The Saint Paul globe., 1898-05-08

Uucnce of Sea ROvers-HistOry
Again to the Front-A Chance to
Make Ones Fame an Author
The Season for Outdoor Books
Mt Hand-A Selected List of Good
Iar-HOOks cn Music - hurns
and ByrOn-FrOudc's Volume on
the West Indies.
Correspondence The st. Paul Globe.
NEW YORK May 6.-The output of
new book since the Maine was blown
up in Havana harbor has been the
smallest spring output in many years
Conditions previous to that disaster
promised the contrary. Last autumn
and winter the output had been large
one of the largest for the season since
1S91-and it was confidently believed
that the present spring would see a
continuation of the same signs of re-
stored activity in the book trade. Prac-
tically all the new books Of this season
have come under my observation. More
than once a whole armful has contain
ed not more than two or three volumes
that could be called generally interest
ing. Even in fiction there has been
marked absence of good books. All this
does not mean that good books have
not been written; or that publishers are
without good manuscripts. 1t simply
means that publishers dare not put
their books on the market. They are
holding them back, waiting for that
better day which will dawn for them
(and for all the rest of us) when this
cruel war is over.
One cannot easily go beyond gen.
eral statements in these matters. Pub
fishers, like business men of all kinds,
care not to go into details of dull trade.
The mere fact that trade is dull is all
the public could expect them to admit.
But an object lesson was recently seen
in an auction sale of a fine library,
where among the attractions were all
the folio editions of Shakespeare, many
early editions of Waltons Angler"
and other books of similar esteem
among collectors.
But the sale was disappointment to
owner and auctioneer alike, and was a
surprise to collectors. 1t brought some
thousands of dollars less than experts
Hdu SSllIIdltu lldl II WOuIQ DTlnS, ana
all on account of the war Even col
lectors shrink from spending money for
rare books when the future is clouded
with uncertainty. One cannot wholly
understand this attitude. Rare books
books really rare; by which we mean
books that can be purchased not more
than two or three times in ten or twen-
ty years-are not 50 easily found that
collectors should neglect any oppor-
funitV To acu1ira tbep1 R1rt IN, I,
recent sale such opportunities were
neglected. Collectors were unwilling TO
compete for them as they would have
competed four months ago.
Meanwhile. war books sell with ease.
For them the demand grows, and all
the good ones-those Of recent date and
of accepted eXcellence-fnd ready Gus
toners. The histories of our own navy
1 doubt if there has been greater de-
mand for anything than for Can't
Mahan's books dealing with the influ-
ence of sea power in history. Ger
tain 1t is that, never in the history
Of one century since Trafalgars fight,
has that influence been better proved
than in this victory George Dewey has
won in those far-off islands of another
ocean than the one Cuba is in. Can't.
Mahan's book was early understood at
its true value by EngliShmen; but
fear Americans have never yet quite
appreciated the books true signif-
cence and force. But this now will
change all that We have seen what
sea power can do, and, looking into the
future, we can easily understand how
large a part of future conflicts must
be conducted with these floating en-
gines of war among great nations
On board one of the ships in Deweys
Loot
man quick enough to seize the splen-
did opportunity he had for distinction
as an author. Not since Stanley crossed
Africa, not since Nansen Sailed north
and forced his toilsOme way back again,
has any man had a like opportunity
There could be written a book for
which the sale would be phenomenal.
1t would easily rival Stanley's or Nam
sens, and Quo Vadis" in a day would
pass into neglect. Men who do good
deeds, or who witness them, once they
write book about them, have an au-
dience already waiting, eager to de-
vour their words. No writer with a
Scarlet Letter in his hands, none
with a 'LOcksley Hail." could hope to
win ten readers where such an author
would be sure of hundred.
In my last two letters were given
bits of books pertaining to the navy,
to Spain and Cuba. Another topic at
this hour. as timely as these, but 1
fear far less likely to absorb public
attention, is the topic of life and enter
tainment out of doors. Spring is here.
May day has come and gone. The
trees are putting forth their leaves.
Golf and wheeling. base ball and play
ing marbles, have become once more
popular amusements. Late years have
seen an enormous growth OF books
devoted to outdoor life-to nature, to
sports, to contemplating of the mani
mate world. Some of the best of these
books will be found indicated below
with the names of publishers, and the
prices given.
Bird Life: A Guide to the Study of ur
Plates and drawings. 12mo. Appleton
$.75.
How to Know Wild Flowers. BY Mrs Will
lam s. Dana Elustrated by Marian SlAt-
terlec Scribner's. S1.75.
According to the Seasons A Talk About
Wild Flowers. 16mo. Scribner's.
Eye Spy .Afield with Nature Among Flow
Hamilton Gibson. Illustrated. Harper.
$3.50.
Familiar Features of the Roadside BY F.
Schuyler Mathews. Illustrated. 12mo.
Familiar Flowers of the Fled and Garden.
BY F. Schuyler Mathews illustrated.
lZnO. AppletOD SZ.L0.
The Rose. By H. B. Ellwanger. 12mo.
Dodd, Mead & Co. s1.25
Hand Book of Birds of Eastern North
America. BY Frank NJ. Chapman. Illus
trated. Appleton. s3.
Getting Out the Fly Books BY Leroy Mil
ton Yale, NJ. d. 12mo. Scr.bner's $150
Landscape Gardening. BY Samuel Parsons,
Jr. Notes and suggestions on lawns and
planting. 200 illustrations. Putnam s.
$3.50
Golf in America. By James P Lee. With
tir nc noSI
ST.
Our Common Birds and How to Know