The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-05-18
literary Notes.

",
years superintendent of the library Of the BIRTHS
museum has passed long life among books aud Is natural
prepared to Judge OF their merit He is Of those VIII
seer at the popular literature Of today and predict
tinued decadenee lie hnds this literature Tor the mos
part clean and healthy and mich earnest and SINGER
OF purpose, but he pronounces the literary work OF tn
present less merorous than that OF the early and mdd
Victorian epoehs.
He finds contemporary writer equal to Carlyle Rukir
Iennyson, Ihaekeay Dickens. The living author
who IN his opinion stand their height are Thoma
Hardy and George Meredith He believes that the no,
general diffusion Of culture is preparing the people for
better appreciation Of good literature and that the popu
lar taste improves the increased demand better book
WIZ be answered by more painstaing literary workman
snip; that the manner OF writing will be deemed Of equa
importance with the matter and classic perfection o
style will succeed the prevalent crude and inartse era
forms.
He prophesies that human feeling will be the keynot
of the literature OF the future and the purpose
OF today will become more and agent socia
ameoraon developing in this direction and in others
yet undreamed OF until the result will be writings srande
and more brilliant than the world has hitherto Known
literature that snail keep with all human improvement
and progress
Literary matters those upon which the doctors mos
disagree, Mr. Howes who stands foremost among AMER
critics. says that novel writing in our time is niue
finer art than in the days of Scott Thackcray and Dickens
lie also dcprcciacs George Meredith, and coufesses that
has never thought enough OF him to read his works Mar
Twain also declares that he could read Jane Austen
whom most OF the critics admire and praise and hav
among certain aspiring authors who think thcusclye
superior Thackcay and Dickens. One of them declare
these two masters OF fiction dead dying names. Mia
rcdPois Tribune.
Booth Harrington said draw the scenes Of his storje
before be writes them This has led the supposon tina
he illustrates his own books which however he scnuous
denies.
4
1t was with profound sorrow that the reading publ
learned Of the death Of Bfe are in London recently Mr.
Harte represented all that best American literature
He American in every fibre OF his being despite the fac
that for many years he had lived IN London where he
welcome guest in the best circles Of letters and
Francis Bret Harte travelled royal road letters
came up by way Of the newspaper Office and the cdtora
desk and 1t with fear and trembling that he Launched
out into the broader field where he for himself perma
nent place the genuses OF his native land The sto
which made him famous THE Luck Of Roaring Camp,
the audacous and original OF all his works
appeared IN the first number Of the Overland Monthly.
which Bret Harte OF the editors In preparing tn
for the magazine he noticed that story Of Caorn
life had been submitted and entered protest re though
new publication which expected to establish the literary
sition of san Francisco ought have story
But had been submitted,
Write yourself" said one.
Harte denurrcd lie did not feel cqia the task. How
ever decided his for California story va
himself hat is how he Luck Of Roaring Camp came t
be written.
the producer Of the striking and vrt
stories OF American life written reputation which h
maintained and strengthened during the many years tina
have elapsed since His death is distinct loss literature
-Pmstmg Dispatch.
Mr. Howels searching for the right title for his new
novel The Kentous decided that he required fo
the Ohio family he writes about which would be distinctly
native that State In his search he recalled Smor
Kcnton, Of the early Indian fighters OF Ohio,
might aud daring who great friend of Daniel Boones
and like him, held captive by the Indians It Mr.
Howels experience that the Kenon 10 thoroughly Ohio
and found outside the State SO it selected fo
the modern Though named after this old fighter
Mr. Howes Kentons people OF peace. There
incidents the book however that might be traced tC
a fighting ancestry--PiHsbwg Dispatch.
1t said by many book sellers that volume
Of hundred of the fiction of recent years is ever called fol
after to be three old and that after year
the novel usually goes on the bargain counter
Il &
Miss Petticoats" the title the book by the mysterious
Dwight 1ilton, which win be issued May is such curious
name for novel that it no wonder one hears frequen
query for explanation its origin The publishers
the question by giving the following quotation from ehapte
4 OF Miss Petticoats;"
cept how you really got that Your mother used II
fonde you and call you Mon petit Occur didn't know
French then and asked her what she meant
My little heart she said, and | laughed and told he
Miss Petticoats could to the jargon
and Miss petticoats you've been since"
And l-ob think Of it'll hated the name when yot
spoke little while ago said the girl gently shall Low,
it forever now for her sake
William Henry Carson the author of Of the
book Chester Blair" the leader of
Law school lie says that he thus doubtless absorbed tn,
dramatic instinct ertirs find evident in the construction
mis- popular story.
Hsmlin Garland knows American Indians few Ameri
do He has only studied them from the outside
camped with them lived their life and entered into
their view Of things What he makes the Indian say
himself his novel The Captain of the Gray Horse
rooD therefore IS picturesque piece Of fiction only
the real truth is today. Our legislators and Indian
agents often sinforned parsely informed this
subject should read Mr. Garands book 1t might throw
light great question in by which they least
peer IT, The Captain Of the Gray Horse Troop" is
solitary type the novel that enterans end at the time
endeavors right Charles Dickens and Charles
Reade wrought reforms through the medium of absorbing
fiction which otherwise have waited long tins fer
OF peopr A. the Indian speaks IN this novel OF
Mr. Carlands he should be sure Of an audience