Birmingham state herald., 1896-05-31

mainly with literary affairs from the booksellers point of view, states that something like 10000 copies of ''Cleg Kelly and S0,000 copies of "A Mighty Atom, were taken up by the trade in the first instance. In fact, it is affirmed that s. R. Crockett, Marie Corelli and Dr. Conan Doyle are, in England, the three favorites of fiction at present The out look for the public taste and discretion is encouraging from the further statement that short stories are again coming into favor and that naval publications are coming to the front. In fact it is ques- tion if that large class of fiction, which can now be well classed under the gener- al nomenclature of hilltop novels" has been as widely read and received in England as it has been in America. We have not only received this erotic fiction and pondered deeply over the se- rious questions of life as there presented, but we have tacitly considered that such books as Grant Allen, and Merideth and others have written have been the finished work of men of genius, whose ideas and acceptance of those delicate moral questions were worthy of emula- tion, and further still, of imitation. Too many of our own American writers of fiction have been influenced by those err roneous and false presentations of the relations of life, which, throughout eter- nifty, shall ever continue to be the deep est, most serious and far reaching ques- tions with which we can be concerned. They have treated these subjects with broad, blunt candor that has not failed in it's strong realism to produce an un- wonted amount of criticism and censure, and though broadly classed among pur- poseful novels, it has often been ques- tion hard to decide, just the tendency, drift and object of that purpose.
 Not so with recent work of fiction. which, however, as it appeared in serial k form, called forth low rumble of ques- tioning as to its main drift. But of one thing lovers of James Lane Allen may ever feel assured-that the offspring of his delicate and refined pen will always be on the side of right against wrong. His art will ever strive to be spiritually invigorating and uplifting.
 Butterflies: Tale of Nature,'' as it appeared in the Cosmopolitan, has just been issued in book form, with few minor changes, and is now entitled Summer in Already: Tale of Nature" 70, Nature!
 Some still work give me to do,
 Only-be it near to youi''
 We'll may MT. Allen eXclaim with the ardent lover of nature, Thoreau, "be it near to you" for in all his work the beautifying, softening element has been his large, unstinted love of nature. This sympathy and love, which seems to be instinctive, which is characterized by intuitive perceptions and acceptances of her moods and vagaries, lost upon the less tuneful soul of genius. Can this be the soul, the spirit, the real innate worth of his Summer in Arcady?" What subtle element appeals so strongly to the reader, suffusing his mind with astute persuasion, convincing him that in this work we have something unique. unusual and choice, if it be not the im- perceptible certainty that it is "a tale of nature" that here the author lays bare the human hearts of two young people, surrounded as they are by the all-compelling, unfathomable nature, and gives us In their life the simple realism of two natural hearts, Gods own handi- work, with natures bloom and dewey freshness still upon them.
 To admit that 1t is remarkable story one needs but to read it. In the opening pages of the work is found preface, added, believe, in explanation when the story appeared in book form. This pre- face is beautiful and honest and true, and breathes an indefinable aroma of earnestness and ardent determination. He says: Tt is against this downward moving fiction of manifold disorder that the writer has ventured to advance protest under cover of a story--a story he is too well aware that could not pos bly, carry with it the weight and meas ure of an opposing argument, but that
 
 quality of healthful repudiation. To this end, and with the use of the weapons put into his hands, he has taken two robust young people in the crimson flush of the earliest summer of life. They are dangerously forefather- ed; they are carelessly reared; they are temptingly environed; they are alone with one another and with nature, and nature, intent on a single aim, directs all her power against their weakness. The xS1>- al,o this story with as much peril as may be found in any of the others-even more and, nevertheless, from such situation he has tried to wrest moral victory for each of his characters
 And just here comes in the distinctive difference between the works. The hill top novels would have influenced the reader to exclaim with convinced reso- luteness: "No need to rebel. It is nat ural. It must be right. What else could be the outcome?" While here, Mir Lane leads the pensive reader, as if by the hand, into higher spiritual realms and teaches the manifest distinction between desire and expediency between the nat ural longings of the human heart, weak and sinful in it's carnality, and the res olute, calm determination to abide by the right-to see duty stern and rigorous and vet reach out for it's faithful perform ance.
 "A Summer in Already" is remarkable book, clever, pure and as fresh and al turing as June skies and Kentucky scenes could make it. MT. Lane has many admirers, but it is safe to conclude that his latest work will win him more hearts, while to his we'll established rep utation as graceful and able writer will be added the laurels deservedly won of a noble endeavor faithfully performed
 
 "As she enters the woods through a meadow, a butterfly, stirred from the weeds by her threatening feet, swhirled itself upward into the wide hot air and entered the woods also. Nature at that moment made no great difference be- tween the insect and the girl in her in- structions. She said to the butterfly: Enter this woods; you may find what you seek-rest, honey, companionship.' And she said to Daphne: Enter this woods; you may find what you seek rest from your restlessness, happiness. companionship.' If the butterfly could have been asked why 1t cared for honey and for another butterfly of the oppo- site sex more than for anything else .xl1 xxv1.xr tt,a