The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-30

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some stories written by several young gen, :
tiemen, six, think, which appeared first
in their college magazine and which havs
not read. The volume is put out as a sorr
of exemplar elegantium and the printers
part Is extremely Well doue unless ne is
responsible for the punctuation. What
pity it is that the printer was not engaged
TO write the preface This precious per-
Torrance purports II became elegantly al
lucrative in thinking Of IL to be the haudI-
work Of a professor, Who seems to stand
somewhat in the relation of midwife to tina
stories. We are certainly not unreasona-
bic when we insist that this task whic.
was entirely work Of supere-ogatiou
should have been performed neatly, If at
ALL and that the preface should not mar
the prospects of the foster children and ,
disallow It's own right to existence by its
gross and paipahle blemishes.
In the Introduction to Modern Chivairy
the author warns Us that he does not in-
tend TO hamper his genius by any ordinary
considerations Of good sense, but purposes
to make an exhibition of style his first
and only aim. Lyrics of the Green" does
not quite as directly challenge our admira-
ton OF its manner, but, with hardly lssI
presence, though with much less grace.
il does make a very stylish bow In its
of the most obvious objections:
In the first para graph the professor says
that the editors cannot hope that regu-
lar readers of the ma gaz.ne. or those VIM
have added to its standing. will be salts
fed with the selections made" The pro-
fessor should have written nor in place
of '.or," then he would have carried his
negaton along to the second term Far
Their on in the sams paragraph we are told
Al --N- i~N~1t arfV err
not written during the student days of it's
author Then the preface continues: 1T
would be hypercriticaI then to expect from
these young authors any great degree OF
skill" &c. Exactly what the conjunction
then has TO do with the matter is q littla
hard 20 see. L concur, without having
read the stories, IN the claim made a. the
close OF this para graph, the claim, namely.
that these tales ''far surpass many thar
find their way into our leading periodicals.
1 should incline 10 regard this as faint
praise for any stories. The second para
graph. some of the supertuouS words being
omitted, reads as follows: Stories or IN
dergraduate life have been published, and
undergraduate students have published
collections of stories ttautoioSy IS The pro-
lessons, not rnine). but the stories here
reprinted were written by students ana
published IN their university magazine.
The conjunction but has no earthly bust
ness in this sentence; and would make the
meaning quite as clear. When one cannot
choose between two conjunctio1s as difter-
ent in sense as and and but, IT Is no PAD
idea to conclude that he can get on WIZ
out either one. The paragraph continues:
IF this be the first collection q do noe
catch the force OF the subiunction because
the professor seems sure that this is the
first collection, but / am willing to con-
csda the superior style OF the mood, how
ever incorrectly used. III this be the 1irsE
collection of such stories, It Is a Ituhs
tribute to their authors that they have set
high the standard for all such collections
Exactly what contribution the ao1ect4Va
such in such stories," Is supposed 10
make to the sense one finds IL hard TO tell
It Is clear however. that fitting tribute 81
not what the professor should have writ
Ten II stories is antecedent 20 the last
they" and that tribute" will not Go Il
.a11thors'' Is the antecedent, and that tina
construction will not do If, as is the case,
nobody can tell what is the antecedent-
The next paragraph starts out; and
the university should be ante % ias CLI.A'
TO some prestige in storytelling Inc
professor Is weak on conjunctions Ana
ia absolutely out of place in the sentence
| AS to the feeble flicker of a sha6oTy sus-
eestIou that the sentence seems TO mint,
! II NAV be tudiciouS- 1t was Uncle Eemus'
! 7 beIteya. who said about syilaouo thal l.
| made him feel like he dun dremp oous
| smellin' dram From the reverend
| stuff TO syIIabub IS no farther cry than
! that between reputation for storytelling
| and the statement that one ought 10 %
! eble to lay claim 10 some prestige IN tna
arr This is the little end OF nothing whit
| 11ed off. AS Miss Betsy says. Deuce ttAa
| the man. What's he about?" Ii he Wishes
| ~ teIl us that his school Is famous for
! its short stories, why doesn't ne say so anu
| be done with II? 1 fear II ~oaie FeSiuite
| more than the professors Woro 10 esta 1.'
| 1isb his schools renown for preface VIII
| ing. IN +L
| hIar,ishes in this piece OF writing, ana L
| find I have given far more space 10 II Thar.
| had Intended. I protest that nave it'@
| written word with the inteaNon Oh M,
| hiring any man. either IL his own concei-
| or In the estimation OF others, OuL 10 "a
| only yielded to the strong Impulse TO saS
| a reasonable thins aooGt SUMO -
| cent literature.
The duty is no agreeable one. and turn
| with pleasure to the lighter task OF hymn
| ing the praise of men whose PRAISE e<it-
| hardly be too sweetiy sung
| Easoins within the broad domain peop!ed
| 15rt the creations OF the older literature
! What depth or breadth or power OF e!e.
/ gance OF finish can one iu- '.,e. -
| Uhathar the reader rise, in all this land
...,s IN rbe highest point Of mental ex-
aIfation. or sink down. fathons deep. to
| at,-5 its lowest glen. behold. ever pres
-, his side the creature OF the old-tne
/ ca. Ike band-in-hand and breathes Ger
al The way the balm of nature For every
haart and mind. fer every mood. for every
season as 1t rolls along. out from Tue al.i-
-. covsrs of old books, steps friends whose
81 ,5a.hin shortens and sweetens the
conn so,n.aa as Il runs. And, though the fates
i a +he constancy of good this side the
egny s.-7 VET let Us free our fingers from
i cypie ~ antient bindings ana pour
, .lla 70 the Gods 10 realize our dream.
shade of the beach. old books. AIDED
PHYLLIS and the chan wins: ,-,,-a,