New-York tribune., 1901-02-02
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.
CURRENT TALK OF THINGS PRESENT
AND To COME

a paragraph in this column the ether day de-
scribed the experience of a bookseller who
| found that there is no book so insignificant and
apparently out of date that will not be called
! for sooner or later. 1t mentioned a certain
volume about the Lost Dauphin' of France,
published forty-six years ago. as one OF those
for which inquiry was made from year to year
Almost the next mail brought to The Tribune
Office confirmation of the dealers statement In
the shape of inquiry for the very book re-
ferred to. 1t came. too. as he remarked that
of his calls for the book came, as the result
of "a passing reference to the subject IN a news
paper
That The End of an E "a by John :. Wise.
| a Confederate soldier, no lawyer in this city,
has been widely read is shown by the fact that
Houghton. Miflin 6 co. report it to be in it's
fifth thousand and still in good demand. In
answer to question where this study of the
last days Of slavery has found its public it is
said that il has been much more widely read in
the North than in the South. In some incidental
correspondence that the publishers had about
the book it brought out that ex- -Confederates
who become Northern Repuhlicans-even when
they are members IF noted family as that
of Mr.. Wise who is the sou of Governor Wise
of Vrginia-are not popula in the South. and
their books, consequently are not widely read
there.
1t is not often that novel ordered by
publisher 10 break the record" comes within
measurable distance Of doing it, but there is
story to the effect that Irving Bachelors 'Ebcn
Holden is a book of this sort. 1t is said that
Mr.. Lothrop, the Boston publisher wanted such
a book-as. indeed. most publishers sup
posed to do-and one Of his readers suggested
Mr.. Bacheller a man likely to furnish it.
The latter, when spoken TO on the subject replied
that he had story in his head but did not have
time to write il. and responded only with the
manuscript of volume Of verse. This was re-
turned in all kindness. witt the suggestion that
what wanted not verse, but a novel 10
break the record" Seeing escape Mr..
Bacheler went TO work. and with the record
clearly in mind produced "Eben Holden" In
this connection it is of interest to note that the
Century Company has a new novel by Mr..
Bachelor which Will be published in the spring.
There is certain 10 be much 10 charm and
interest in the autobiography Of the late Pro-
fessor F. Max Muller. which the Scribners are
preparing to bring out before long. It is said
70 he more distinctly personal in quality than
the two volumes OF his "reminiscences published
few years ago Some idea Of the attitude in
which he approached the writing OF his own life
may he gathered from what he says in the in
PRODUCTION:
But now | asked 70 give much fuller
account OF myself. not only Of what / have seen
but also of what | have been what were the
objects or ideals Of my life how l have
Ceeded in carrying them out. and, as I said. how
often I have failed 70 accomplish what I had
sketChed out as my task in life. People wished
To know how a boy. born and educated in "A
small and almost unknown town in the centre
Of Germany. should have come to England
should have been chosen there to edit the old
est book Of the world. the Veda Of the Brahmins
never published before. whether in India or in
Europe, should have passed the best part OF his
life as a professor in the most famous and, as
II was thought, the most exclusive university in
England and should actually have ended his
days as member Of Her Maiesty's most hon
orable Privy Council 7 confess myself il seems
a very strange career vet everything came
about most naturally not by my own effort but
owing again 10 those circumstances or TO that
environment of which We have heard so much
OF late.
There are sor1a interestIpo facte and asu-as