The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-09-09
Literary Notes,

Mr.. Alvin f.. Sanborn of the Andover
House gives the following statistics as 10
the taste OF poor children i'm literature :
Daily association and talk with the
children leaves no room for doubt tnat,
with their choice allowed free range,
fifty per cent OF the entire output would
have been fairy stories. and at least hal1
OF the remaining fifty per cent var
books. Stories of school and home lie,
manuals of games and sports, funny
books, ballads and narrative poems, ana
adaptations OF natural and applied science
are received with some degree OF interest;
The old favorites, Robinson Crusoe,
Swiss Family Robinson Arabian
Nights Tom Brown, Uncle Tons Sars
as everywhere. OF the standard novel
lists Cooper. Scott, and Dickens are reai,
but with no great degree or ardor. can
for special books may often be traced 10
Thus temporary demand was created
for Oliver Twist Rip Van Wrinkle,
'The Merchant OF Venice The Three
Musketeers, and even for Tennyson,s
special calls as Erckmann-Chatrian's
Citizen Bonaparte' Hawthornes House
of the Seven Gables SCOTS 'Marmion.
the lives OF Havelock. Give, Grattan, and
Deronda,' and Tom Moores History, OF
Ireland can only be surmised.
II Is interesting to note that the giIls
read boys books, with ayirity. while me me
bDNS VIII ttbt kttBH iit6tt t'N'tt tot''N
books. II a boy gets girls book home
by mistake he hurries It back with the
frankest expressions Of disgust"
Ten years ago The Critic celebrated
DR.. Holmes seventy-fifth birthday IN
a number that contained tributes 70 the
Autocrat from Matthew Arnold, LOUISA
Alcott, DR. Bartol Prof. Boyesen, Philips
Brooks. James Freeman Clarke, John
Burroughs, Rose Terry Cooke, Chrlst0-
pher L. Cranch. Mary Mapes Dodge, Ed
ward Eggleston, John Fiske. Richard
Watson Glider, o. Is. FrothlnSham, ~
ward Everett Hale, Austin DGDsQn, I'd I'd
mund Gosse. Bret Harte. DR.; Milljam T.
Harris, Lord HoughtOn, Paul Hayne'
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, Dr.. Hedge, Mr..
Stedman, Mrs. stowe, Edith NJ. Thomas,
Maurice Thompson, Charles Dudley w ar
ner, Mr.. Whittier and many others since
that day several members OF TINS Drill
liant host have left US, and their mem
DRY mingles a touch OF melancholy with
the pride all Americans feel in QiiVer
Wendell Homes, and the affection IT bears
to him, who. on August -, celebrated
his eighty-nfth birthday. In the Boston
Advertiser it is said that the AutOcrdt
is looking we'll walks a mile every morn
ing, and drives dozen miles every alter
noon. He Is quoted as saying:
THE burden Of years sits lightly upon
me as compared with the weight II seems
to many less advanced in age than my,
twenty. the encrOachmepts of time make
themselves felt with rapidly increasing
progress, When one can no longer near
the lark. when he can no longer recosnl%e
the faces he passes In the street. Whch
he has to watch his steps when IL becomes
more and more difficult for him 10 re-
call names. he IS reminded az NtIE
movement that he must spare himself
or Nature viii not spare him the penal
ties she eXacts for OyertaXing his deciih-
ing powers. The twelfth septennidl peIlod
has always seemed 10 me as one OF the
natural boundaries OF lie. one VINO M, mas
f.a a.
has hel his fun share. even OF an c'G
mans allowance. Whatever Is granted
IS prodgal indulgence on the part Oh
nature t.
II am often asked whether I am writ
ing my autobiography. 70 winch my
answer IS O.: ! am In the habit al uic ~
Ing many OF my rec0llecuOns, some %. 10y
thoughts and opinions, to my Srcitttty'
who has, IN this way. accumulatel y
considerable mass Of notes. Many vl
those will be interesting TO my ldmlly
To a wider public If I should see nt 70
make use OF them. or leave them 10 ne
made use Of by others. IL IS me Hh9
thing a person long past the aruvr prI!lu
Of life can do Win ease S'' tb5t mi@ht
and. in the midst OF much tna' nl'sn'
as Vol perhaps, perish with the "Fltet'
viii not iut,robably, be found memo
randa deserving Of permanent record
Celia La'ghton ThaXtsr died suil ~
ON August d. at AppledOre House Isies
~ SHOALS. She was born AZ portsmouth.
u IIampshirc. June -, 1876. and spent
the years Of her childhood ard youth OF, on
Appledore Island. where her lt 80, III She
m Ihe Eh'ih eyi incon Thaxter the inter
nreter OF BroWning's poetry. Inc gtea,eE
part Of her life thereafter was ,so, als 80
ppnd the surrounding yea she drew the
h inspir S that gives so distinctive ana
refTsshins gaaty 6 IS her X EfPof iGr
Isle Isles oil ' Iifs Gs70' "Drift-Wced" $50
.T[ 1ns'y for children" $50, "rhe Cruise
of the Mystery' and ether P PSt1 n ngS'os
'ataa, u vars OF her married life Mrs
s Tb'TtHr spe sr part Of her time in Boston
hut since her husbands death she had
settled permanently among the h0 owl
ol ~ 90 r1uch love. and severed all con-
nection with the outside worh.