San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-02-01
CHAT ABOUT AUTHORS.

mas brought lntO DelnRJ unere Is no
one who has more charming
personality or who has won a
larger place in the affections of the
reading public than Frances Hodg-
son Burnett. Mrs. Burnett has
been specially fortunate in captur-
ing the interest Of a wider range
OF readers than perhaps any other
writer Of her time; certainly wider
than any writer of her sex. This
comes from the fact that her gen.
Jus has been such as to enable her
to make distinct success in writ
ing fiction for two classes of read
ers, the "grown-up folks" and the
little people. Her popularity with
the "grown ups" was firmly estab-
lished by the appearance, as long
ago as 1877, of "That Lass o. Low.
ries," a sweet pure and fascinating
tale of lowly life in the authors
native Lancashire, one OF the few
novels Of recent years destined to
more than outlive the century.
The place which Mrs. Burnett
gained for herself among adult
readers by this Lancashire
romance has been made still more
secure by later writings for the
same class, such as "Haworths,"
"a Fair Barbarian" and "Through
One Administration" Excellent
and worthy Of her genius as all
these have been, none of them has
quite equaled THAT Lass o. Low
ries" in the estimation Of the read.
ing public. This novel has run
through edition after edition, and
still has sale little diminished by
lapse Of time.
The story "Through One Admin
istration" was published in 1888,
and since that date Mrs. Burnett
has confined herself almost wholly
to writing stories for children.
There was more open field here,
and larger opportunity for strik-
ing and original work, than in the
older and more thoroughly beaten
paths of novel writing, where such
masters as George Eliot and Char
les Kingsley had wrought.
The story Of Little Lord Faunt-
leroy" appeared in 1886, first in
serial and then in good form. The
sarial publication gradually work
ed up the interest of the youthful
reading public to high pitch the
completed book confirmed, intensi-
fled and perpetuated it. The story
took it's place at once among the
classics of childhood.
Next to stirring novel, no work
attracts so much and widespread
attention as a book OF memoirs by
a famous man. A work that prom
ises to have something more than
an ephemeral success is the coming
memoirs Of the famous journalist
and war correspondent, George
Augustus Sala, mat will shortly
appear simultaneously in this and
the old country. Sala, during the
past forty odd years, has been the
acquaintance and intimate OF the
leading statesmen, diplomats, sold
ters, artists and literary men of the
day. He was the friend OF Thack-
cray, Dickens and Wilkie Col
Inns, and of these men he
will not unlikely have some
interesting and amusing anecdotes
to relate. The authors work for
the Daily Telegraph, of LonGon,.
has been OF a high order OF merit
He is a graceful writer, and his
memoirs should be, like a good
picture, "worth framing''-~to keep.
What promises to be a work Of
very considerable interest is the
forthcoming volume from the pen
of William Elliott Griffis on 1.-THE
Religion of Japan" This is sub
iect that has never been covered,
except sugerficially. Mr.. Griffis
has spent many years in Japan,
and is thoroughly acquainted with
his subject. This author has avoid.
ed teehnicalities and obscure terms
and his work is said to be in a
lucid, scholarly and thoroughly in
(tcreresting history OF the various
japanese faiths.
A writer in Blackwood's, Maya
zine lately gave his opinion OF
American literature and American
authors. 1t may be said that the
people of this country court crltl-
cism, and it fs always welcome II
good natured-yet severe. 1t can
hardly be denied that the writer
in Blackwood's is far amiss. He
saws "The nervous effects Of the
rapidity with which men and
woman live in the New World are
accentuated by influences OF eli
mate. A certain delicacy Of feature,
grace of movements, neatness OF