The Washington times., 1894-07-22
EXCURSIONS AMONG THE BOOKS

| the realms beyond the ken OF man, when ad-
yanced thinking has carried the human mind
to consideration OF things spiritual and
ultra-mundane, it is not surprising that the
| cropping after the unseen, the acknowledge
ment of principles and truths unseen. should
| express itself in some weird form in the liter
| ature OF America. One has but to cast eye
over the book lists to find an imposing array
| OF scientific works on all such subjects. And
not only here is the thought Of the age ex-
pressed, but fictIon has felt the influence and
| readers are confronted everywhere with
| theosophic, mystical romances of all degrees
| OF merit.
The genius OF Marie Corelli seems best
adopted for this sort of production. All her
| novels are tinged with this vivid coloring
| 'Thelma" is a half spiritual, half earthly
creation, but Corelli's greatest achievement
in this line has been "a Romance of Two
| Worlds" Here she attempted to deal with
| doctrines as yet uniformed, though they are
as ancient as the centuries. There is broad
hint at theosophy, and yet the author does
not seem entirely to understand herself. The
| work might be masterful, but for this defect
Of weakness in its general handling and an
| endeavor to do Justice to what Is evidently
| beyond her scope.
| This novel reminds one strongly of Marion
| Crawford. His ''Torvaster" and Mr.. Isaacs'
| are on the same order, but use the erotic
merely to develop the plot. A Romance OF
The best reading for Summer days, when
| the brain wants only light exercise as it were,
is to be found in the magazines. He would
be indeed hard tn please who could not find
something Of interest and amusement in the
July numbers of the leading monthies.
A lengthy story by Capt. Charles King. en-
titled captain Close, leads off in Lippin-
colts, and is followed by shorter tales, all
interesting. by Francis Leon Chrisman. Rich
ard Hamilton Potts, Elizabeth Norris Louise
Stockton, and others. Capt. Kings story is
characteristic. 1t treats OF army life in a
most charming manner, and has the. usual
dash and color that he always gives TO his
stories.
This months issue of Harper's is particu-
larly rich in a mingling of attractive short
stories and seasonable articles on current
topics. The list includes THE President at
Home" finely illustrated, by Henry Loomis
Welson; ''The Storage Battery of the Air. by
Alexander McAdie: 1.-THE Harvard and Yale
Boat Race" illustrated, by W. A. Brooks;
"An Australians Impressions of America
by Miss c. H. Spence; and in lighter vein,
those dainty bits of coloring, by Brander
Mathews; ''yignettes of Manhattan" story
by Charles Dudley Warner, entitled 1.-The
Golden House" and sketch by Charles Stan
ley Reinhart. entitled I'm Maurais Quart d
Heure." Du Maurier's '.Trilby' is given an
other installment. and will give pleasure to
those who admire Du Maurier.
Short Stories for August contains an unu-
sual amount of entertaining matter. The
special feature is a curious story by Edward
Jayson Jackson. author of novel that made
distinct hit few years ago, called "a Derni- |
god" There is besides strong story of the
West, entitled Beyond the Mesa by Walter
Juan Davis. There is clever sketch OF
Italian life contributed by Henry Tyrrell and
tales in every mood and to suit every fancy,
by Ella Terre, Hans Arnold, Alphonse Dau-
det, Frederic Morris, W. L. Alden, Hesdon
Hill, and L. b. Walford.
In the August number of McClure's will
appear testimonial to Gen. Sherman in the
form of an exceedingly interesting paper of
personal recollections. by Hon. s. II. NJ. !
Byers. A similar article on Gen Grant ap- |
peared in the May number, and was SO well |
received that il was determined to present the !
life of Sherman in the same manner. 31r. /
Byers is amply able to write entertainingly of
Gen. Sherman. He wasa member of his staff |
and an intimate friend for twenty-five years !
The story OF the Crusades with their halo |
Of romance and holy mysticism, will always |
have charm for all classes OF readers. There /
are so many Treatments of the subject: from
every possible aspect sociological political. /
religious. philosophical, that the book buyer /
eagerly devours any story which tells simply I
the picturesque history of those times. Such |
a book is the new work by ]. l. Mombert, ID.
D.. entitled "A Short History OF the Cru
sades :" 1t is admirably suited TO those who
have no time to read the longer or more
tedious works. The narrative style is as
sumed and the reading is easy and pleasant.
II is in the main an unpreiudRed story and
accurate withal, and commends itself to all
readers.
Scribner's will bring out in this country
very shortly splendid new edition of Robert
Louis Steyenson's works. Tho original edi-
tion IS limited to thousand, and OF these the
American publishers have at their disposal,
one hundred. The set is in twenty Volumes |
the first of which will appear in October. Mr.
Stevenson is one OF the popular novelists who
has made money out OF his chosen profession.
1t is understood he has asked in England SlO,-
900 for the rights of his new serial story,
The Lord Justices Clerk"
There is an interesting account somewhere
Of Bret Harte's life. 1t is merely a sketch. an
outline of the traits and character of the nov-
elist. but it gives an admirable notion OF the
inner man. From the time Bre: Harte was a
city editor on a San Francisco paper. writing
bis first stories, he has been too little appre-
ciated by the very people he was writing for
and the only ones who could at that time IN
derstand him. He is indigenous to American
soil and American ideas, and shares in the
realm of fiction the honors accorded Eugene
Field in poetry. He has in preparation a
novelette, which he is to call ''Chu-Chu, a
euphonious title to either treatise on the
Chinese language or an essay on bird chatter.
''The Bell Ringer of Angelo is the title OF
the forthcoming volume of short stories.
Rider Hagsard was not satisfied with the
title of his new novel and has changed it TO
"JoaL Haste Walter Besant changed at the
last the name of his new novel, which is to
appear first in Harper's Bazar for July Z. As
first announced it was a Crown Windfall;'
it now stands beyond the Dreams of
Avarice." The last is quite Understandable,
the first was like Walter Besant.
Mr. Ruskin will soon give out new book,
to be called Letters to College Friend"
These letters date from 1910 to 1s45.
''The Mauxman," a gloomy tale by Hall
Caine, is nearly ready for publication.
Washington is to have a new magazine.
There have been at the Capital various at
tempts to found what should be its literary
to the outside world. A pc
broad in scope, for the United States
and the world. and yet with the atmosphere
of Washington in its pages as the distinctive
note has never in any adequate measure ex-
is.ed in magazine form.
The history of attempts in this direction is
one of little furtive moneyless rainbow publi-
cations that snot not yery brilliantly into