The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-01

it's publisher do not always agree, anu
II Is certainly not inexplcaole Una. tnis
should be so. The authors OF the book
under consideration throw upon the SUD
feet an impartial light from the stand
Doint of fact. One Of the most inter-
esting suggestions In the volume has TO
do with n Literary Court or Board OF
Arbitration. TO which could be entrusted
tween authors and publishers; authors
and authors. and publisher and publish
ers.
THE LADIES' HOME JOURNALS: Au-
gust 1897 The Curtis Publishing Com
pany, Philadelphia. 10 cents.
For Sale by Geo. NJ. West
Recent issues OF this periodical nave
not been Of special interest. Mrs. MAI
low and Ruth Ashmore grow increasingly
and more feebly discursive over nothihg
than is attractive to a simple taste. How
ever. the August number is more IMAM
usually interesting from a general stand
point, and to Richmonders II has special
interest for the reason that Miss Annie
Steger Winston, daughter OF professor
Winston, OF Richmond College, IS a con-
tributOr. Her sketch. which IS only one
page in length, is entitled 1.-The Jtting or
Mary Ellen"
For some years sketches or poetry by
Miss Winston ((Annie Steger have sur
prised her friends pleasantly In turning
over the pages of popular periodicals.
The surprise was due TO the quiet ways
by which the entree TO the periodicals was
gained-through merit alone. Miss WIN
ston has conspicuously Stunned the beaten
and vulgar road to notice through sell
advertisement, and II her work has not
been accorded voluntary critical notice by
the press she has accepted 1t phiiosophl-
cally and never asked for notice
She has, too, never in one single IN
L. D. for
notoriety through bad and coarse taste.
She seems TO have perceived in common
with some Of the literary aristocracy OF
all time that the true and the beautltul
are one: that II a man Is BODY. ne Is
also a soul, and that the last Is his true
value.
A well-known Northern editor is quoted
as saving that most Of the suggestive
and prurient copy which has been sub
mitted 10 him during long editorial eN-
perience came from women-it Is 10 be
devoutly hoped that our Southern wo-
men may not swell the list. I'm a FOOLISH
and feeble thirst for attention. Strength,
says Mr.. Charles Dudley Warner apropos
OF this sort of thing-usually means I'M
prudence.
It is singular that what is synonymous
with weakness in character should he
synonymous with strength IN literature.
Miss Winston has lent her pen ana tai
ont 10 the pure things-long may she con-
tinue TO evolve from them interest Tor
her public and distinction for herself.
The short sketch in the Home Journal Is
exceedingly simple-htrdly a story-rath-
er a hashlght picture Of masculine con-
stancy, fifteen years old, defeated by
pretty girl But it has strength in il,
and pleasant promise for its writer.
~.
THE WAYS OF LIFE: BY Mrs. Oil
Dhant. G. z. Putnam's Sons. New
York London. 80 cents.
For sale by Hunter q Co.
Mrs. ELEPHANTS recent death is still
current topic In the critical literary pc
riOdicals.
Her industry. says Current Literature.
was phenomenal. II is doubtful If there
ever lived a British writer who produced
more novels than she None Of them
was distinguished for its strength or in
tricacy OF plot. or its power OF expression
or Of analysis, but they all had the virtue
OF containing as their heroes and herOines
living, breathing human beings
Mrs. OliDhant was born Margaret Oil
plant Hilson, and almost from her early
eirlhoOd the force of her literary produc-
tiyeness showed her her career She
had done a considerable amount Of ephe-
neral work before she was twenty-One,
but then she set 10 work with an ardent
determination 10 produce something with
a lasting quality. and the result was Pas
sages in the Lie Of Mrs. Margaret Matt
land of Sunny side.
The success OF this adventure was al
most immediate. IL was phenomenal for
those times Of restricted circulation She
was encouraged by her publishers and her
friends and she set to work I'm earnest
and book after book began 10 flow from
her pen. Her love Of Scotland and her
delineation Of it's people her delicacy of
appreciation Of all their traits, endeared
her books 10 the Queen and Mrs. Oiphant
had the dignity Of being Victoria favor
tie author Throughout her long career
as a writer she held consistently 10 one
principle i'm the character of her work.
She believed that fiction was lowered
when the writer dealt with subjects or
with characters that would not be adj
mitted into any family In the Empire.
The result was that she never wrote
anything about the criminal classes; she
avoided immortality as a subject as she
would have avoided a cOntagiOn, and she
came we'll into that classification Of Brit
ish authors who wrote for young men
and women as their fathers or mothers
might have done.
This latest novel is but another justit-
cation for that classification.
The reviewers. with scarcely an excep-
ton. speak strongly in favor of the new
books Of verse. BY Father Tabb. The In
dependent declares that Father Tabb's
little volume Is "full Of the daintiest con-
ceits. the most delicate fancies and the
sweetest spiritual impressions that ever
pen traced In verse" the art OF which
"has not been paralleled since Herrick was
I'm his prime" ana Current Literature
classes II with DR. Van Dykes poems
of which Mr.. Hamilton Mabie says:
Or Van Dyke has whipped mountain
streams 10 good purpose for he has real
" learned the love Of the woods and the
songs Of the birds. These songs. Ike the
tones Of those swift brooks which DIT
Van Dyke has so often heard making their
delicious gurgle over rocks and down gem
tie cascades. can not be rendered in imi-
tative sounds: they must be suggested 10
the Imagination in such way as 10 evoke
them from the memory.
"No American poet has done this with
truor recollection or deeper feeling than
the author Of The Song Sparrow. The
Maryland yellow Throat, The Whlppoor-
Will and The Neery. a group OF poems
which will find place one Is sure, with
the poems which will be repeated when
the inevitable hush has fallen upon all
the singing voices OF to-day"
1.-TWO books Of verses" proceeds the per
iodical "of more genuine merit have not
been published on either side Of the At
lantic this year. and it is encouraging for
those interested in the recognition Of good
literature TO know that both books are
selling remarkably we'll"
VI.
MAGAZINES
CURRENT LITERATURE. August. 1891
The Current Literature Publishing Co,
s. Liberty street. New York. % cents
For Sale by George NJ West.
THE ARENA: August. 1897. Arena CO..