The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-20
THE LITERARY FIELD.

T>isAA mo anu ~ w onlaD lrtcTNeucS nave
already made him reputation. There
is not "a dull page IN either OF these books
and this new volume. a collection of short
stories, is one of the best things of the
year. The theme OF each story is some
method OF revenge attempted or executed
on account o. an injury either real or fan
oied. After reading half dozen of them
one Is forced to stop and wonder at the
marvellous imagination of this author.
Earh one seems gem of the story telling
art. The character sketching is delight
ful and the writer's observation OF mi
mute details gives one the impression of
real events described. Some of the stories
are sruesoTne, depicting horrible methods
OF revenge, but they show skill and genius
ana can not fail to hold the readers at
tentior. He tells of revenge in every form
from "A Deal on Change" In which
financial ruin was the method used. to
"A Modern Samson's" climb OF an Alpine
mountain in order 10 whitl himself from
the top and thus precipitatc an avalanche
that would bury the corps of soldiers be-
low.
"a Girls Life in Virginia Before the
war IS handsomely bound and we'll a.
Illustrated book received from the Freder-
~" "a sNphNS tphPdiiy A>tW lpih We
work was reviewed in this column some
time since. the authors genius OF narra-
tive and wonderful descriptive powers be-
ing given fun credit. The story is from
the pen of Mrs. Letitia NJ. Burwell. q
Southern writer. who evidently spent her
early life on an old-time Virginia planto-
t.on, and who has portrayed those days
iust as they We're, without afrectation and
IA Ga
Every chapter is of absorbing interest
while some are amusing. others are touch
ing and pathetic.
"Thc Comedy of Sentiment" and How
Women Love" two books by DR.. Max
Nordau, have been received from Bother
Bros. of Houston. They are published by
+. Tennyson Neely. Chicago. Dr. Nor
dau's Degeneration" which has been
translated from the German. has given
him quite a reputation in England and
this country. THE Comedy of Sentiment
IS nothing remarkable as a story. how
ever. and merely details the wlles of an
adventures N her efforts to entrap a
very silly young man 1t is rather free
in expression hut does not border on tho
vu.garty of some very popular writers
OF The present "Ilow Women Love Is "A
COZ ction of short stories. some OF which
are very entertaining.
The ubiquitous soc,ologist Is not at all
sure of the ground upon which he stands,
| He IS still discussing the place and char
acter of his science. In the beginning he
was violently attracted by biological anal
| ogies and reve.od in organisms. II was
| found that while the lsfe of nature helped
| ,.,l \ a.
could not unravcl them all. Thereupon
more recent wr'tors have attempted TO
| rear their structure ON a psychological
| basis and have thrown new Light from the
laws of mind upon the nature and func-
| tons of society. Professor Patton IS not,
| however. satisfied with this receat de-
| voopment and In his recent publication,
"Re.ation of Sociology TO Psychology.
issued by the American Academy Of Po-
lii!cal and Social Science. has made a
critical examination of the STANDPOINT. II
\ his important contribution he indicatet
the inadequacy OF any special science as
as bass for sociology. VIII ri, If 1t is tc
maintain its rank as a science. must RES
on foundations peculiar to itself.
An advance copy of the Cornell Unver
eity Register for 1861 shows that tbs
great university has gained in number.
1853 AS against 1854 at THIS time last year
The faculty also shows AN Increase. Il
! consists OF 10 professors. etc, as aga.1s
165 last year. The new full professors ar'
Professors Seth Cmora philosophy
Schm DIT tSemtics), Atkinson (botany)
Woodruff 0aw). Tarr geology, Moore
(bacterology). Williams veterinary sur
| gery) and Scl.iyler lmilitary scienco), Cor
nell Is shown to have so raised an,
STRENGTHENED the entrance requirement
and at the same time so correlated he
courses with the work of the publi
schools tina, It takes a fun high schoo
course to enter student into any cours
IN the university.
Among the recent musical publication
received by The Post, the following ar
worthy of particular mention:
"Lenore." a beautiful sentimental song
with waltz refrain Words and music b.
T.. A. Mayor. Sung by Miss r. Johns
SOLOS, at Dallas for the celebrated Sousl
Published by Il. A Mayor a. Co. For
Scott. Kan. Another pretty song by MI
Mayor is entitled "We'H he Married
She'll Love Me once Again"
"I've Been Judged By Many" a son
and chorus. the words of which are b
Frederick Galbrath and music by Mich
, olas Strickland. Published by Stricklan
4 Galbraith, Galveston.
: Mother Goose Melodies for little play
: ers. by Fannie Gooiwn-Lunt. Love
PleadnG" pretty song for medium vote
by Grace Thcrne; music by Robert Co,
erly. From the Whte-Smlth Music pull
Itching Company. Boston and Chicago.
Chester Bailey Fernald, whose first vo
hume OF stories, THE Cat and the Cherub,
has just been cordially received, is show
In a new vein In a story which will appea
n the January Century. This is It'll
: Lighte of Stka," a tale of the sea with
tragic clement. MI Fernald was marie
a few months ago and has recently ror
10 Japan where he Will remain FOR a yea
or two IN order to get local coloring f.
a new e.ries of stories. lie is best know
by his Chinese tales; and yet this IS h
first trip 10 the orient. as his studies
+, Chinese characters We're made during
I residence in San Francisco.