The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-18
WILMINGTON N. C..
MARGINALIA.

some OF the recent novels lHdl AdNC
received the Endorsement Of some criti-
cal minds are, 1.-The Valley Of Decision"
by Mrs. Edith Wharton, and THE
Lions Whelp," by Mrs. Amelia E. Barr.
a truly strong writer and her move is
pronounced a work of power by capa-
bic writer's. Cromwell figures in it con-
spicuously. We could add a dozen that
are exalted by publishers and much
praised by some writer's. Several nov
els are published every day in the year.
There is very great need of careful Sc
lection and to that end a board Of real
critics, honest, fair independent and
able. is needed and desired. The best
way is to do as Rogers, the English poet.
said for himself: when n new book
Ome out 1 read an cd one" The
truly great books are back of us.
= = =.
We note some works not novels,
but more important, that have
found recent issue. Roses Life of Ma
poleon' is praised by some and not par
ticularly admired by others. Professor
Guy Carleton Lee, of Johns Hopkins
university, writes in his literary page
of the Baltimore Sun, of 18th inst:
We fail to find any great merit in
this new life Of the great emperor. 1t
is = careful and detailed history of most
of his career-though Mr.. Rose, with
truly English spirit. confesses that he
has severely condensed the story Of
Napoleon for the years 1S09-1S11, tn
British interest in that time being of
o.
the idea that the English won Waterloo
and that England was in all ways the
evil genius Of Napoleon. whereas every
student of hiStory-not being of Eng
lish BIRTHS fully aware that the vic
tory OF Waterloo was due to the energy
of Butcher, that Wellington was badly
o~utSeneraled and looked for Napoleon
to attack his right. which would have
been absurd, and that it was Russia,
and not England, hat overthrow the
Emperor, woundipg the lion so mortally
that the lesser powers were at last en-
abled to defeat him in the final strug-
GLE
In this connection the Life of Ma
poleon" by Thomas E. Watson, that is
receiving already attention as a work
Of genuine interest and power, should
be read. Morris is another recent Eng
lish biographer of the greatest soldier
since julius Caesar, and the greatest
man Of the centuries, for he was great
er If possible as an administrator thar
he was as a soldier. Morris is very fair
and appreciative. John Ropes's Battle
of Waterloo" shoul be studied If you
would learn all the facts. II is an &C.
a and of remarkable interest. He
was a Massachusetts, writer and the
fairest man ever born in New England,
we do not doubt. His death was a pos
itive loss to this country.
- :. =
We gather here some literary notes.
The foremost writer on Shakespeare is
DIR. George Brides, the great Danish
critic. He is a mastery interpreter.
more just to the greatest Of poets han
the eloquent and eminent Frenchman.
H. A. Taine-
The New York Saturday Review re-
CARDS Charles Dickens as 1.-The most
human interpreter of human nature
that English literature possesses"
That is pretty near the mark.
Benz. Kidd's Western Civilization" is
praised much by london papers of high
All III SpCNNolOA lAlA~S u &NN"o,
and is certain to be much read as it is
an important contribution Ito s~pecula-
tive literature" as the Times aff1rms.
Philips new drama he calls Ulysses"
is severely handled by writer's Of i'm
portance. Of course many praise it as
they praised his other dramas or poems.
But the more thoughtful. discriminating
critics rather challenge its excellence
as poetry of a high grade. 1t is a sue
cess on the stage.
One of the most important critical
volumes that nav appeared in some
time is Victorian Prose Masters" by
w. c.. Brownell. We believe the author
is an American. He writes with no lit
tie insight and while a man of letters
may demur to some of his estimates