Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1892-07-14
MAGAZINE NOTES.

MAGAZINE NOTES.
The July Century brings SO much that
is pleasant to close that it is rather
a saddening number to think upon,
when once read. DIR. Weir Mitchell's
characteristics" is concluded in this
number and it is with real regret that we
remember that no more shall we be privy
to the talks Of the group of friends meet
ing in st. Clair's studio or Vincent's
parlor. characteristics" is SO unlike
most fictions, for story it is not, that it
seems to require a somewhat different
standard of comparison from the ordinary
story. It has perhaps more in common
with Dr. Holmes "Autocrat of the
Breakfast Table" or cover the Teacups"
than any other recent books, and yet it is
distinctly different from these also. DIR.
Holmes is most concerned with the de-
velopment of certain hobbies, fancies or
whimsicalities Of his own, while DR..
Mitchell is primarily interested in the
study Of human character on its odd
side. The physicians interest in disease,
whether Of mind or body, is shown in
the subjects that the friends discuss, but
the repulsive side Of disease is withheld
from the reader; We are only allowed to
know of the cases under discussion
through the clear, wholesome minds Of
the takers. If the actors in the story
had been the insane and mentally I'M
sound creatures Of whom we hear, the
whole atmosphere of the book would
have been tainted. AS it is, we simply
speculate upon them in an impersonal
way, our eyes being fastened on the
animated group Of men whom We learn
to know and like. The characterization
is, in the main, good. The versatile
artist, st. Clair, is distinct, and the lum-
bering book-worm, Clayborne, is very
real. Vincent is scarcely more than
shadow and DR.. North, on whom more
devolves, lacks substance. 1t seems as
though this character Of North were
partly photographed, with just those
cautious reservations that spoils the
verisimilitude. The women, too, lack
somewhat in distinctness, except Mrs.
Leigh, and she iasps the nerves in
perfectly life-like way. Although it is
possible to see faults in the book, as for
instance the somewhat oppressive wealth
of most of the characters, it is quite inn
possible not to find it increasingly inter-
esting, with the somewhat rare quality
of leaving a pleasant flavor upon the
mental palate, what old-fashionod people
called the "echo."
"The Naulahka" disproves the adage
that 1.-TWO heads are better than one,"
for in it two very clever young heads
have evolved something much less good
than either would have done alone.
When it is said that the story has been
amusing, with some good incidents in it,
all has been said. The story is too pal
pably an invention; one can almost hear
the scheming Of the young authors as
they plotted it out: "You know the
East and I know the West, let us pool
our experience" The stories that live
are never worked up in this cold-blooded
fashion; the impulse should work from
within outward, not from without in
ward. Emerson says Of poetry: "For it
is not metres, but matchmaking argu-
ment, that makes poem,-a thought so
passionate and alive that, like the spirit
OF a plant or an animal, it has an
architecture Of it's own, and adorns
nature with new thing" This is the
ideal impulse for all artistic work; and
the more the mechanical impulse of in
vention and connection is made to take
its place, the farther are we from the
ideal product. We often speak as though
necessity were hard and sordid task
master, and yet in truth it is necessity
that doeth all things we'll" If man
live with his idea and brood upon it long
enough it will at last grow too large for
his holding, it will cry out for expression,
it will be so passionate and alive" that
it will be born into life of it's own; this
birth is expression, and if the vital i'm
pulse of the original conception be strong,
it will live.
The July Californian opens with an
article upon Florence of the English
Poets," illustrated from photographs.
One illustration, of the winding Arno,
showing the bridges and the houses re-
fected in the yellow stream, is particu-
larry pretty and strongly recalls the city
of flowers.
SIN the Yosemite is also profusely
and well illustrated, giving a somewhat
new aspect to this old theme.
An amusing statement is made in the
boom article upon Phoenix, Arizona.
The writer says: Gin fact, the sweetness
of all fruits is noticeable, particularly in
figs and raisin grapes. The soil of the
Salt River Valley carries a very large amount
Of saeehayine matter, and this is impaired to
its products" This is the first sugar
mine on record, and should be investi-
gated.
my Studio at Monterey" would also
be better for little judicious editing.