The San Francisco call., 1897-07-25

"Ouida's" la test book Is said to deal with the
problem of social equality 1t is entitled 'The
Altruist."
! Charles Whibley's Book OF scoundre's has
| cover designed by Whistler. The principal mo-
tive OF the design is gallows, with the letters
of the title around it and the death s-head
and erossbones below.
The London Telegraph asks question that
many of us have asked Noting q novel in
which the heroine is named Aglae, the Tele-
graph says "why is the ill-used heroine OF ic-
tion never called Jane or Elleni"
The Mail and Express advises Conan Doyle
and Stanley Weyman TO look to their laurels,
| and suggests that Robert Barr is their for
=, midable rival, 1t seems that Mr. Barr has
written powerful romance called "Countess
Tekla," the scene Of which is laid in the Nor.
man period of Germany.
London publisher is about to bring out "s
| collection of speeches delivered in England
| by American ambassadors and ministers on
occasions when persons of the two nation.
aiities were met TO honor personality belong
ing to BOTH" The address delivered in West
minister Abbey by Colonel John Hay at the
unveiling OF the bust of Sir Walter Scott is a
case in point Many such were made by Mr..
Lowell Mr.. Phelps and Mr.. Bayard.
| 1t is announced in London that H. s.
| Nichols will present tly publish a volume of
high interest to students of Omar Khayyam
! This will be Photographic fac-simile of the
Rubaiyat in the Bodleian Library, q manu-
script that was used by Fitzgerald in his first
workings on the subject The book will in
clude a transcript of the Ru baiyat into mod
ern Persian type, with literal translation
ana notes by Edward Heron-Allen.
1t has been stated that Thomas Hardy has
onn fhnr
! ever, is not so. The revision of his writings
for the uniform edition occupied him until
recently. Since then he has thought of gath
ering into a volume some short stories that
have only appeared serially. Whether ne will
do so remains to be seen, but in any case no
new book need be expected from him for
awhile. MIR. Hardy believes in taking q rest
Mr.. Robert Hichens, whose new novel
"Flsmes," has just been published, was at one
time a student at the Royal College of Music
until he gave up the study and became critic
of music. His early literary career was begun
under the tutorship of a gentleman who had
a school for journalists, but it was not until
his "Green Carnation" was published that the
reading public gave him due recogn ition.
| Mr. Hichens has had some success as a
dramatist and he is now engaged on q play
with cole borator.
| as reckless as the theatrical press agent. The
Whitehall Review of London announced the
other day that certain firm "have just issued
| dramatic poem by that ripe scholar and fin
ished writer, Matthew Arnold, entitled EN-
pedoces Etna.' The new volume will by
no means detract from Mr.. Arnold's reputa-
tion." As the poem in question was first pub
lished in 1S49. the whole affair is very mex
cusable. By the way, 1t may he added that
"Empedocles on Etna" was omitted by Arnold
from the latest edition of his works, which
may be the cause of the advance agent ignor-
ance.
Admirers OF decadent poetry, who have
gone into raptures over Steve Cranes death
demon chattering in the tree tops" and Yone
Noguchis "soporihc odor OF colors," have re-
Gently transferred their affections to Francis
Thompson. Francis sometimes writes poetry
which can be understood and sometimes he
| writes like this:
Most proud
| When utterly bowed;
To feed thy self and be
His dear nonentity.
Caught beyond human thought
In the thund spout OF Him
! Until thy being dim,
And be
! Dead deathlsssly
Nobody knows what that means except
Francis Thompson, and he knows only that 1t
is selling his book.
There is a row in the house of Moliere, and
that over no less distinguished a person than
the director of the Comedie Franchise NJ
Jules Claretie Each of the twenty-five part
ners in the theater, including the novelist,
receives $4,000 year. In return for this,
which is supplement ted by a retiring pension
and an occasional benefit members are pro-
hibited from appearing on any other stage.
No such restriction is imposed on the man
ager, who, besides his duties behind the cur
tain, pours forth novels, reviews, prefaces,
lectures and articles in endless profusion
At the present moment he is on journalistic
tour at Stockholm This distinction between
the company and its chief has led the former
to address a petition to the Minister of Public
instruction, NJ. Rain baud, under whose juris-
diction, logically enough. the domain of the
drama falls. The matter has not yet been
settled.
ELEGANT stock. Fine editions at
Doxey's.
The French Government has bestowed upon
few American women the purple ribbon that
indicates rank as an officer of the Academy.
Miss Kate Field and Miss Marie Van Zandt
are a.hong those who have been thus honored,
and Miss Elizabeth Marbury is another. Her
work as the purveyor OF French dramas to the
| American stage ana her zeal In protecting the
interests OF the playwrights are fully appre-
ciated by the French Government. and the
form their recognition has taken is partly due
to the fact that this particular honor Is, as a
rule, awarded to those who have been in
some way engaged in educational work. Miss
| Marbury's success in making French plays
known to the American public is evidently
considered as an educational labor. She has
the reputation of being a keen woman OF
business. and as the accredited representative
in this country of the French Dramatic Au-
thors' Society she is able to attend TO all the
details OF the authors interests. and is the
only one through whom the works Of the great
French dramatists such as Sardou and the
like, can be obtained.
There Is an Irish proven b TO the effect ths
"there are more ways of killing dog than by
stuffing his mouth with butter" So 1t appears
that there are more ways of getting into print
than by submitting your manuscript to the
editor with an address and stamped envelope
fnciosed for return if not available. One of the
phenomena of the QUEENS jubilee was the ap-
pearance of poem in the personal column of
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