Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-28
:LITERATURE AND LIFE.
!.

/ a. j. \. /
A critic tells us that in a single great
department store there are sold in one
year on an average 1000 volumes OF
Scott, 5000 of Thackeray. 10000 of
George Eliot, 10000 of Dickens Eliot
and Thackeray sell by sets. With the
others, the sale of sets is small COM
pared with the call for single volumes.
4 Cooper in single volumes, runs past all
the rest There are estimates that
i would place the sale of Dickens for the
current year from 100000 to 100000 vol
umes. Scott at 100000 volumes.
4 Very few new publications can hope
to compete successfully with the old RI
walls whose positions are assured by the
4 prestige of years reputation, and pat
/ ronage. The Book World was hand-
somely illustrated 81 monthly review of
/ literature. science music and art, pub
Hshed by sieeel-Cooper Company. of
New York In artistic design, cover,
/ paper, type, Illustration and general
contents, it was in every way promis-
ing rival of the high priced critical
Journals. Its special features were all
ways timely and good and its ''Tattler
vas one of the keer.est observers of the
day. Now, after running for three
/ wears, il goes to the wall, suspending
publication with the January num-
bers.
Western towns are not the only things
that can suffer from too great BOOM
/ c,1fg1 a thing over
booming an author, and that is what
has happened to Kiipling. One year ago
he was eighth on the selling list, and
the indications are, this year will send
him lower still His latest book, kim. =
altho his best work, is not selling as his
publishers expected It's interest lies
mainly with writer's and not among the
public.
A critic tells US that Just after Mr..
Kipling's illness in New York. when he
Was certainly the most popular living
author. a certain house projected new
edition of his works. 10,0oo complete sets
having every feature to make them at
jtractive TO the public. Before this edi-
ton could be put on the market the
tickle public had tired of him. Only half
the edition was bound: the other half
IbllII REMAINS III ShOrN'' ~ 49, S'SSN
bound and put on the market, 80 per cent
are vet on the dealers shelves. Kipling
has gone the way of other gods. and no
advertising can save him.
On the other hand, some of the old
gods are likely to be resurrected. Per-
haps, II kipling bSies his time-after he
lis in his grave-he. too, will have his
Easter morn.
There is a revival OF interest in both
Dickens and George Eliot The periodi-
cal press of the country are now giving
more space and attention to Dickens
than at any time since his death. Three
editions of his works have been issued
/ the past season-two in England, one in
1 America And we are soon to have
rev biography from Thomas Wright
with host of hitherto unpublished
facts relative to his life.
AS for George Eliot. her renaissance
new English editions (complete) end the
lrew Personal edition in this country,
with a host Of single editions, and more
Ito follow.
We do not try to conceal our delight
| at lTlS, SlIiCe NfcolSt 1OI
U.s. as when we first made her acquain-
lance in 1.-The Mill on the Floss" the ia
vorite god or goddess-as you like. She
ever has and ever will stand to us as the
greatest moral teacher among female
tnovelists. She wrote neither to please
| the critics nor to win public applause.
Out of the urgency of her soul she wrote
her convictions. regardless of public and
/
false note can be found in all her work
Maxim Gorky, the new Russian cell
ebrity tramp author, and, as the crit
les call him, literary succession of
Golstoy. is now the leading luminary
of the literary world. His novel of Rus
sian life. "Foma Gordyeeff," is most
unpleasing and distressing story,
abouding in scenes of coarseness, bru-
tally, suffering and woe, and is most
likely an outcome of his own bitter ex-
perience. Such books may be instruc-
tive. but they can never be wholesome
Real life contains enough sorrow and
wretchedness without counting 1t in
| literature.
meaning 'the bitter one" The mans
] real HaIne Is aitAel
Pieshkov, and, aside from his exper-
fence. we can not wonder at his bit
| terness To be burdened with name
| like that for 40 years ould make most
of us bitter.
| Jules Verne has wrought we'll, and
now at the age of 81 news of his blind
ness will fill with sorrow the hearts of
1 a grateful boy public, along with those
of us older readers who have staked
| their faith on the prophecies In his
wonderful tales. This column has
previously noted the naturalization of
many wonderful achievements that
/ first saw the light in his books. The
latest is the Santos Dumont airship.
first pictured in Vernes Clipper of
the Clouds"
Surface Culture for Crops.
| Discussions at the various farmers
institutions thru out the country Is
bringing out the fact that soil workers