Birmingham age-herald., 1894-12-30
GOSSIP FROM BOOKLAND.


 Bazac's novels had been dug out of sui fering woman's heart but Goethe spoke not always wisely, and it is very probable that in this exacting world there are many who might be found 10 find fault with Bal- zac's methods and results, and to declare that the picture be evolves of society is the product of mind diseased. Sainte-Beuve refused to accept him, and w. D. Henley in Views and Reviews, writing on this sub ject, says: 'Iaine is filter critic of the comedie humaine than Sainte- Beuve. t English critics fall foul of Balzac's women i; but Taine falls foul of English critics, and with the authority of a Parisian by profess sion declares that the 'Parisiennes of the comedie' are everything they ought to be- the true daughters of their sbon gros bibertin de pere. '
 It Is forty years since Balzac squared and laid the last stones of ''Ihe Comedy of Human Life.' In the preface to Pere Goriot, Balzac says: "Jean Jacques Rous- seau said, beginning his 'Nouvelle Heloise:' l have seen the morals Of my time and publish these hnes.' May not say: I have studied the march of my epoch and publish this work?'"'
 In speaking of Balzac Henry James said he had ''incomparable power," and this truly describes the ability of this wonder ful author, who has left such prodigous works to attest his power. The 'Comedie Humaine' was intended to delineate every phase of French society, and who came so pear the gay, throbbing heart of the French people as Bazac? His genius, as disclosed by his work, ia wondrous in respect to it's range and quality, portraying a mind of firm grasp, intense activity and ideal grandeur.
 1.-The Last Leaf,'' q poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes, is most altractively pub- lished in neat volume, with the daIntiest and most perfect illustrations, by George Wharton Edwards and F. Hopkinson Smith, which latter named gentleman not only illustrates books, but writes them as well, and is an author of some renown. At the close of the little volume Holmes was asked by his publishers to add some cir cumstances about the poem in connection with it's composition or reception. This he kindly consented to do and says: frhe poem was suggested by the sight of figure well known to Bostonians of the years of the thirties, that of Maj. Thomas Melville, the last of the cooked hats. '' Holmes re- membered with appreciation three tributes to the poem-one paid by Abraham Linz coin. another by Edgar Allen Poe, who was not always over civil in speaking of New England poets, and the last pleasant tribute was the printing of the poem, among others, in raised letters for the use of the blind. In conclusion Holmes says If these egotisms amuse them they amuse me, too, as look them over; and so
 Let them smile as do now
 At the old forsaken bough
 Where cling.
 s'Bevery Farms, July, 1SS5.' It was asserted recently that every num- Der of Harper's or the Century that is pub l1shed has between its covers S6000 to $10, . 900 worth of illustrations alone, besides the cost of contents, salaries of editors and office, which goes to prove that publishing 2 magazine Is an expensive undertaking, with large profits if success and cor respondingly enormous loss if a failure.
 In quaint little volume, "People Eve matter by Marshall P. Wilder, the profess sional humorist and entertainer, who rarely leaves New York. Ia this work we find reflex of his own happy, buoyant nature. Almost deformed and with a stunted little body, he nevertheless spends richest of dowers-the power to make others happy.
 ssHe is so full of pleasing anecdoie, So rich, so poignant in his wit, Time vanishes before him as he speaks. ,,
 This volume is a series of anecdotes of persons and things. Finally Wilder de- cided he would go abroad. The greatest of men had been well received; why not the smallest? He succeeded in gaining an en- gagement to recite before the Prince of Wales. Anxious over his success he de- cided to give an imitation, entirely by the face. ''It was of man who received let Ter from his wife. He expected, of course, that she wanted more money; opened the letter and discovered that she didn't, but that her mother, his dear mother in- law, was ill, and postscript told she was dead. {. The whole story is told by the face. Of course the man is very cross at first, but blissful at last when he finds his mother in-law is dead. This caught the prince's fancy, and he burst into a laugh which from anyone else would be called roar. .n
 
 There is a novel just published by Dill lingham, written by Miss Dillingham;, "The Missing Chord.' Quite a good story, interesting plot and attractive inci- dents and characters that form good read ing, the scene is laid in Berlin and pleas- ant little love story is enterwoven most agreeably. PAUL PRY.
 CARD OF THANKS.