The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-15
LITERARY NOTES.

Inc coming campaign, iolio"eu y! th'
Presidential elections, should enhance tn,
value of book to be published by thu
! Putnarrs in July entitled "a History o
r Political Parties In the United States" b.
the Hon. James H. Hopkins.
, The story begins with the first division
/ of public sentiment in regard to purely ma
i tional questions, previous to the election
of President Washington, and traces the
progress and development Of the system
OF party government in the United States
down to the present time. The treatment
is clear and concise; the book is not a
mere array OF dry fact, and yet it is not
biased by any political opinion which the
author himself may hold. We are not only
enabled to follow the course of the two
great parties through their various stages
of development, but We learn also of all
the minor movements in American politics
which attained sufficient strength to crys-
tallize into party.
1t is of interest to learn that William
Stearns Davis, the author of "a Friend Of
Caesar" has just won the Thayer scholar
ship at Harvard. This honor is given only
for brilliant work In classical archaeology.
The manuscript OF Mr. Davis novel was
read by distinguished professor of arch
| Gtoio5y NAO NOuCueu lOT us accuracy. Inc
mere fact that this story could be written
by an undergraduate at Harvard is an in
teresting commentary on the classical
training given there.
Lloyd Bryce's novel, Lady Branches
Salon." second edition of which has just
been published by the HarDers. aroused
much comment at the time OF its original
publication a few years since.
|
"A Book for All Readers" IS the title
of a work by Ainsworth R. Spofford,
former Librarian of the Congressional Lii
brary. The title is certainly comprehen-
sive. and 1t is not misleading The volume
should appeal to Librarians. collectors,
bibliomaniacs. and book people OF every
sort. Mr.. Spofford has probably during
his lifetime handled more books than any
other author in the country. He should
have absorbed. through the covers at least,
enough experience to fill large tome on
the subject he has undertaken. There will
be chapter on the choice of books. with
| an eye to their exteriors; also with ref
erence to their interiors, though that is a
| matter TO DO settled between a man and his
| own conscience. For the collector there
are chapters on the art of bookbinding
on the existence OF old prints, folios, ETC.;
| the student will find a chapter on the art
of reading; the librarian on tho art of
classification and the history of libraries;
while In addition to these things there is
history of copyright laws and a discus
sion of the international copyright ques-
| ton. with treatment of many other sub
! jects near OF kin. 1t is truly book for all
who wish to be readers, as we'll as for all
| who read. The volume will appear in a
short time from the press of G. 2. Put
| MANS Sons.
Stephen Cranes "Whilomville Stories"
will come TO an end in the August number
| Of "Harper's Magazine" and will be pub,
/ lished in book form. with Peter Newell's
! illustrations. early in August.
1t is not usual that an American writer
| on European politics has a large audience
| in England. Prof. Paul Reinsch, however,
seems to be marking a turn in the tide
| with his World Politics. which contains
perhaps the only full and reliable account
yet published OF the international ques-
lions which have eliminated in the mas
sacre at Pekin, and which have made
China the chessboard on which the world
| powers are now playing their game. Two
editions have been issued in England by
the Macmillans within a fortnight of its
publication in New York.
Charles H. Seisel Co. will Issue before
| long an authorized edition OF hitherto
untranslated play of Henrik Ibsen. en-
titled Loves Comedy" The translators
are Prof. c. H. HEREFORD and William
Archer.
Tito: The Story of the Coyote tina.
Learned How is the title of the story
by Ernest Seton Thompson in the August
fiction number of "Scribner's Magazine"
W. Carew Hazlitt has just completed his
history of THE Venetian Republic its |
rise, its growth and its fall. which will |
be published very soon In America and
England by The Macmillan Company The
time embraced is from 421 to the abrupt |
ending OF the Republic In 1897, and the |
work Will be in two octave volumes. Mr. |
Hazlitt has traced step By step the meta |
morphosis of the barren stretch of sand |
into the political centre which for so long
led the civilized world in manufactures.
arts and sciences, and which remains per-
haps OF all cities the most fascinating in |
its architecture.
In the July issue of the international |
Monthly" William N. Payne thus discusses |
American critics and their methods:
There are few Americans who have pursued lit |
erary criticism with sufficient singlcness of aim
to achieve results of definite and commanding sig
nifcance. Our foremost living critic is also a |
poet, and at the time busy man OF affairs |
The one whom most honor in the past was at |
once critic poet, teacher, diplomat and spokes. |
man OF the higher patriotism. Some are critics |
by way Of diversion from their true function as |
writers of fiction. Some bend their talents to |
the exigencies of iouTna; ism. and rarely find an |
opportunity to do the best that is in them Some |
bound TO the routine tasx OF teaching are forced |
to compromise with conscience for the ever-pos.-
poned magnum opus by putting forth their con
clusions in occasional traements-the clips of the
workshop rather than the finished cabinet. For
these reasons. and others. the type prevailing
among Of letters is that OF the general
practitioner rather than tina: of the high special
lied authority, or. il find the latter. his spe-
ciaty is apt TO be narrow that he makes no
appeal to the general audience OF cultivated