The San Francisco call., 1898-01-02

other real lesson is imparteG and driven home with all the force that a gentle character can lend to it. Pop , ular "The Christian may be, but the popularity will be short lived because 1t is gained by pandering to diseased literary tastes.
 Comes now Mrs. Gertrude pAtherton with Patience Sparhawk and Her Times" which. to quote from a letter addressed by the lady to the writer of these notes, purports to be the truest American novel that has ever ap- peared." But is it? What has Mrs. AthertOn attempted to show? That New York society is slowly becoming replica of European high life? That vapid inanities form the bulk of the conversation of New York society women? Granted that this is so. can it be offered as sufficient excuse for 500-page novel? We took occasion, on the appearance of this book, to seri- ously condemn Mrs. Atherton for having forsaken her legitimate birth right, the field of California romantic literature, for the mess of pottage of fered by the devotees of the erotic novel and of sensational journalism. Then came letter to The Call from the lady herself. admitting that the review was a fair one, but attempting justification on the plea, What is the use of writing stories that no one will read?" and asserting that Californians themselves were indifferent to the work of their native writers. We endeavored to show that this was not the case, and in reply gave it as our conviction that until Mrs. Atherton returns to the niche she formerly adorned she will produce nothing worthy of note in a literary way; and by this statement we must abide.
 The case of Mrs. Sarah Grand ex- hibits many points of similarity to that of Gertrude Atherton. Mrs. Grand labors under the misapprehension that she has been placed upon this earth as a crusader and that her mission 1s to reform all existing abuses, real or imagined. She. too adopts long-winded methods of pleading her cause, and her latest production, 'The Beth Book" shows that much talent has been wasted upon wheat that has been thrashed and rethrashed. It would be well were the author of "The Heavenly Twins" to quit didactics and devote more attention to the study of child life, in which direction she has proved her ability.
 The revival of interest in the origin of American nationality has led to the publication of a number of novels based upon the study of the earlier periods of our history. Some have lit- erary importance, while others that are useful and meritorious have very slight value as fiction. pr. s. Weir Mitchells Hugh Wynne, Free Quaker" is, per haps the most important book of this kind that has so far appeared, and ob- jections to it have mainly been ad- vanced on the score of its length. Much good work may be looked for in future from Dr. Mitchell
 In England, the star historical novel has been "On the Face of the Waters" by Mrs. Flora Annie Steel, who has performed the remarkable feat of con- veying clear idea of the forces that led to the Indian mutiny Long resi- dence in India, combined with a most attractive style of storytelling, com mend Mrs. Steel's work to the reader. while careful study assures a sub stratum of truth in her novels. The rapidly successive calls for extra edi tons indicate to what extent Mrs. Steel has enthroned herself in the af fections of the public A second Kin ling she certainly is not, but no fault Will be found with her on this account.
 small as has been the output of good notion during the year, the volume of poetry has been even smaller The most notable contribution in the way or verse has unquestionably been Rud yard kipling's "Recessional." At once an invocation and a warning. it's ma Jestic rhythm has met with apprecia tion the world over. In the height of the ceieoration of the sixtieth anni- Versary Of the Queens reign, an event unparalleled in the annals of history. hlpllng appears to have been moved by the same spirit which animated Job when he offered sacrifices after each of the festivals of his sons. saving. "It may be that my sons have sinned It was lofty thought which actuated MT. kipling, the real laureate of Eng land, to pen the verse;.
 II, drunk with sight of power. we loose
 Wiid tongues that have not Thee in
 awe " Such ooastings as the Gentifes use
 UT lesser breeds without the Law
 Lord God of Hosts, be with us vet.
 Lest we forget-lest We forget.
 Solemn words, these, and pregnant with meaning to a nation inclined to put her trust ''in reeking tube and iron shard.' And it is singular that these noble verses should have called forth a response from another poet whose
 Tear or shame" was equally an ap- Peal ana burning denunciation of britalns policy in the East. William watson saw fit to take up the chal-