The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-22

AASipAA ILL., SGAPAN' AN locbI VI
worth was poo evidently. and his criti-
cism narrow and jejune. OF all modern
poetry Scott's a more of the fire and
dash and energy OF the Homeric verse.
Some OF Wordsworth Is very noble
and even stately and solemn. His
greatest poetry is great poetry. Says
Mr.. Pancoast, a critic and author Of a
history of English literature, OF GER
tain of his most commanding poems,
that his verse has an elevation and a
large majesty of utterance unheard in
English poetry since the deep-throat-
ed harmonies of Milton"
John Fox is a Kentucky story writer
who has attracted attention in the
north, and is even praised in London.
He is said TO be also a clever lecturer.
A Folio edition of Shakespeare of
date of 1863, sold in England some time
ago for over $4,000. Shakespeare had
been dead nearly a half century when
it was printed. An earlier Folioesay
between 625-3O-would probably fetch
$1,000. Baroness Burdett-Coutts paid
$3.50 in 1864 for a copy Of 1923. 1t
would sell for double that now prob
ably.
Two thousand books have been writ
ten concerning the Maid of Orleans.
Jeanne dare, the most famous woman
in all history.
England has two promising young
poets, who are much written about, in
LNro pai, L..-
Sir George Douglas and Theodore
Watts are really highly meritorious
poets, but of a generation older,
The most interesting recent an
nouncement in letters is that Mr.. Glad
stone has selected Mr.. John Morley, a
distinguished literatus, to be his liter
airy executor-but possibly not to have
exclusive control of his political career.
Mr.. Morley as an able essayist and
~biographer. The critic of The New
York Tribune says of his qualifications
for the place selected for him by the
great English statesman and orator
and man of letters:
"Mr. Morley would produce a
Welghty, even solemn biography, one
that would not always be easy reading.
On the other hand, it would be a pecu-
liarly conscientious and thoughtful
work"
Let us add that he has been in two
of Gladstone's cabinets, and has a a
conspicuous career in the parliament
as a liberal.
Miss Julia Magruder's story, Dead
J.ao1ar - roaotc ry;th L,+ 1i.,Ia roo;co
from the more judicious northern
critics. The Tribune says it has but
little merit but has "a certain feminine
gentility of STYLE" and adds severely:
1t belongs to the class of wome1's
novels which one can hardly in1gine
any healthy lind man reading With
interest, unless he happened to be visit
ing the north pole, with no other book
in sight"
We think The Tribune undertakes
Caleb West,' H~opkinson Smiths last
novel. 1t is out of the common bait full
of genuine human nature and interest.
LIE Galliene's last booA. The Ro-
nance of Zion Chapel is a naughty
boo and is wisely condemned by clev-
er and candid crickets. 1T is another
wreaking cesspool. New York Satur-
day Review" says he leads his readers
through the atmosphere of miasma
into that Of the charnel house" Il
must rbe pestiferous then. Give it the
go-by.
Huysman is a German novelist \
is quite the vogue in London among a
certain class of readers and writer's.
1t is damned outright by the better and
healthier authorities. His Cathe-
drale' is much praised, however, by
some leading English reviewers. Mr..
w. L. Alden in his last London literary
letter to the New York SATURDAY Re
view" says that he read two Of his
novels and they were extremely dull
and dreary,' and adds, with evident
relief, that there is no law, human or
divine, which requires g man to read
more than two Huysmals' novels