The Saint Paul globe., 1900-10-28
LATEST NEWS IN BOOKS
LAFCADIO HEARN HAS ANOTHER
WORK WRITTEN ABOUT JAPAN
AND HER CUSTOMS
AMERICAS ECONOMIC POSITION
Two Pretty Christmas Books From
the Press of r.. HI. Rus
sci = Literary
Notes.

''Shadowings," by Lafcadio Hearn Lit
tie, Brown G. Co., Boston
Our debt of gratitude to Mr.. Hearn is
impressed by this new volumne from his
pen. "Shadowings' is made up of
collection of tales form old japanese
a dozen fantasies in Mr. Hearn's ex-
Quisite style.
In the tales from strange books we
find the same charm which made this
authors "In Ghostly Japan" such de-
lightful reading. Not even Sir Edwin
Arnold, with all his appreciation of the
beauty and picturesqueness of the Orient
has shown such an intimate knowledge of
the spirit of Japan.
In the studies we have a few more
chapters on the singing insects and the
poetic feeling which characterized "In-
sect Musicians" of an earlier volume
charms us anew in this one. Many OF
the translations from the Japanese poets
are exquisite. Very few modern poets
have given heed to the voices of insects,
and commenting upon this, Mr.. Hearn
says: Perhaps 1t is only to minds in
exorably haunted by the Riddle of Life
that nature can speak today in those
thin, sweet thrillings as she spake of old
to Solomon.1The Wisdom of the East
hears all things, and he that obtains
1t, will hear the speech Of Insects as
Siguard tasting the Dragons Heart heard
suddenly the talking of birds''
The studies include interesting infor-
nation on some old Japanese songs and
some chapters on Japanese female
names. The daring originality of Mr..
Hearn's caller work is fully manifested
In Fantasies" yet so delicately and
subtly suggested that they still seem
prose poetry The charm of expression
and fancy is peculiarly Lafacdio Hearn's.
One can but wonder if an Englishman
or an American could give us such
pictures as does this man with his Greek
and English parentage. The promise of
the Wisdom Of the East seems being
fulfilled to him, and those of us who do
not now hear the finer voices will listen
gratefully to his Interpretation until our
hearing is more finely attuned and we
too, may hear all things"
"Amerfca's Economic Supremacy,
Americas Economic Supremacy by
Brooks Adams. The Macmillan COM
pany, New York
Ihe steady march of recent events
chronicled in the press of the day has
suggested to even the casual student a
doubt as to the present economic su-
premacy among the ma tions of the earth
Five years ago or less the suggestion that
Great Britain was likely to soon lose
her undisputed claim to that title would
nave provoked smile as the dream Of
a theorist. Few were so bold as to ser
1ously assert that her supremacy would
soon slip westward in the wake of the
"star of EMPIRE
National changes like atmospheric dis
turbances send no warning, and are as
inevitable and irresta tible They rush
across the path of a nations life un-
mindful of the havoc they create That
the laws which govern these national
forces have been at work of late, none
will dispute. All Europe has felt their
force. The great anxiety over the "bal-
ance of power" testif1es to this condition
1t alone has done what even the triumph
of Christian principles could not have
averted-the prevention Of great blood
shed.
The one nation Of the world that has
advanced boldly and faced her duty as
she saw it has been the United States
Her career has compelled that respect
which a century's life failed to win The
change in foreign sentiment confirms this
view. But it seems to have been greater
and more far-reaching than was con-
ceived few years ago. And it Is a rec
ognition of this fact which called from
Mr., Adams the work now attracting the
attention of the economic thinkers of the
country.
He pays full homage to Americas new
title and emphasizes the change which
must be wrought in her social and politi-
cal institutions before she can success
fully assume the responsibilities and
dangers incident to such supremacy. The
whole question Is treated in a series OF
essays. They deal with 1.-The Spanish
War and the Equilibrium of the World
''The new Struggle for Life Among Ma
tions," England's Decadence III the West
Indies" and "Russia's Interest In China
Mr.. Adams does not tell what prepar-
alton is necessary on the part of Amer
lea to meet these new conditions. In
way he parallels the line of thought,
which runs through Colquhoun's recent
books. But what the latter fears for
England, Mr. Adams sees the glorious
diverse Of America. He pictures the
downfall Of England's rule, the decay
of her national prestige and power; the
hardening of the arteries of her intel
lectual life. With these conditions fac
ing her, America is warned to be alive
to the future thrust upon her by a mani
fest destiny.
"Our Nations Need"
"our Nations Need" by ]. A. Conwell.
York.
Mr.. Conwell believes that our nation's
need is to divide its wealth evenly and
start even. However little confidence we
may have in the wisdom of such a prop
osftion at this time we cannot fail to
admire Mr.. ConwelPs presentation of the
subject. Although 1t evidently lies close
to his heart he treats it more broadly
and comprehensively than Is usual when
this matter is under considerat ton.
The tendency to go to one extreme or
the other in dealing with 1T Is happily
avoided, and we are impressed with the
sincerity and spirit of brotherly toIer-
ance, which the author manifests He
does not seeek to array one class against
another, and rabid followers of Herr
Most, will get scant comfort from his
sentiments.
The subject upon which Mr.. Conwell
expresses very radical views is engaging
the attention of some of the most
thoughtful men of the day, yet the pros
pect of any immediate realization of his
hope is rather discouraging, when we
recall the cycles of time which have
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