Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-12-21
Books and Periodicals.
Far Western Reflections Oh New
Publications.

"Apples Of Istakhar" new volume oi
poems by William Lindsey has been pub.
lished by Copeland and Day, Boston. In the
dedication it is set forth that the purpose Of
poetry is to teach that the beautiful, the
best alone is worth life's struggle, and that to
fail,
Seeking the vision Of holy grail,
is better than success in common quest. Many
Of the poems are in classic form and Oh clas.
scal subjects. Others are Of sentiment, or
graspings after mere elusive suggestions Of a
beautiful thought that the poet fain would
catch and hold expressed in word forms, but
cannot. Athletics comes not amiss for topics
The hundred yard dash, the hammer throw,
sculling, and yachting come in for topical
treatment, with great deal Of lghtness. force
and spirit. The limitations OF old English
forms are excellent and the volume closes
with some sonnets that are filled with good
rhymes and good IDEAS The edition of these
poems is limited to 500 copies Of small
square volume in rich olive bindings, and
fifty copies on hand made paper.
"Moody's Lodging House And Other Tene
tnent Sketches" by Alyan Francis Ssnborn is
published by Copeland and Day. Boston. II
anyone would know how The world Of tramps,
"bums" and beggars in the large cities live.
cat and sleep, with inside glimpses Of their
ways Of getting a living and picking ~
money without working, let him read San.
AuN lu lie te
book about sociology" nor literary fad, but
"trus things about poor people," Some oi
these sketches appeared in the New York In
dependent and Forum and the book has all
the dry unAinching realism Of Rousseau's Con-
fessons, which Emerson declared was, the
most sincere effort at book writing ever At
complished. Mr.. Sanbom is not a literary
dude or pulpit refomer. Indeed he offers no
reforms at all nor does he handle the subjecI
Of poverty in the slums with tongs and nap
kin to hi. nose. His work is clean, straight
and manly. He went and lived with the
tramp as his brother in the lodging house.
He slept with him. He begged and starved
with him. He lived, bled and suffered with
aside luxury and comfort that he might know
the heart beats Of his human brother in the
under world. So far as his remuneration was
complete and unsel6sh he has left us valu-
able transcript that should be read by all who
would study the social problem at safe
range. We must warn the reader against be-
ing afraid Of having vermin leap upon him
ifrom among the pages describing the sleep
n quarters in ten cent hotels.
-
"The Philisune" for December is the first
number Of volume two. Il appears in the
red colors Of lawlessness that it flaunts so
saucily in the services Of the literary cath ems
called The Society or The Philistines
They are simply the unregenerate, the non-eon
forming who do not write for the fashionable
and popular fancy Of the day but to
please themselves. That there are such men
and very few women in the world argues
hopefully for the future Of literature. As
for the "Philstine" itself il is still human
and costs a dollar year. But il is so unique
ahd dehclouSly saucy as 10 be readAhle every
paragraph. advertisements included. Persons
OF literary taste will enjoy it thoroughly but
II should be said il is not for family reading
as 1t has relation TO lilerary art. Blu, in the
higher relations to truth it is far more valu.
able than the big padded affairs ''made to
SELL" 1t is not on the baking powder and
Pears soap basis. Thank God they are a f-w
such left in the world. The books and
thoughts written and the sermons preached
not Tor gain are still the only ones that pos
sess any influence and move the world for
ward notch. As test Of what has been
said about this little magazine, which cannot
live and will not have many readers, you can
take ny any number Of !. so far published and
read II backward and take any article in it and
read the last paragraph h0t and it will prove
quite as interesting as any other way. This
may be not the least evidence Of merit, but it
shows that the power Of expression is Of 3
nigh order throughout 1t is edited by II. r.
Iaesr' Fast AsEVra, New YOsk.