Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-10-13

the architects who made the city beau
tiful by their genius"
The announcement that Harper e.
Brothers are to issue special autograph
editions of two of their most notable
fall books is one which must be of in
terest to all collectors. The books to
be published in these editions are Mrs.
Humphry Wards Eleanor" and w. d.
Howells' volume of recollections.
Literary Friends and Acquaintance. A."
Two hundred and fifty autograph sets
of the two volume edition of Eleanor
and one hundred and fifty autograph
copies of Literary Friends and Ac-
quaintances" will be issued. The pub
fishers announce that these editions
will not be increased under any cir
cumstances.
kalman Mikszath, the Hungarian
novelist, whose recent story. st
Peters Umbrella" has just been pub
lished by the Harpers. is a writer
second only to Maurus JOkai in popu-
larity among his own countrymen. He
is member of the Hungarian Academy
and has twice served in the Hungarian
4 armament. ne is particularly famous
for his stories of peasant life.
Miss Braddon, whose recent novel
The Infidel." published by the Harp
ers, has already gone into its second
edition, has been for more than thirty
five years one of the most successful
English writer's. 1t is said that Miss
Braddon's magnificent estate. Litch-
field af Richmond
chased with the profits of single
book Lady Audley's Secret" pub
lished in 1862.
1t is well known that much of the
gayety and good spirit of Eugene
Field was expended in his daily news
paper work, and there is therefore a
reasonable chance that in the two new
volumes of his work. "Sharps and
Flats soon to be published by the
Scribners. there may be something
amusing. These books are to be made
up of sketches and verse-one volume
TO each-eXtracted from the column
headed "Sharps and Flats" that he
used to contribute to the Chicago
Daily News. They have been selected
with care we are told, and the editor
believes that they reveal more of the
eXhaustless fun of Eugene Field s
early life than any other volume of his
collected works. The two volumes will
be included in the Sabine Edition" of
Mr.. Fields work.
According To the American Bookman
and the English Academy, The Reign
of Law" is the best selling novel in
both countries at the present time. 1t
is now in its hundredth thousand.
The reader who is fond of slashing
criticism will do we'll to look out for
Ouidas Forthcoming book Critical
Studies" Some of the London papers
have had a peep at the advance sheets.
and what they say makes one rather
anxious to get at it. Among the con-
tents are papers on Mr.. Chamberlain,
Mr.. W. $. Blunt, Mr.. Auberon Herbert.
Gabrielle D'Annunzio, Mr.. Marion
Crawford. The Ugliness of Modern
Life and "Cnwritten Literary Laws.
When THE Reign of Law" came out
the other day the Bookman prophesied
for religious novels a new and vigorous
lease of life. The same novel seems to
have walked up the school men. one of
whom, the head of a well-known high
school. looks beyond the admirable and
interesting story 10 the great value of
what he considers its forcefUl presen-
tation of scientific problems, the solu-
ton of which has perplexed SO many
thinkers on each side of the Atlantic.
during the past fifty years.
Another instance of the confusion
worked by different titles of the same
books in England and America is the
naming of the first volume of the late
G. w. Stevens works, Things Seen"
in the former country. and Travels in
London. Paris and Berlin" over here
Rather an awkward title that last,
and one it is hoped will be changed be-
fore the book goes to press.
1t is certainly a most desirable
method of teaching English reading
and literature, that of setting pupils to
the study of good books of current in
terest. An instance of this has been
noted by the publishers of ITO Have
and To Hold a large number OF
copies of this book having been or
dered by private school in New York
city for use in its literature classes;
this is the second school that has made
such use of Miss JohnstOn's book.
The Rev. Frederick f.. Clark, .presl-
dent of the Christian Endeavor Soci-
ETY., recently made a trip around the
world, taking the western journey
from Asia through Siberia, traverslng
the whole length of the Trans-Siberlan
Railway. This has given him plenty OF
material for description which he has
put into book, "A New Way Around
! an Old World" which Harper & Bros.
will soon publish. He has taken every
advantage of his opportunities to Sc
cure pictures, and the volumes VIII be
| fully illustrated.
"The Eagles Heart" of Mr.. HAM
| lin Garlands new novel called by that
! title. is the heros who goes westward
to enter upon the picturesque lie OF
| the plains There is in this book an
opportunity for Mr.. Garland to tell OF
cattle ranching and other character
| istic phases of Western life. ID. Apple
ton & Co. expect to publish the booR
bv the end of next week. This story
was first published in the SATURDAY
| E,vap;no Post as serial, and was re-