Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-08

NHiS 'eiioiis puDllSneQ IN the maya
Zine. the mice-who had never before
ana VINO nave never since in our office
been known to do such a thing-got AT
the manuscript copy, making havoc of
one particular passage in which the
author had allowed his young lovers
unusual freedom of emotional express
slon-for how indeed, could there he
April Hopes or anything thus init
native of loves Springtime. without
the gracious unreserve that nature her
self so forcefully compels? Having
yielded to a command so imperative
Mr.. Howells, we remember, seemed
somewhat perturbed because he was
obliged to do over again what in the
hrst place he had done under the re-
SlstlesS urgency of the situation. He
was inclined. we think. to infer malice
prepense on the part of the mice in Sc
leetlng that passage of all others for
their destructive work. But, again he
invoked the gentle influences of the
Pleiades and reproduced the lovers
dialogue. We don't believe he dis
hked this sort of writing as much as
ne appeared to: it may be that, after
all, he has generally avoided it as one
who denies himself an indulgence"
In the development of American
literature the clergy have taken a
large and prominent part. both direct
~ and indirectly, and it is a part that
has not hitherto been closely scruti-
niZed. The Rev. Daniel Dulaney Ad-
olson has attempted to supply this lack
by book which the Macmillan Com
pany is publishing, The Clergy in
American Life and Letters" The
author has not attempted to deal with
religious matters except in so far as
reference to them has been made
necessary by the theological character
of the books that are examined.
David Harum" has reached the
half million mark of it's sales-one of
the records in the history of the
worlds publishing. A second issue of
the new illustrated edition has already
been called for
F. A. Stokes Co. announce that the
sales of Robert Orange" and of
"Quisante" have been so unexpectedly
good that they have had to put the
plates on the press for edition after
edition. The fifth edition of Robert
Orange" is now in readiness. and the
fourth edition of "Quisante' is in
preparation. These two novels have
much in common. Both deal largely
with politics, both are on high plane.
and both appeal to people, of culture.
They require thoughtfulneSs and in
telligent reading; so that their sue
cess is all the more gratifying for
these reasons. Disraeli is, openly. one
of the chief characters in Robert
Orange" and some critics think that
they see him in "Quisante." Others
have made references to Joseph Cham
berlain as the latter'S more or less re-
mote prototype. But whatever his
origin, Quisante is worth knowing. be-
cause he represents period and its
tendencies in public life.
There seems to be 4 good deal of I'M
certainty in the minds of the reading
public about the name of the heroine
of Tommy and Grizel.' Many speak
it with the accent on the second sylla-
BILE which seems to make a prettier
word; but there is no accounting for
the pecularities of Scotch names. and
Mr.. Barrie himself pronounces it with
the accent on the first syllable, SO that
it is scarcely separable from the I'M
pleasant associations of ''griZZle.'
Two noteworthy additions to Steven
son literature are made this season.
The first is a rare piece, a novelette,
called AN Object of Pity; or the Man
Haggard." Stevenson himself wrote of
this "Ouida romance" My wife's
chapter and my description of my
self should, l think. amuse you. But
there were fine touches STILL The
original issue was not only very
limited, but confined to distribution
among the various friends of its
author Those who have wished to
add a copy of the book to their library
will rejoice in the fact that Messrs.
Dodd. Mead & Co. have just pub
lished an edition limited to hundred
ten copies. The other item likely to
arrest a Stevenson lovers attention is
the first volume of "StevensOnia,
which is shorty to be offered by the
Rankside Press The volume is made
up from fragmentary pieces by ana
about r. l.. S., and devotees will find
therein portraits, fac-simlles ana other
miscellany, not otherwise readily ac-
cessible.
The Bookman gives the following ac-
count of the ups and downs of Miss
| Carolyn Wells literary career: Her
first literary impulses were aroused-by
the sight of the first number of The
Lark. which CHANGED to fall into, her
hands in the. summer of 1885, Forsome
reason, she writes, it appealed tos2her
love of nonsense. and she at once wrote
TO the editor, Mr.. Gelett Burgess, ask
ing him if he cared for contributions TO
his somewhat erratic paper. For over
. wear she tried vainly to write some
thing that would be found worthy OF
nublication in The Lark's pages her
EFFORTS. however, were not only reject
ed. but spurned and hooted at ana u
was not until The Lark had reached
;tc fourteenth issue that she succeed
cd in having an article accepted. Two
wars later the editor came East, ana
he and Miss Wells met. ana nave
since been firm friends ana literary
cbums and cOllaborators.
| Does an authors lecturlng heip
hook or does the book help the success
of tho lectures? Both" says one eN-
| n