United States. An account
of its development and adoption.
with illustrations showing various designs
suggested and q representation in col0rs of
the front and reverse sides of the seal now
In use are given. the whole forming q val
liable historical document. But one thou
sand copies are printed.