The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-20
LITERARY GOSSIP.

The "Gadshi1l' Dickens, edited by
Andrew Lang, is an announcement.
Several volumes have been published
already. Dickens holds his own excel
lently amid the great multitude Of new
writers whose name is legion.
Professor George Saintsbury's new
work he is editing and partly writing
on Periods o. European Literature
Is going ahead. He has published a
volume by himself on THE F1ourishing
Of Romance and Rise of AIIegory."
Professor BURGESS much canvassed
volume on THE Middle Period"-1S17-
1858-is a part OF another series known
as American History Series" The
previous volumes are THE Colonial
Era" by Professor G. p. Fisher-""The
French War and the Revolution" by
Professor VILLAIN NJ. Sloane, Phi. D.
''The Making of the Nation" by Gener-
al Francis A. Walker. We should have
said when referring to Professor
Saintsbury that he Is probably the best
informed, all round, man of letters in
Great Britain. He is marvellously
well read, n in European Continental
authors as in his own.
We mentioned thai the celebrated
Professor Jowett, of Oxford university,
did not think very highly of Robert
BrOwning's poetry, but liked the man.
He was visited by the poet and after
wards regarded him as a personal
Friar1 III rcook1.x 5ror,~ xo-X,-I-
the manly, urbane, sweet character he
found in the poet. He left this on
record:
"Tt is impossible to speak without en-
thusiasm OF his open, generous nature
n his great ability and knowledge.
1 had no idea that there was a perfect
ly sensible poet in the world, entirely
free from vanity, jealousy, or any other
~littleness, and thinking no more of him
self than if he were an ordinary man.
His great energy is very remarkable,
and his determination to make the
most of the remainder of life"
Novels come from the press every
day. the number produced each year
counts by thousands. One who reads
h new novels cannot be too careful
in selection. We read few new novels,
and have not the time to re-read some
of the great standard novels the recol-
lection of which gives us uncommon
pleasure. The critics every month
write Of novels just out that are much
praised and exalted. The New York
Tribune that gives particular attention
to it's literary department praises
George Gissing's 1.-THE Whirlpool' as
Carlyle's rule to wait two years before
reading a new book is more and more
a necessity-a wise rule.
Hopkinson Smith las a new novel
called "Ca1eb Wheat" Quiller-Couch
is to finish Stevenson's unfinished nov
ell. "St. Ives" Hazardous! Richard
Mansfield has a novel to be published
entitled Blown Away" He is the &C
tor we think. Crawford's new novel,
"a Rose Of Yesterday is considered
clever and Of his usual good level
gauge. He is very prolific out knows
how to interest. Nelson Page has a
novelette, out called "The Old Gentle
man of the Black Stock" His best
work was probably done years ago,
1.-THE Martian'' is read and praised. We
read it with interest. 1t has a tender
charm and the characters are admira-
bly, drawn. We are not sure, however,
that it measures up to the other two
from his delightful pen. His
touch is fine, his brightness and livli-
ness most striking, his sketch of char
acter strong and secure. We may write
at length at another day.
In June in the literary c~entres-some
twenty or twenty-five cities, the novels
that led in sales were as follows: 1.-THE
Invisible and rQuo Vadis" away
ahead and a tie. Of there kind both
must be remarkable, but we have not
read them. The third was Soldiers Of
fourth '"Miss Archer Archer"
fifth "a Story of Teller's Pack" and
'.Ziska" and Lads Love" tie for the
place. Nansen's "Farthest
outsells all books not novels.
"American Lands and Letters" also
sell well. A new novel has a rapid run
for a month or two and then drops be-
hind, and with most of them are soon
OF novels of h year we
suppose "Quo Vadis" is beyond doubt
the most important. The New York
says: 1--WE AVE admired
the genius of the author heretofore.
We shall now have an affection for him
one who has made plain the lowell
ness of the early Christian faith and
character"