The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-25

his detractors in an exposition OF his
great poem The following brief extra cts
from his MOTIFS" will indicate the lines
along which Mr.. Markham makes, alike,
his explanation and his defense. He
says:5.I am often asked how ! came to
write The Man With the Hoe am my
self, in limited sense. one q the Hoe
many know the dull sense Of hope
lessness that beats upon the heart in that.
monotcnous drudgery that leads nowhere,
that has no light ahead. FOURTEEN years
ago came upon a small print OF N1iliet's
picture of lie@.Hoeman.' t was then 1
iotted down the rough field notes of my
poem For years kept the print on my
wall and the pain of it in my heart.
And then, ten years ago, I CHANGED upon
the painting itself. DO / need to say
that the hoe poem IS not protest against
Labor? No: it is my SOULS word against
the degradation of labor, the oppression
of man by rlAn.
novel which he has named "ANDROME-
DA.' 1t is an "idy1l'' of the Thames,
and the period is the early part of Queen
Victoria's reign.
The continued popularity of DAVID
HARUM is indicated by the increasing
figures. which are said row to have
reached 40. coo.
Among the authors crowned by the
London Academy this year are Mrs. Con-
stance Garnett and Mr.. II. G. Graham.
The former for her admirable translation
of Turgeney, whose novels she has just
completed in fifteen volumes: the lat
ter for his book on The Social Life in
Scotland. Both these works are pub
lislled by the Macmillan Company.
The first number of the SMART SET will
appear on March 10th. and will contain
a satire on New York society by II. C.
Chatfield Taylor and Reginald de NoVen.
Unlike other magazines. the Smart Set
will contain no editorial comment. and
such writers as the following will sup
ply, with verse and story, this deficlen-
CIV: Julien Gordon CNIrs. Van Rensse-
Iaer Crugcr). Mrs. Burton Harrison, Jul
liam Hawthorne, Ella Wheeler Wilcox,
Edgar Saltus, Edgar Fawcett, Ebert
Hubbard, Eliot Gregory. Arthur Grissom,
Theodosa Pickering Garrison, Halle
Erninie Rives, Bliss Carman, Clinton
Scollard, Carolyn Wells. +. K. Munhit-
trick, Charles Battell LOOMS, Albert
Bigelow Paine and Olive Herford.
Professor Harry Thurston Peck, in
THE INDEPENDENT. has given an in
teresting list Of the six best novels of the
year 1873, -GUSeu AL tllt Oluei ol ticii
literary merit Four of these have been
great financial successes also, but the
two others are lacking in the popular
appreciation shown in enormous sales:
1. 1.-THE Greater Inclination" BY
Edith Wharton"
.. David Harum." BY E. N. West
colt.
3. "The Maternity of Harriott Wick
en-" BY Mrs. Dudeney.
4. "Ricfard Carvel.'' BY Winston
Churchill
s. 1.-The Market-Place." BY Harold
Frederic.
6. when Knighthood Was in Flow
err By e. Caskoden.
What has been called (by a British
commentator "an amusing correspond
ence" has lately passed between Mr.
Kipling and firm of publishers in Lon
don There arrived in care of this firm
a letter addressed from the United States
to Mr.. IliplinS, and it was promptly re-
posted direct to him at Nottingham,
with a formal note in these words:
"The enclosed letter has just reached
us from America, and you will see we
had to pay q letter fine of 3d. on it.
Your obedient servants, GAY & BIRD"
A few days later the publishers recev
ed this acknowledgment, dated from Mr..
Kiplings house. the Elms. Nottingham:
Dear SirS-Mr tRudyard Kipling de-