The times., 1897-04-04

gratifying To the father that at the same
time that the literary elect was comforting
this complimentary distinction upon him,
his son has Won fame as the author Df
a dramatiZation of Tess of the D'Urber-
villes," which the entire critical fraternity
commend as one of the greatest plays of
the day.
John Lane is adducing to all his pub
LEGATIONS the charm of novelty. When
this may be coupled with artistic and
sane casion, it is a desirable evasion
of the Convcntionaities of book-naking
Besides his long catalogue of desirable
books, Mr.. Lane has the Yellow Book
and the international Studio, and now
he begins series of Bodley Booklets.
What this shall be may only be judged
by the Premier. which is little square
pamphlet hound in rough olye-green paper,
with green and red lettering. The paper
within is milk white. with rough edges
ard throws the clear Bodley type face into
agreeable relief for reading The first
booklet contains "A Fairy Tale for Tired
Men" This, however, is the second title.
The top line reads, "A Happy Hypocrite,
and the story is credited to Max Beerbohm.
of this mans writing and the recent
viewing Of his brothers (I}ecrbohm Tree'Sl
acting, convinCes one more and more that
the pen and not the buskin Is the sign OF
their house.
An interesting story comes from Boston
where they tell it with bated breath. II
appears that the officials in charge of the
juvenile department of the Boston Public
Library have noticed for the past week or
two an unusual demand for copies of
'Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress. :" This de
maGd was 50 much in excess of anything
they had ever before known, that they
felt called upon to investigate the causes
of this unprecedented interest in Bunyan.
Inquiry revealed the fact that the teacher
of history III well-known school had
reached the colonial events of the seven
tcenth century, and had recommended to
all her pupils the peruSal Of BuuyanS
book as Il part of the bibli0graphy of the
Pilgrim Fathers
There is no departure in the April Book
man from the general excellence of our
credited best book magazine. There is
the usual chat OF Chronicle and Comment,
appreCiatiyc articles by George Brandes,
Grover Cleveland and William Cullen Bry-
ant, the continuation of Merriams In Kc-
dar'S Tents. profusc reviews, somc poetry
and msCellanics. someone sent a critical
note t. the editor Of the BuOkmau recently
calling attention to the fact that on it's
cover the magazine is dcnominated "a lit
erary journal, published monthly" and call
ing upon him to reconcile Journal with
monthly" From the standpoint of the
itaI ls nprFp nj
taken, but it is merely useless and curious
The editor replied - his critic tnat the use
Of the word Journal had expan ded beyond
its genealogical sense, and IL applied to
any publication issuing regularly,
Norman Hopgood, in the Bookmau, says
this of the reporters position in relation
to literature: An observer of American
conditions can hardly fail to notice that
our newspaper reporters are each year
taking more prominent partin thelitcrary
world Editors used To become literary
men, hut reporters almost never. For
the change there are several general
causes In the first place. beginners in
Journalism came from a better class than
they did a decade age. Horace Greeley
Luis one nf many in the last generation
who distrusted college graduates. ana be-
lievci that the good newspaper man, as
he told MIR Dana. was the one who had IN
his hoyhuod slept on papers ana eaten ink
and those who did not work up from the
bottom drfted into the business because
they had failed in other occupations
Today tie papers seek men fresh from
college, because they write better English;
ana their formal education helps them
in many OF the subjects covered by the
press today. 1t is natural, therefore,
that the reporter of the present time is
more often heard Of outside than was
the lrokrn-Giown lawyer or business man
who gathered the news twenty years ago
His opportunities are excellent, as his
regular duties give him the best material
for stories, descriptive articles, and essays,
and tie habit OF noticing detail, pic
turesque situations, events, and characters.
obviously tends to literary production.