The age-herald., 1901-01-13

the objections made by the Critic" to MT. Rafford Pyke's recent use of the express sion, sitting up late nights" The Book man very promptly stated that we are not going to take a hand in the controversy, but all the same "we'' proceeded to defend MT. Pykes use of the term by quoting from the Book of Isaiah Am I set in my ward whole nights?" and also quotation from Piers Ploughman:' "BMterliche shaltow banne thanne bothe dayes and nightes" The humorous and somewhat fanciful tone of The Bookmans remarks saves their dignity. for the Critic" replies in a few words which seem decisive. The editor of "The Lounger,' who is no doubt Jeannette l.. Glider, sees nothing humorous in the controversy. She says: If Profess sor Peck is so great a stckler for the Eng fish of Piers Ploughman,' why does he not follow its archaic spelling when he writes over the nom de guerre' of Rafford Pyke- especially as he is on record as an opponent of spelling reform, on the ground that It IS distasteful to him? The objection to the use of such phrases sleeps days and eats night instead of sleeps by day and eats by night or 'at night is that present good usage does not sanction 1t. In the day when Piers Ploughman' and that mag nificent piece of English prose- the 'Au- thorized Version, came into being, many forms of speech were current that have since been discarded by the best English writer's" It was surprising to find The Bookman defending the use of such an eX- pression as sitting up late nights;' but 1t is amazing to find the writer of this de- fense in The Bookman referred to as Prof Harry Thurston Peck" and the user of the objectionable phrase Raffold Pyke, also unmasked as Professor Peck l knew the versatile professor of Latin In Columbia College had written an enormous number of articles, and had assumed many unique points of view, but l certainly never expected to find him using and defending sitting up late nights.
 
 By the way, speaking of the Critic the January number celebrates it's twentieth anniversary. In few pages devoted to "reminiscences description is given of the original Critic" as 1t appeared in January of 1881. Then follow a number of letters of congratuladon on the completion of the Critics" twentieth year. These letters are from the most prominent people of the time, and form interesting reading. One Is dated Birmingham, Ala, and contains the congratulations and good wishes of Mary Johnston. One thing I like about the "Critic" is that on its title page one finds "Jeannette L. Glider and Joseph B. Glider, Editors" So many of the magazines pub lished bear no possible information or in- timation as to who are its editors. If the "ethics' of the profession allow this name- less modesty, it is certainly unfair to the reader, who wishes to be reminded of those who hold the helm of the magazines he or she admres.
 So If one Is eager for more information on this subject, a timely article on Some American Magazine Editors Is to be found ip the December Bookman The author of the article frankly admits that the notes are Biographical, and designed to convey to the general reader some little informa- ton concerning the men and women who direct the policy and prepare the material for our magazines" Many portraits are efvsh, which add very much to the value of the article. Those written about are Hen fy Mills Alden, editor of Harper's Masa-a zine; zine AlesE. gha E,I.hans A%srdSSn %n,ksy Rs