The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-28

Mrs. Virginia Frazer Boyle's story OF
"Brockenburne" is 1atrer1ng1y receiv-
ed 1t Is a southern story OF the past
by a really gifted southern woman of
me present. It ought to have many
readers IN the south
John Ruskin, a writer OF extraordi-
nary interest and a stylist OF distn-
guished excellence. is seventy-nine
in February. He has been IN rather
poor health for many years, but me
lives to bless mankind.
Dr. Conan Doyle has a new novel
called 1.-The Confession" There are a
dozen or two novelists who produce
from two to three novels yearly.
Crawford is about as prolific as any.
Within a year, perhaps, he IA pub
lished "Taquisara," "A Rose of Yes
terday," and 'Corleone." Of these the
last is highly praised, and the others
dismissed with but little IN their
favor.
A Frenchman, Professor Emile Le-
gouis, of the University of Lyons, has
published a work on the early life of
the English poet, William Wordsworth.
He is said to be exceedingly we'll fur
nished for such an undertaking, and
THE work is considered important, and
of special interest to the admirers of
the contempIative and sober poet of
the Lakes.
Hornung's MY Lord Duke is
story writer. All of his writings are
said to be of genuine interest if often
improbable. The ordinarily hard to
please New York Evening Post, that
gives unuSua attention to literary
criticism, says of THE stories:
"They are not to be called great;
they are not purpOSeful; THEY are
stories pure M simple, excellently
constructed, we'll written, cleanly, hu-
morOus, kindly. The improbabflities,
if NOT invariably convincing, are newer
Irritating. The plot is always we'll
managed, the telling of it lively, with
NO waste of irrelevant episode, and
the untying is said ito be left to the
last"
There seems to be doubt of the popu-
larity and cleverness of iWells's
Thirty Strange Stories.' All the
notices, English and American, have
been favorable. They are skilfully
written and show no little of the per-
lection of the short story. This is
orho,,t uyIot MO orothnr CIV, rna5 ~,
We observe that a book Of which
we have but recently heard or read
Chronicles of a Kenltuck Settlement
lis a story of and adventure
interesting style.
MIR. Angus MacKay's, "Tfhe Brontes.
Fact and Fiction" is Of real interest,
if We may judge from extracts we have
seer quoted. WE have read some
copious ones and they impress us as
throwing important light upon the
family. Emily and Charlotte were
women of rare tand splendid
genius. OF all gruesome, strange, I'M
sound novels ever written Emily's
'EWuthering Heights is perhaps the
worst, but full of strange and COM
manding power, and a. work Of positive
genius.
William Black, an interesting au-
thor, and who never offerlds fby impuri-
ties, has a. new novel about ready for
tine press. 1t has a long title. MI.
Benson has a new novel soon ito be
published called 1.-THE Vintage
Mr.. Augustine Birrell, the well
known English critic, made an ad-
dress On Browning lately in England.
He thus referred to tine poet Who die
eight years ago, and whose fame has
steadily grown with THE years:
The obscure poet of the obscure
'4Sordello'' had an influence ON Urea
tlure which was indiscribably majestic.
Like Carlyle and Tennytson, ne never
bowed the knee to Baal. Poverty they
knew, and depression of spirit, but no
one of them abated a jot or title of his
~pretensions, or ever asked the people
what they wanted; and 80 THE people
ceased to sheer and scott, and the
crowd-which is, after all, a docile
crowd-became eager enough to pay its
debt to them with compound interest
Captain Mahan's now famous work.
Influence Of Sea Power Upon the
French Revolution amid Umpire" has
been translated into German.
London Literature thBnks if half
the school books were burned it would
be a good thing for education 1t
adds: cit might even survive ii a few
teachers persisted in h flames" 1t
contends that there are too many
aid to Incidence"
There is a great difference of opinion