The record-union., 1898-01-02

smell as sweet, but might not sell as
well, which is far more important. The
cash value of a good title has lately
been remarked upon by the managing
director of a London publishing firm.
Frequently he says, those in the
trade hear the following remarks made
by customers selecting books: That
sounds Interesting or I like the title
of that book showing how good title
will influence sales" He gives a long
list Of bad titles-that is, titles which
do not whet curiosity, or which ac-
tually repel; and then a selection of
the appetizing, alluring titles.
In answer to many inquiries as to
the house formerly belonging to Gle
ment c. Moore, the author of Twas
the Night Before Christmas the New
port OR. ID Daily News says the
house is on Catherine street, on the
corner of Greenough place, and is now
owned by Edward Potter. The poet
died there in July, 1868.
little while before the war between
Turkey and Greece broke out, it was
intended to transfer to the Central Mu-
scum at Athens various old Christian
treasures, antiquaries and manuscripts,
dating back in some cases to the ff-
teenth century, and stored in the
churches at Tynavos and elsewhere.
Delay proved fatal. During the war
these treasures We're all destroyed by
fire or carried away.
Quaritch. in London, is, it is known,
the Napoleon of booksellers. He offers
for sale something under 100 lots, the
price OF which amounts to nearly t22,-
600, or, roughly speaking, an average
of 1920. Two items, the Mazarin Bible,
for which 5000 is asked, and the
Mentz psalter, 1859, the second book
printed with date, the price of which
is f5,250 are responsible for nearly
half the sum. Cations "Dictes and
Sayings is priced at Fl 800 and Boo
CAGE de la Rhyme des Mobiles. t9O0.
This last, which was the first book
printed at Bruges. is of extreme rarity.
1t fetched, however, at the La Valliere
sale no more than 141 francs.
Outlines of Sociology" by Lester F.
Ward, Ii. D, lecturer on sociology at
Columbian University, Washington, D.
c., is the title Of a book announced by
the Macmillan Company. This work
appeared in serial form as "Contribu-
tions to Social Philosophy in the
American Journal of Sociology" from
July, 1895 to May, 1897, and is treated
from the advanced standpoint Of active
discussion on both sides of the Atlantic
during recent years. The object of the
work is to furnish a clear idea Of the
science of sociology, not by means of
verbal definitions, but by clearing the
ground and removing the entangle-
ments with other cognate or ancillary
sciences. and by a succinct presentation
Of its principles as distinguished from
ats clements.
The sudden influx of foreign portrait
painters must at first be looked upon
with alarm by our native artists; but
the probable result will be a general
increase in the demand for portraits,
and the majority of persons will soon
learn, if they do not already know,
that there are a number of American
artists who are as capable of painting
satisfactory portraits as these new
corners. The names of Abbott Thayer,
#. ". Dewing, Kenyon Cox, Cecilia
Beaux, Montague Flagg, Robert Bran
degee, William NJ. Chase, George De
Forest Brush, Eastman Johnson and
others viii suggest themselves as be-
longing to the category of competent
Americans. not to mention many more,
who live abroad.
Never in writing employ a supernat-
ural agency without having thoroughly
made up your mind what you mean
its exact action TO be. Whether you
take the reader into your confidence
about this limit of action is a matter
for your own judgment, but that you
should understand it yourself is un-
questionably necessary. Many of our
latter-day purveyors of the mysterious
seem tc be as doubtful about the ma
ture of the bogeys they introduce as
the most credulous of their readers can
be.-Edmund Gosse in The Bookman.
New York Post; c. Y Turner has
just completed an important mural
painting, which will decorate the cell
ing of the stair hall in the new Bank
of Commerce in this city. The wains-
cot and columns are of pale Sienna
marble. Under Mr.. Turner's direction
the walls viii be treated in greenish
gray, the capitals in gold and the
mouldings of the ceiling in ivory, en-
phasized with gold. AS a elimination
TO this scheme of color, Mr.. Turner has
selected for his sky a pure sapphire
blue, melting at the edges into rose
and purple. In the center, with her
foot upon a beehive, sits q female
figure of Commerce. holding aloft the
caduceus of Mercury. Surrounding her
are baby forms offering flowers, while
at her feet recline two females, one
with an earthen vase representing
Manufacture. and the other with cor
nueopia, from which rolls a mass of
fruit, symbolizing Wealth. In the flu
ency Of the composition, the simple po-
etic treatment Of the subject, and the
gracicusness Of the color schemes, this
ceiling : very pleasing. and the fact
that it IS destined 70 adorn the PLACE Of
business Of one Of the most conserva-
tive corporations in the city is a very
interesting phase or the present art
movement.
Daniel c. French is engaged upon a
figure Of an angel, which is to be placed
as a memorial in Forest Hills Cemetery.
Boston. where stands his group of
Death and the Sculptor" In order to
form an accurate idea of the required
scale Of his angel ard the suitability of
the design for its proposed environment,
Mr. French drew his figure in full size
on detail paper, with simple shading.
and cut it out and placed it in position.
He says that from short distance away
a. sli11Sfofl of this paper fie1ire was ex-