The times., 1899-11-12

Double Thread" 1t is rather difficult to
see why.
The Harpers announce a Becky Sharp
edition of Vanity Fair, and il is likely
to have almost as wide a popularity as
the Maude Adams edition of The Little
Mnister''-nOt quite, however since most
Thackeray-lovers have their own copies
of the masterpiece, and it does not appeal
to nearly as wide public as Mr., Barrie's
book 1t is probable that several thou
sand people in and out OF New York are
now saying to themselves that they really
must read Vanity Fair so as to UNDER
stand the play when it comes.
An odd and somewhat dramatic story
appears in the November "BoOkman"-
the story of Morgan Robertson's literary
career. Mr.. Robertson's work spun
Yarns" Won some golden opinions from the
press and the public, and is one of he
numerous books of sea romance whi-h the
Iaymea can read with intelligent and de-
lighted comprehension. As many people
know. Mr. Robertson was once sal or
He shipped as cabin boy at siXtesn-that
was twenty-five years ago. During the
succeeding years he had nearly all the
adventures which befell his heroes VIII u
he came TO write, with many others which
he has never recorded. He went around
the world twice, and was for time
a cowboy on the plains. Later on
he became a matchmaker, eventually an
expert. His eyes gave out, and on one
occasion, having sought in vain lor pub
Usher for his stories he took a necklace
of diamonds home to cut, that he might
live while devoting himself to authorship.
His eyes grew more and more dim ani tie
last part of the job was done mainly by
feeling He was sure the neck ace was
ruined but in the morning il turned out
perfect piece of work. While toIilng over
il he had evolved one of the best Of his
short stories, a Survival OF the Fittest.
All this happened five years ago and
shortly after Spun Yarns" came out and
made an assured success.
John King" is the title Of a new novel
by the clever war correspondent, G. w.
Stevens.
The November "Bookman" contains a
long and interesting article on Frank Nor
ris by Frederic Taber Cooper. Inevitably
Norris is compared to Kiplng-it is get
ting to point where every new novelist
will have to be compared with Kipling,
which, on serious thought seems rather
absurd But considering Mr.. COopers gen
eraI ability as writer it does seem lit
tie queer that he should say that Norris
has fantastic ideal of womanhood TN
dreamed of by him who wrote The YAM
pire' " Why should it be assumed by lot
of semi-inteligent critics that The YAM
pire" with its savage satire, embodied the
authors ideal Of womanhOOd? ?' Anyone
who reads it with even ordinary attention
ought to see that il is 4 particular woman
the vampire wOman-whO is under dis
cussion. and that the Mrs. Patsy Camp
bell type is no more KiplinS s ideal than
the NcTeague type is Mr.. Norris. There
are good many vampire women in the
world. or the poem would not have been
so widely read-a great many men recog-
uized their own bitter experience in the
dascriptiOn-but when looking for ideal
women it would be more sensible TO take
William the COuqueror' or Dinah Shadd
or Miriam Of the dream world for an eX-
ample And these women are as good and
true and loving as any in literature
Little Brown & Co. announce a new love
story with the suggestive title, The
Bronze Buddha." The author is Cora Linn
Daniels. and though the tide is Oriental,
the scene is laid entirely in this country.
Books Received.
DEFICIENT SAINTS" By Marshall Saunders
Boston: L. {. Page & Go. $50.
LITTLE KING DAVE By Nellie Hcihs. Bos
ton: L. c. Page & Co. 30 cents
| "FAMCUS ACTRESSES OF THE DAY BY Lewis
C. Strong Boston: /. {. Page y Go. $50.
Lillian Brooks Boston: !. I" Page Co.
SAINTS IN ART" BY Clara Erskfne Clement
Boston: L. G. Page q Go. 500
| THE POETRY OF AMERICAN WIT AND HI
NOR" Selected by r, T. PaseJ Boston: L.
a GEITIEThN : ITI Player By Robert Nelson
Srrphrns Boston: l.. G. Page S 60. $50.
| TALLY or THE BRIGADE. BY l.. AoNIaHaS
Boston: L. q. Page * 60. Sl-21
.9IANDERS" Ry Elwyn Barron. Boston. J..
THE OF EEN;s SERVICE" BY Horace Wynd-
ham Boston: L. G.. Page Is Go. Sl-ap.
| 1.-TWO LITTLE KNIGHTS or KENTUCKY By
Annie eilovs Johnson. Boston; L. G. Page
"A LITTLE IBllrGurER or LIBERTY" B
Edith Robinson Boston. L. &. Page az Go. 3D.
~T,iE Knight or KINGS GUARD" Bs Evan
: Martin BOSTON. l.. G.. Page & Go. Nl.3p.
! THE PATHS OF THE PRUDENT" BY J. :
! Fletcher Boston. J.. C. Page 4 Co. sl5o.
! TOMORROW IN CUBA" BY Charles NJ. Pepper
New lork: Harper & B'o5 ZOO
| THE PRINCESS ZENIA." BY ID. B. Marriott
/ Watson N,w York: Harper A Hro-. Sl51,
| .HIST0RIC SlDEIiCHTS" B Howard Pav-ou
! "TUE EXPEDITION TO THE PHILIPPINES
/ BY FrauE D. MiHet New York: Harper
THE i1FF Of JAMES DWIGHT Dtvt., b.
rauiel e. Gilman. New Nork Harper
LIE AND CHARACTER. Fi's dauia-s By
W. 4. smcd.ey \ y A. New York; Htr
! .EloiJr0E B9 ATRoPtIY" By Joan n-maor.
Jcja Nas-'r. and Enie yhd.ryglds. New
York.: D. Appleton & Co. Sl.51
| "THE GDOi. uI HE BLIND. By Tom Gallon.
! New York D. Appleton G 90.
! EDGAR LIVINGSTON" " By Edmond Gostingau.
| New York National Publishing Co. so
! eents.