The herald., 1894-10-21
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that is prodigal indulgence on the part
OF nature"
DID ever man better understand the
art of growing old gracefully?

The October monthlies have been
read and commented on, and still the
wonder grows how they can be made so
many and 30 cheap. 1t is true that
moot OF them do not claim to bs above
tho fashion OF the hour, and etill it is q
mystery how even the slightest OF these
can live at the prices. Can they live?
Will they live? Only time can answer.
Some OF the editorial matter in the
leading magazines OF the month just clos
ing 10 Of great pith and moment. WHAT
can be better, for instance. than Topics
OF the Times in the Century, No better
writing, from the standpoint of con-
science and character, can be found any
where.
In this connection it is In order to
state that the American Journal of Poll
tics has become the property and the
organ of the American Institute of
Civics.
The periodicals representing the fine
arts must not be neglected by our read
e.s. Among these the Magazine of Art
the Art Amateur. the Art Interchange
and the Quarterly Illustrator are to be
especially commenced. They compare
favorably with the best art periodicals
OF eny nation.
The magazine par excellence has been
the hope and dream OF the American
scholar. Hero 10 what Poe said OF it
exactly 80 years ago:
Before quitting the Messenger l saw,
or iancied | SAW. through long and
dim vista. the brilliant field for Rmbi-
ton which magazine of bold and
noble aims presented to him who should
successfully establish it in America. l
perceived that the country, from its
very constitution, could not fail OF
affording in few years larger proper
tiona.e amount Of readers than any
upon the earth. | perceived that the
whole. energetic. busy spirit of the age
tended wholly to magazine literature
to the curt. the terse, the well-timed
and the readily diffused, in preferences
to the old forms OF the verbose and pom
derous anc the inaccessible. l knew
from personal experience that lying
pordu among the innumerable panta-
tions OF our vast southern and western
countries were a host of wel.educated
men pecurliarly devoid of prejudice,
who would gladly lend their influence to
really vigorous journal, provided the
right means were taken OF bringing
it fairly within the very limited
scope OF their observation. Now,
| knew, it is true, that some sources of
journals had failed (for, indeed, l looked
upon the best success of the best of
them as failure), but then easily traced
the causes of their failure in the impo-
tency of their conductors, who made no
scruple of basing their rules of action
altogether upon what had been custom
arily done, instead of what was now
before them to do. in the greatly changed
and constantly changing cond icn of
things. In short, l could see no real
reason why magazine, il worthy the
name, could not bs made to circulate
among 10000 subscribers, embracing the
best intellect and education OF the land.
This was a thought which stimulated
my fancy and my ambition. The influ-
ence of such a journal would be vast
indeed, and l dreamed of honestly en-
ploying that influence in the sacred
cause of the beautiful, the just, and the
true"
1t is curious to note that of the new
books this side OF the Atlantic that will
attract the greatest attention amongst
scholars, are MenevaPs Memoirs (of
Napoleon) volume 2; and Junius Rs
vealed, by II. R. Francis. his surviving
grandson. The former is genuine ad-
dition to Napoleonic literature which is
just now having q pronounced revival,
even if not new birth. We have no
space here and now for extracts from it,
but every page is readable and valuable.
The latter is not fulfllment of the
title. The book adds very little to our
stock of knowledge regarding Junius,
while Junius himself hardly holds an
important place in the thoughts of this
very busy and practical world.
Arthur Waugh tells US that London
is having O great sensation in the way OF
The Green Carnaton. OF it letter.
writer says:
at is q satire, brillisnt and scintil-
lating, upon the literary and social affec.
tations of the hour: and more daring,
impertinent, but altogether clever piece
OF work has not been produced for many
years. The writer remains anonymous,
and his preference for secrecy is not sur
prsng, for, if it is possible for good
humored satire to make enemies he
would scarcely find friend left. No
body is spared. Mr.. Oscar Wilde is, as
the title implies, the principal butt OF
the brochure. but almost every con-
spicuous writer and parsonage is touched
to the quick. The universally of the
satire. indeed, is the thing that caves it
from suspicion of i'll bumor-"like pol
iehed razor keen, it wounds with touch
that's scarcely felt or seen." The book
only appeared this week but it ie an in
stant success. So actual and 30 essen
italy topical is it that it cannot reason
ably hope for long life, but it is safe
for q merry one. Everyone ia reading it
snd there can be no doubt that 1t will
be the most discussed book of the sea-
scn."
NOTES.
The new school books by John Fiske,
being adaptations OF his historical writ
ings to school use, are finding a warm
welcome among our educators. The
new school history is model of clear
cut writing for persona of any age.
American Political Ideas, made up
from the three lannon's lectures delivered
on The Old South in Boston, ie gem OF
g book that one may carry in the pocket
and get something out of every page in
odd moments. 1t is by far the meatiest
volume in the list of American books
today.
But one fears that some ideas
thsrs incidentally though very
foroibly expressed, may put
Mr.. Fiske under the ban
Of certain newspaper editors. 1t will be
understood how hard it has been for
some folks TO speak quite kindly or
even respectfully of several college
professors who did not happen to believe
in the doctrine of high protection.
Serious attempts have been made to