Birmingham age-herald., 1895-01-06
GOSSIP FROM BOOKLAND.

Nearly all the magazines have reached us so replete with good articles that it suggests the possibility that each is vieing with the other in interest for the coming year. h McClure's the initial article is the third in series on "Napoleon," which study is demanding the widest-spread interest at present. Rudyard Kipling has new jungle story, telling the further adventures of Mowgli. Beatrice Harraden writes her own ex- perience of the writing of "Ships That Pass in the Night,p a gracious and win ming article tLat we enjoy, particularly as we have all read the book and discussed 1t and wondered over difficult passages and it's strange ending; but the amusing part is that Miss Harraden does not seem to un- derstand her characters any better than her many readers. She says tit was written for the few who might perhaps care for that without a motive, without, indeed, any sort of raison d 'etre, without any striking situations or subtle development of cir cumstance.' In commenting upon the death of Bernardine she says: c felt at the time that she had to die, and that it was in keeping with the irony of life that she, the stronger of the two, should be suddenly swept away.'
 Miss Harraden has received varied letters from all conditions of people in regard to her book, asking all sorts of impossible questions, and finally lover of dogs anx- iously inqures what became of the "disa- ereea ole man 's' dog which was never men, toned alter Bernardine appeared on the scene, and Miss Harraden was forced to admit that she had forgotten him.
 There is also spicy little article on "The Dramatic Season.p New plays, the opera and notable actors and actresses are dis cussed with the very cold comfort that "not one really notable actor, actress or singer, not one extra ordinarily good play or opera has sprung within the year from the ranks or brains of America's 65, ,000 ,000.
 In an article in Munsey for January on William E. Chandler we read the follow. ing little anecdotes: "Mr. President,' once said a southern senator whom he (Chander) had stung beyond endurance, 'there is one creature of the Almighty for which could never see any use in the world. That is the musouito. MT. Presi- dent, have today come to the conclusion that the senator from New Hampshire is the mosquito Of this body.o
 An entertaining article on The Novel, v by Margaret Field, will delight all lovers of fiction.
 "'The life of every age can be judged by the records it leaves in art and literature. In ours has como the day of the novel"
 Tbe author muses upon the wondrous thought that the novel only dates back 150 years, "Pamela, published in TAO, being really the first of the type, although there had been premonitions earlier.
 The article is charmingly illusutrated by groups of the earlier novelists, the five great noveists of the last generation, a group of contemporary novelists and nov elists of today.
 ssThackeray used to say that he asked of a novel only plenty of love and blood.' As a matter of fact, the two elements are hard to mix. Rider Haggard, whom An drew Lang calls 'Homeric'as @ teller of fIf l.. while Stevenson dsdans women alto gether. Dr. Conan Doyle is the best his- torica novelist of today. He has made alive characters who were dead to us and dim in history. The English speaking public will welcome any novelist who tells the truth. Being truthful, it is impossible to be immoral.'
 
 It is probable tlrat never before have the conditions for just estimate of Napoleon 80 com bined in one man, that of Professor Sloane, who writes for the Century. His first chapter evinces his grasp of his sub- ject and just conception of it's possibilities and difficulties. h the January Century is found the third of the series by Professor Sloane giving Napoleon and the revolution, and Bonaparte, the Corsican Jacobin and French JacobiD, with noteworthy illustra- tions.
 '7An Errant Wooing," by Mrs. Burton Harrison, is continued in this number.
 
 ford, begun in the November number, is continued through the present number. A unique and pleasing article Is entitled "Festivals in American Colleges for Women," giving dainty pictures of "The Ivy Procession'' at Smith college, the "May Pole Dance'' at Vassar and 'tTree Day" at Wellesley icollege.
 "The true end of college-to mingle work and play in order that healthy minds in sound bodies may carry on with all tEe | iaa of which thav a hla tha xvnrIy of making the world or that little corner in which each of us may be placed, the better for her having lived in it.'' Richard Malcolm Johnston has a short story i'll this months Century, "Thelr Cousin Lethy."
 In "Open Letters," found among the closing pages of the Century, is an in- structive little article of the illustrations of the best magazines. How very much these helpful pictures are to us 1 don't think many fully realize, nor begin to ap- preciate the invention, knowledge of draw ing and thorough artistic equipment neces- sary on the part of an artist who unoer- takes the studies in black and white. The perfection of wood engraving is especially sought by tho Century, and that at any cost.
 "First- class wood engraving is ten times dearer than good half-tone; engraved hall. tone costs three or four times as much as unengraved or ordinary half-tone.' "A woman cried, 70, soul of mine, o, heart, from love be free! O, body, be vestal shrine! Let thought be all of mer "A woman wept as eve was low, Such tears as women may; How could dream, how could know, Twas lie threw away?'" !" There is no magazine more thoroughly abreast of the times than the Arena, whose able editor Is B. o. Flower. Helen Gardener, the brainy and distin- guished writer along the lines of morality and heredity, has an interesting article this month upon 'Japap, Our Little Neighbor in the East.'' She says: "It is true that nc Christian nation has ever had the respect for any so-called pagan coun- try that Japan has recently extorted from all nations by her skill in war.'' This ar- ticle will be read with interest by thought ful people, for the author is peculiarly well qualified to handle this subject in clear, fair and authoritative manner. In this month 8 Arena Is found a sym posum which should command the ap-