The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-15
LITERARY NOTES

The other day a prospectus of one
of the Harper periodicals was sent, by
the error of new clerk in their mail
ing department, to the wrong name on
, a list Of patrons of the house. The
name CHANGED to be that of world
famous statesman who has been dead
for some years. The prospectus was
returned to the HarDers with the fol-
lowing endorsement:
In Heaven, -- --, 1901. Gentle
men: AS your publications are not
permitted to circulate here, 1 believe it
would be useless for me to subscribe
for them. Yours respectfully" land
here followed the name Of the famous
statesman). The endorsed circular
was carefully filed for future refer
ence.
People who know w. E. Henley, and
are cOgnizant of his relations with
Robert Louis Stevenson-of the early
recognition by Henley of Stevenson's
genius-are inclined to doubt that Mr..
Henley has been correctly quoted in the
British papers which ascribe to him re-
marks of somewhat ungenerous Gavin
ing at the ideal!stic treatment Mr.. Bal
four has given Stevenson in his recent
Life" Mr.. Henley believed doubtless
that Stevenson himself would have for
hidden any attempt to place him near
er to perfection than he was, so ut
terly honest and free from affectation
was his rich humanity. Henley's own
sonnet on SteYenson-one of the finest
characterizations in verse ever pen
ned-is so fairly representative Of the
poets mental attitude towards his
friend, that 1t need only be read to
perceive Henley's perfect appreciation
of the man. Mr.. Henley, by the way,
has Just published another book Of
poems, Hawthorn and Lavender" is
sued by the Harpers.
Maulde Serao's THE Ballet Dancer"
which the Harpers have just pub
lished, was first issued serially in a
Roman periodical, the Nuova AntSlo-
gia Critics are agreed that it is one
of the most virile pieces of realistic
writing ever produced, and Serao her
self is said to consider it her best
novel.
With view to developing the talent
of young craftsmen in a humorous di-
rection, The Century Magazine an
nounces a competition, with a prize of
800 for the best original humorous
drawing appropriate 10 that magazine,
and smaller prizes for the second and
third best. The competition IS to re-
main open until the first of March,
1902
Maxfield Parrish, who has made
some of the most striking colored pic
lures in the December magazines, has
gone to the Southwest for The Cen
fury to illustrate the series Of articles
on that country, written by Ray Stan
nard Baker, which The Century is
about to print. This is Mr.. PaTrish's
first visit RI tho Waqt
The editors of The Century consider
THE Rescue" the new serial story of
Anne Douglas Sedgwick which begins
in the December number of that maya
zine, one of the best serials The Cen
fury has ever printed.
In the February Century will begin
a series Of short stories by DR.. S.
Weir Mitchell. whose novel "Circum-
stance" issued in October, is now in
its thirtie:h thousand
Joel Chandler Harris has been oc-
cupied for several years in writing
the most important work that has yet
come from his pen, and which he has
only just finished 1t. Is a rather
lengthy novel, and the first Install
ment will appear in the January num-
Der Of The Era
In a recent letter the author of
Uncle Remus" says of it: THE book
is not precisely autobiographical, but
1t is something more than reminiscent,
for I have put myself into it in the
most unreserved way. When I decided
to quit newspaper work, I returned to
this work, and when l began it. 1
determined to write it in my own way,
without regard to models, standards
or Journalism of any kind l deter
mined 10 write something to please
myself. The result is what you have
1t is mine; it is me. l do not say this
on account of any pride I have in the
work; it is perhaps faulty, but even
the faults are mine. l mean by this
that ! surrendered myself wholly to