Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-11-03
NEW BOOKS AND MAGAZINES

NEW BOOKS AND MAGAZINES.
Whoever does not subscribe to
the literary cockneyism of the pres
ent day sapt to be voted disagree
able person. Yet cocKneyism 1t is
and remains. If the injurious inn
preston created, by passing 1t of
upon the people as american liter
atureu could be confined to the au-
thors, the effect would not be so
serious; but the demoralizing influ-
ences exerted upon o people, by
feeding their mind upon SO gross a
delusion, and making counterfeit
30 common that the genuine metal
of letters Is not any longer recogniz-
ed, is serious indeed. Study of the
classics has been derided and the
superior value of "English as she is
Spoke" at our freshwater colleges
exalted until the land swarms with
mediocrity and advertising impos-
tiers who pose as the lights of litera-
ture. These writers greatly-puffed
are as quickly snuffed and go out
in oblivion, leaving the world they
would illumine in greatest darkness,
so far as any light coming from
their transparent, yet densly Opaque
productions. The needy world cries
where ARE our poets, novelists and es-
sayists, and young persons of both
sexes who cumber the pages of our
periodicals cannot answer. They
cannot tell us where to look for
them. We look out upon blank
ocean of letters where no great ships
stand against the horizon. Plenty
of little pot-hunters near the shore,
but not q vessel that we can go to |
sea in.
1.-THE West from Car Window"
by Richard Harding Davis, is sent
out in the Harpers' best style of
book, and is destined to become
popular western hand book of travel.
It's literary finish, richness in care
fully coilated facts, to say nothing
of some sixty illustrations of life in
the newer parts of the great west,
will gain for it more permanent
place in libraries and in the hands
of general readers. The author has
gathered material from the freshest
sources obtainable and, what is far
better, by personal contact with the
ground he covers. The sketches of
life in our regular army;
"At New Mining Camp" IA
Three Year-Old City," "Ranch Life
in Texas are particularly brilliant
equal in humor and delin-
cation of real western characters to
the best of Brete Harte or Mark
Twain.
Harper's Monthly announces for
1892 series of articles from this
brightest of American sketch writ
srs, Richard Harding Davis, on his
of London season. Mr..
Davis is scholarly observer, still
possessing that enterprise and hardi-
iood which enables him to 80 over
much ground and carry his readers
With him by his fascinating pano-
annie style. He is apt at siezing the
lumor of thing and is skilful in
it with interest. He has a ,
of dramatic form that
nables him to hold attention for
my subject which ne seeks to illum-
nate for the public. If not made a
ictin of enervating social influences
his writer has a future.
Tenpyson is dead. Anything
hat can tell of the personality of
he man is interesting at such a
ime, when the reading world of
9th continents is discussing his life.
Aud an illustrated sketch of him is 4
till more valuable. Such a sketch a
as just been issued by Harper & +
Brothers in the Records of Tenny- =
on, Ruskin, Browning, by Mrs. Q
sitchie, the daughter of Thackeray, i,
nd the book has the additional in !,
crest of being comparison of Ten v
yson's work aud life with that of p
he other two great men.
The valuable catalogue of the +.
\. Stokes Co. publishing house, q
ew York, is received. This firm
ill send representative to the Pa
ific coast to work up trade for
heir publications next year. Their
peciality is richly gotten up edi-
ons of presentation and holiday
ooks, childrens books and standard
FORKS of literature. Their holiday
,talogue for 1892, is full of novel
es aud rich and beautiful gift
ooks.