The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-27
GOSSIP,

in Right Hon. Jonn Moriey > Iortn-
coming book on the greatest English
man in politics and war, Oliver Crom-
well. there are many very impressive
passages if we may judge by some ex-
distinguished qualities. and his Crom-
we'll will probably add to his fame. He
is now at work upon the life of the
greatest Englishman in politics of this
century, w. f. Gladstone. Take Mr..
Gladstone in all he was as a great ora
tor. a great scholar, an author, a states
man and of highest character, he was
without an equal among h statesmen
of this country. We give two brief ex-
tracts from what he says in his work
on Cromwell, which we think profound:
1.-The greatest names in history are
those who, in a full career n amid
the turbid extremities of political ac-
ton, have yet touched closest and at
most point the wide, ever-Standing
problems of the world. and the things
in which mems interest never dies. OF
this rare company Cromwell was sure
ly one"
Truly has it been said that universal
history makes a large part of every ma
tiona history. The lamp that lights
the path of a single nation receives its
kindling flame from a central line of
beacon fires that mark the onward
journey of the race. The English have
never been less insular in thought n
interest than they were in the seven
zenith century"
A new work on Sir Walter Scott is
out in one volume. 1t is by James Hay.
The Shakespearian critic, as we'll as
critic in other things, DR.. George Bran
des, the Dane, is being translated freely
into English. His fame has grown
rapidly.
In this brief Gossip we do not think
it best to occupy much space with an
nOuncing novels that are out or those
to appear soon. The most of them are
not worth the space, and novel readers
would be wiser and better off if they
had never been printed. What can
people know who give themselves to
thousands now published yearly they
would neither be better nor wiser in all
probability. No mind can be disciplined
or informed by devouring only works
of fiction. You would develop brain
and muscle in the physical man as
easily by feeding upon whipped sylla-
bub or soup made from the wings of
butterflies.
1t is a fact hat of all poets Milton
left less work hat was not up to his
high intellectual water-mark than any
other poet. Very little of his verse can
be truly described as inferior.
An English poet named Thomson
(not the author of 1.-The Seasons left
a poem with the strange title of "The
City of Dreadful Night" 1t has been
gether with some thirty minor poems.
Of him we know but little. His longest
poem is thought to have merit. We
m refer to it again when we have
learned more about it.
There is a work just out in England
A., called "Tinisia and the Modern
Barbary Pirates" London Literature
reviews it with some severity. 1t is not
without talent and interest. 1t is full
Of elasticity and is said to strain too
much after effect. The following shows
that he is prejudiced against the north
ern people as he IS against some other
people not Americans:
You have only to set your eyes upon
a Yankee to know him for an impudent
~vulgarian." A discourse on capital
punishment suggests to Mr.. Vivian the
reflection hat lit is strange how deep
rooted is the sympathy between modern
Italians and crime"
G. w. Stevens, the author of four
books of travel and war studies in four
years, and a writer of very marked
vigor n effectiveness, is writing a
novel. His last book, "'The Tragedy of
Dreyfus," is said to be very graphic
and of excellent quality and very real
istic. We give a brief sample of por-
trait ~painting-his picture of the villain
of the piece, General Mercer:
o his face and neck the bronzed
skin hangs loosely. There Is neither
depth of Uranium nor height of fore
head to hold a brain in. The eyes are
Sits, with heavy sustained lids and
bags beneath them that turn the droop-
ing cheeks into caverns. A little NOUS
tache and beard frame the lips that
might be evil, %senuous, humorous, but
V be human. If you look at
his head, you think him a vulture; if
at his face, you call him a mummy"
It is a bad, very bad to have the old
states invaded by the emissaries and