New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-17
MAGAZINE NOTES.

FRAGMENTS FROM THE JANUARY NUM-
BEERS.
Never VIII the reader of the biography of
wahb the Grizzly forget it's quaint poetic sad
and humor 1t is a gem in it's own original
way, and thank and praise Mr.. Seton
Thompson and 1.-THE Century for an unalloyed
pleasure. The story is in the first rank OF
animal narrative. and it has not many COM
panions. May its author be moved to give US
more OF the wild life of forest mountain and
plain,
Alas. for the disappointing verses which follow
Mr.. Kipling's name! Here and there is line
or maybe a phrase a word-which is happily
imaginative and suggestive, but whole the
poem is worthless. Poem? Whatever it may be
this is not poetry
Much attractive fiction the Century" presents,
as BELTS holiday time. and part of it is poor.
The college graduate prize story is credtabe.
Ext best of all is the concluding chapter of DR..
MItchells autobiography of a Quack." Here is
figure known 10 all the countries of the world
and known for ages; but the type varies and DR..
Mitchell has set forth with remarkable keen
ness and vigor the quack peculiarly and dis
tinctly American. He has caused the mean,
sneaking, callous little soul to reveal itself with
startling clearness.
The current Harper" offers us the first chap
ter Of Mrs. Humphry Wards new novel, and
the curious reader is surprised to find himself
promptly introduced to the American Girl. We
are bound to say that the English author has
made the Girl nfelil1e and exaggerated her not
at all AS for the chief masculine figure, he is
a woman's hero to the ends of his fingers and
promises to be exceedingly interesting in several
directions. Mrs. Ward manages her italian en-
vironment With skill and grace.
Mr.. Owen Wister's sketch, Twenty Minutes
for Refreshments, is a very clever piece Of work.
II is irresistibly comic, and it is sharply true
70 human nature. Mr.. Wisters admirers will
feel that they have new cause to deplore his
failure to apply himself more devotedly to
authorship.
Tommy and Grizel." the sequel to "Senti-
mental Tommy" is begun in the January
"Scribner." 1t does not open the magazine, but
Mr.. Barrie need not complain. Where he Sits
for very large and enthusiastic public there
Is the head of the table. Those who have
waited impatiently for this story Of his will
not, we fancy be disappointed. though the work
can be better appreciated, Of course when a
few more instruments have been published We
will not spoil the pleasure of discovery for the
reader by describing the chapters now in print.
but may quote passage that is eloquent
Can you kindly tell the name of the book
want?'
It is the commonest question asked at the
circulating library by dainty ladies just out
them over can usually tell. In the days we have
now to speak Of, however, he answered without
looking them over:
''Sandys's Letters"
"Ah, yes, of course. May have it please?'
81 regret to find that it is out"
Then the lady looked naughty. why don't
you nave TWO cOpleS?" she pOuted.
Madam" said the librarian, I'VE have thou
sand"
There is other entertaining fiction in this
months "scribner" but the only contribution
which we need signaize is Mr.. Eliot Gregory's
amusing paper on THE Poetic Cabarets of
Paris" an unusually competent description of
phase Of Partisan life over which most writers
are disposed to become more dithyrambic than
Illuminating.
We regret to note that 1.-The Pail Mall Maya
zine" discontinues with this number its Amer
ican edition. It has been q pleasant visitor to
these shores, much of its text being Of high
order and some of its illustrations being sur
prisingly good. This month its pages are de-
voted chiefly to fiction, the most noticeable
items Of which are Mr. Vachell's humorous Cali
fcrnia story and a certain grewsome little tale
OF the veldt.
Mr. Henley, to whom do not look for the
apt drawing Of fine distinctions nor for particu-
larry good literary manners, is now and again
entertaining in the obvious and the bitter-wit-
ness his tart paper in 1.-The Pail Mall" on Victor
Hugo. No longer as of yore Is Hugo worshipped
outside Of France; and many people are feeling
the impatient distaste for the mans posing
which Henley expresses so frankly-and occa-
stonally so coarsely: Observation-Disclosures
again and always attitude; in the beginning as
in the END. attitude and an almost unnatural
mastery Of rhythm and speech"
That is the secret of his success the ex-
PLANTATION Of the hold he had upon his
neges and the world. His ignorance runs
deeper than ever plummet sounded; so that his
\ cromwell his Marie Tudor, his PHomme Qui rit
ITO name but these-might stand were they not
talready forgotten, for monuments of human i'm
spuoence at the same time that they are achieve
iInents in human nescience For Cbe II notedD
Ahe is always careful TO insist upon the variety
Hnd the extent Of his reading: he knows his pub
nc thoroughly and he knows-and here is the
tcleverness which distinguishes his pose-that his
public is less bookish than himself and will
take MS learning for granted because he insists
on II. ana because he writes good verses
AT the last he approved himself q kind OF
poetry-nachine, grinding out alexandrines and
octosyIlabcs and all the other stuff of the ira de
as mechanically as Mr.. Babbage's apparatus
dealt with calculations. In all there are signs
Of the fecund and brilliant technical imagination
which had been his from the first; in all
there are notes Of technical excellence which
none living could equal Now in all there
is so much of Heine's hump that to read Fart
detre grand fSare Qet say) is 10 be sick of
tact, without reticence, without any Of the quail
ity Of virtue-that honorable and engaging
quality!-should be gifted as Hugo was and
should be permitted, Hugo was, to go on,
year after year, degrading their endowment
That said, hasten to add that L should dearly
like TO compile anthology from Hugo's
verse. IT'S impossible notion of course; for
was not everything he wrote inspired? And is
not everything he wrote thrice sacro- saint? But