New-York tribune., 1901-12-28
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.
CURRENT TALK OF THINGS PRESENT
AND TO COME.

The Valley of Decision" the novel by
| Edith Wharton. which announced for the
| fall. will be published early in January by
| Charles Scribners Sons. II is her first long
rovel. and the scene is laid in the Italy OF the
| latter half of the eighteenth century. Most OF
the action centres around one OF the little courts
| which at that time were such epitomes OF lie
| and civilization
Clara Morris has recently received the works
| of Sir Theodore Martin. the biographer of the
Prince Consort by order of the late Queen Vic
toria. The gift in acknowledgment of Miss
Morris's recent book. Life on the Stage" and
was sent as Christmas present. Following is
the letter Of Sir Theodore Martin:
81 Onslow Square, December 15 1901
Madame: 1t is long since any book has given
me so much pleasure as have had In reading
your autobiography. 1t intensifies my regret
that neither Lady Martin nor myself should
ever have seen you upon the stage. know how
keen pleasure it would have been to her to
have done so.
1 hope you will find time to run through the
books which go herewith for your acceptance.
with much respect and admiration. truly
yours. THEODORE MARTIN
The remarkable sale of the dozen volumes in
Bliss Perry's Little Masterpieces" published
by Doubleday, Page & Co.. has led to the prepa-
ration of six additional volumes, which will be
ready early in the year. Emerson, Bacon. Gold
smith. Swift, Johnson and Milton are the men
whose writings will be included in the new
series. The idea of the editor is to give in the
most attractive form the best work of the au-
thors
Mrs. Katherine Lake. widow of the Very Rev
w. c. Lake D. D., Dean of Durham, has edited
his memoirs, and a volume interesting to edu-
Gators will be published early in January by
Longmans Green & Co. Dean Lake died in 1894
and his private papers will now be given to the
public for the first time. He fellow and
tutor of Balol during the height of the Oxford
movement, and member of the famous
Royal Commission Of Education which fur
nished the foundation for subsequent educational
legislation in England. Mrs. Lake has received
permission from many of his friends to publish
letters written to her husband and among others
are letters from Archbishop TAFT. Mr.. Gladstone,
DR., Pusey, Lord Halifax. Dean Church and Dean
Stanley.
The study of French and German is becoming
pleasanter and more popular with younger stu
dents since the general adoption of contempo-
rary literature as the text OF study. Henry Holt
d Co have just sent their classroom edition of
Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac" to press for
the fifth time It is edited by Professor Oscar
huhns. Of Wesleyan College. who is an author
as well editor. His German and Swiss Set
Elements Of Pennsylvania" has been in great de-
Colonial History has just printed for a
second time.
Richard Harding DAVIS IS going to South
America to make a book for the Scribners He
Will cross the continent and hopes to find new
political developments ready for his pen. Mrs
Davis will accompany him on the trip.
President Roosevelt's "Oliver Cromwell Is to
be translated into French early in the year
The Societe Francaise dImprimerie ct de Ii
braire, Of Paris. has just concluded an arrange
ment with Charles Scribner's Sons whereby the
edition can be published.
The Macmillan Company has had ample evil
denee during the last few weeks of the popu-
larity OF F. Marion Crawford as a novelist His
latest book, Marietta: Maid OF Venice" has
gone through five large editions since October
2S. the date OF it's first publication This large
sale has stimulated a demand for Mr. Craw-
ford's earlier novels
Cyrus Townsend Brady is back from trip
through the South and has gone 10 writing
again at his home in Overlook, n suburb of
Philadelphia. He does not believe that the end
Of the popularity OF the historical novel is yet in
sight At any rate. his publishers announce
that he is writing another long historical story
which will come out some time during 1902.
Boston is still anxious about the authorship OF
Truth Dexter" a novel published few months
ago by Little. Brown CO. New-York has read
the book. and many have liked it, but there is
no great waste OF energy here in guessing about
the identity of the author.
second edition of washington: The CAPITOL
City will come from the Philadelphia presses
of the j. 3. Lippncott Company early in the
year. The first edition of Mr Wilson's work
has been entirely exhausted although it was a
large
novel which will be published under the title
Paul kelver' by Dodd. Mead & Co some time
during the early part OF the year 1t is abso-
lutely serious attempt to write powerful
novel, and in II is of the sort of humor
that has made Jerome so popular 1t is said
10 be something in the nature OF autobiography
many of the incidents having been part of the
authors life. Nearly all of the action takes
place in London.
| Jacob A Riis's THE Making of an Ameri-
cam is being printed in a raised letter edition
for the use of the blind in New-York State in
stitutions. The expense is being paid out of
State funds. and the work has already begun at
Pttsburg.
Early in the year l.. C. Page G. Co. of Boston
will bring out new novel by Clinton Scollard
1t will be called THE clustering of Ursula
and deals with a gentle maiden and most siren
uous times.
Many Of those who have read Luke Vincent
Lockwoods Colonial Furniture in America"
have asked the Scribners if he not dealer