The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-06

Hine-tSnfns OF the punished DOCKS OF the
day which come before the critic for notice
have anything TO say to literature or that
their writers are, or wish to be, makers
of literature. The great mass OF volumes
published and especially OF fiction, are
purely commercial ventures Most Of the
wares displayed on the booksellers coun-
tiers today have as little to do with what
has been called literature in the past as
have the contents OF the bakers or con-
fectioner's showcases-less, perhaps, since
bread and even cake furnish honest nur-
ishment for the body. and might even
some day chance to feed man who was
capable of thinking. and SO, ultimately.
become the physical promoters OF thought:
whereas the average published book could
never under any circumstances play any
part whatever in the production of
thought, and is. besides. useless to eat
and drink. Some times 1t happens to have
pretty cover which gives the passer-by
an instant's pleasure, but this is the whole
Of its contribution to human need. 1t has
been made TO SELL like the fancy pincush-
ions at church fair, but often 1t does
not even fulflI this poor end Of being, for,
happily. the world will not always buy
does so largely enough to make their man
ufacture a profitable mercantile venture
10 many. The business is an honorable
one, 30 long as II pretends to be nothing
but what II is. but 1t IL not the making
OF literature
At intervals that seem to the wearied
reader something like a thousand years
apart. there will be found in the endless
procession OF alleged current literature a
hook that Is book-that IL to say, a book
into which some portion of the writer's
heart and soul have been allowed TO es-
cape-a book that Is redolent OF person.
atty. Such book may or may not be a
work of art also--that IL a matter which
depends on other qualities than an au-
thor's sincerity and generosity--but 1t IL
sure to be interesting from start TO finish
Mr.. Ernest Seton Thompson is one of the
recently arrived writer's who can be de-
pended upon to write nothing that is not
genuine, and that is not conceived from
very individual standpoint. Nobody else
could possibly have written Mr. Thomp-
sons books. whereas something like half
OF the writer's OF the day might draw lots
for each others productions, and the pub
end.
Mr.. Thompson did not set out to be a
literary man. He was born a naturalist
and artist, and the writing of books came
later as a step In the natural evolution
OF his personality. While studying art In
Paris he wrote to friend;
II have spent all the afternoon at the
Louvre, and as l went from one great
master to another and saw all kinds of
peculiaritics and extremes, yet all result
ing In great pictures. this is the lesson
that was impressed on me more and more:
The man who does immortal work devel-
ops himself. Here have /. living In Nor
way. been trying to grow a palm tree be-
cause saw that African palms were good.
And each new frost cut down afresh my
poor. puny sprout. My wretched Seeding
had to contend with a great strong. FROST
defying pine that kept springing up. II
has only recently dawned upon me that
i must grow my own pine. II Is the tim
Der for my soil What tree might have
had now. had | realized this ten years
agol This Is, then, my theory: ! have
something which no one else In the world
has. IL may be a little thing. but 1t Is
mine. II IL my pine tree. aud l must
grow II. IL 1t never exceed a foot In
height, IL will, at least. be a living thing"
Again. recently. replying to a wouid-be
hlographer who wrote: What are you
an artist. n naturalist, a scientist. a writer
or whatg" he said. Il don't know and
don't care. | long since gave up trying
70 md out. l 60 quietly along my border
i can produce without troubling myself
TO classify or name IT,"
The result OF this mental attitude is that
Mr. Thompsou's books are vital and In
dividual and whether the reader cares
himself for animals or not makes very lit
Tie difference 20 hts appreciation OF luose
about which Mr. Thompson writes, for
What he really appreciates is the power
the insight. the sympathy aud tenderness
ct the man who Is writing.
Most people have already made the &C.
quaintance Of Wahb. whose tale was told
90 magazine readers in The biography
OF a Grlxsly," but Il may be noted that
Wahb is more attractive IN book form. for
the reason that Mr. Thompson drawings.
which are decoratNey arranged by Mrs
Thompson are better adapted 10 the vide
margins and rostful spaces % book page
than to the necessarily more contracted
quarters OF magazine leaf. Tho MtSe
book gives very strongly the irlpress.l ~
that here Is book indeed. and certainly.
since the DAYS when books were printed
and illuminated BY hand. there have boon
few volumes In which the decoration WAS
80 perfectly ami lovingly a part o. The
text as tn those which this husband and
wife have joined hands Go make for us.
They seem % be truly living things"
t'srhe Biography o. a Gylzaly" By Er.
nest seton-Thompson. The Century Com
panyj size For safe BY LoNmau & Han
1ordl
X =
A very different Kind OF book. which yet
resembles Mr.. Thompson's by reason OF
its vitality. Is THE Nerve Of Foley"
collection OF railroad stories by Franz
X. spearman. The things that are mos
alive 10 Mr.. spearman's apprehension ar'