The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-24
GOSSIP.

Miss Ellen Glasgow, Of Virginia, is
out in her third novel she calls The
Voice of the People" 1t is a story
placed in her state n 1t is. as we
understand, a plea for worthy people
Of what is known as ''the poor whites"
1t is praised of course by the regular
newspaper book critic.
There are three brothers Of the
Kingsley name who had the literary
faculty. Most well read people are ia
miliar with Rev. Charles, others OF Gull
ture know of Henry, and but few Know
Of George who was clever in his way.
Hardy, the able novelist, has publish
ed a poem" that is not poetry. The
critic Of The New York Tribune asks:
Why will men who are first in their
own rank attempt to trail at the end
of another?' Meredith, the other great
est name among living novelists who
write in English, is addicted to much
bad verse.
America contributes 81, 800 to the pro-
posed monument to William Black. the
Scotch novelist, who wrote so many
clever and enjoyable books.
Blackmore in afflicted old age lead
with most interest Dickens and Homer.
He was a distinguished writer and has
left the world under decided obligations
to him for at least three superior nov
els.
"A Gentleman from Indiana" is a
10Y of the west that is relished by
some intelligent people, and has sold
well. The author has a second one
ready called Monsieur B~eaucaire."
Nothing is known of the writer.
Andrew Lang's first volume of "A
History of Scotland from the Roman
Occupation" covers the ground be
tween that event and 154S. He is a
gifted, accomplished man, but pub
fishes too rapidly.
Edmund Gosse, the distinguished
English l%iteratus. gives an exalted
opinion of Arthur Symonds' 1.-The Syn
notist Movement in Literature" He
writes enthusiastically, saying that II
think there have been very few men
who have done better han this. and.
as to his own contemporaries. the
young men of his own generation, it
puts him head and shoulders above
them in his particular line. We have
found Gosse not only a most engaging
critic but generally a safe interpreter.
Howells' last novel is scored in Eng
land as very dull, without story, but
we'll written. He calls it Their Sill
yer Wedding Journey" Like James, re
doe not know now how to tell a story
or he has hone to tell, k the "Kneedy
Knife-grinder."
Mary Johnston's book has reached
the 175, 900 in eight weeks. 1t is amaz-
ingly lauded in the north as we'll as the
south. We would like to see an old
fashioned review of it. The New York
Bookman, not to be always trusted,
says of it:
1T is difficult, outside of the work
of Charles Kingsley, to parallel the
writing of this young Virginian for the
breathleSS sweep of the story and it's
depth of insight and delicacy of hand
ling, in regard to the human beings
concerned therein
The New York Critic has very cordial
words also.
JOhn S. WiSe'S very entertaining vol
ume noticed at some length in The
Messenger months ago, is lauded in
the north by political and religious
newspapers. Its interest is decided
and never flags. We do not doubt that
it is a more interesting and far more
important contribution than any of
the five or six most widely popular his
torical fictions of the last six or twelve
months. Its more appropriate title
would be Virginia and Virginians,
and What They Did in the Great War"
with a full account of the Wise family.