Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-11-15
AROUND THE EVENING LAMP.
Far Western Reflections Upon the Newest Books
and Periodicals.


NN<NSA~%<&H H%~~H>HNN~~~~HH'
"Phases Of an Inferior Planet" by
Ellen Glasgow, author OF "The De-
scendant," Harper s. Brothers, pup.
fishers. This novel Is but step
higher in moral plane than D'Anun.
clos 1.-THE Triumph OF DEATH" as IL
deals with the family life of degener-
ates, while the latter deals with their
licentiousness In an unmarried state.
The book is clever and Ellen Glasgow
has great ability Of portrayal and
analysis, but the STetchedness OF the
degenerates aud their wretched end
lug is not sufficient excuse for inilict-
ing such volume, even from the pen
Of a brilliant writer, on the public. In
this case the anaemic scientist and
the sporadic daughter of an unhappy
home form an union and struggle
through poverty. Then the man
passes into wonderful career as head
OF a popular church and the woman
marries man OF great wealth and
leaves him, all without first divorce.
There is not particle OF health in
the whole book. If one wholesome
relation had been produced out Of all
tue experiences and all the suffering
and turmoil, the work expended on
these pages might be excusable. If
tue author had taken her talent In
hand and used the many bright mo-
ments and agreeable situations TO
evolve one wholesome combination,
such as inevitably does occur among
even the social degenerates of this
age, the book would have au upllft
that would make II pardOnable. Com
pare the noble viyaclty and the spirit
ual elevation wrought 10 the conclu-
sion of Trilby In comparison with
this work and we discover the differ
ence between the work of an artist
and OF mere caterer the market. We
have not read "The Descendant, "but
we feel that the author will yet reach
a higher plane o! expression, even on
this inferior planet. In the mean
time we advise her TO study Thacka-
ray and Gilbert Pdrker and Miss
wilkins and other artists, who have
solved the problem Of producing en-
tertaining and dramatic fiction with.
out leaving the reader with the inn
preston that creation was an
error and the human family mis-
take.
The Spanish Revolution OF ls6S-lS75
by Edward Henry Stobel is the
proper title OF book that should be
extensively read. Mr.. Strobel was
Secretary OF the United States
legation and had charge of affairs at
Madrid for five years. Few people are
aware OF the fact that for nearly ten
years Spain was Republic, though
during that time IL was more a
government OF dictators than OF the
people. The Republic was estab-
lished by revolution begun by the
navy and was maintained by General
Prim, whose assassination preceded
the constitutional monarchy, under
King AmadeO. No one can read this
history without coming TO the con-
clusion that there Is better blood in
the Spanish people than we generally
suspect, when we read Of the iDquisit-
ion, bull-fghtlng, and the warfare
conducted by them 10 their colonies.
They formed governments, adopted
constitutions, promulgated liberty OF
the press and religious liberty, only TO
have all fall to the ground for want
OF nation 10 sustain the noble plans
OF their great leaders and statesmen.
la the conclusion there was the
inevitable reaction aud restoration Of
the monarchy under Alfonso XII.
But the revolution had done its work
and Spain OF Ferdinand and Isabella
was gone for ever. Published In one
volume by Small, Maynard s. Company
Boston.
"Self Culture" published by the
Werner Co, Akron, Ohio. has come
we into vol. VII and the November
number has 1870 pages. There is now
no reason why any person who can
read English can not get broad edu-
catiOn-nearly as broad II dot as
thorough as any university can give
him in the same language. This
number has twenty odd, signed articles
beside Two reviews OF events OF the
world and doings OF important his
tOTical interest. There are besides
nine departments embracing actlYi-
ties 10 special fields. The price OF
this magazine is Bl.00 a year, or 10
cents a number, aud we advise our
readers TO send for copy and see how
much II contains and the high quality
OF the matter contained. Such
magazine would be almost world
library for any school or college and
its low price should place 10 Ia the
reach Of the smallest country school
house,
The BOOkman for November opens
with 2S pages OF the most brilliant
chronicle and comment, illustrated
from the latest photographs aud car
toons OF literary celebrities. Then
follows an illustrated paper on the