The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-17


of a passing fancy on the part of the
public. After ALL probably, the publish
ers have themselves to blame, and as it
| is, some of these are blaming the others.
The continued discussion of the present
condition will do more than anything else
to correct some of the faults. Let the
publishers stop the constant booming Of
books before the public tires of the
noise they make, and some confidence
in the business of supplying books will
remain to those who are not only willing
but anxious to buy the works, provided
only good works be supplied
During the three months of summer
the book marts are likely to be very
lonely spots indeed. Few books are sold
during the heated term: few are read,
save of the lightest kind and these are
so carefully prepared as not to ex-
cite the reader; and the books published
during the summer by the leading firms
would not fill book shelf All the more
astonishing is the news that Mrs. Wigs
of the Cabbage Patch, has sold 10000
copies during the past month, and that
of THE Virginian," nearly $4,000 copies
have been disposed of in six weeks
time. Mrs. Regain and Mr.. Wister are to
be congratulated on having interested
the public to such large extent at a
most unfavorable time for attracting it's
attention.
1t is not often that one is very forcibly
impressed with the ability of an author.
because of single story, but a reading
of Mr. Quller-Co "Sinbad on
Burator" in current magazine is likely
to give one just that idea of this English
writer. who generally subscribes him
self as o. The story is a charming
fantasy. Scribners are to be congrata-
lated on account of the very successful
color pictures with which they have illus
trated it, and Mr. CUTLER Couch is to be
congratulated on having discovered such
a romantic island. May he tell us more
about its strange people and weave more
fairy tales about their doings.
Not long ago someone asked Mr..
Quiller-Couch concerning his connection
with "St. Ives" 1t will be remembered
that he was the one chosen to complete /
the novel which Stevenson left unfnish-
ed at the time he died. Probably no
writer ever had a more thankless task
than this. 20" is sorry he ever under
took It.
'sAs matter of fact" said he. "only
one chapter was of my own invention.
ought to have changed the whole ending, !
for l am convinced that Stevenson
abandoned the book simply because he
got stuck
H. G.. Wells may be said to be the |
twentieth century Jules Verne. The !
former author has the advantage of the |
latter, In that his scientific education was
much superior. his prophetic insight |
just as keen and his deductions more
logical. When a young man. Mr.. Wells !
was a pupil of Pixley-that is, he came ,
under the instruction of that grand OH
man of science in the Royal College of |
Science-and contact with Huxley must |
have been inspiring to a young enthusi-
asst in science. 1t was not until he was
well along in years, however, that Mr..
Wells took to writing fiction. His first |
books were text books on Zoology and
kindred subjects. 1t is only within a
few years that he has written stories,
but he has come to be the best paid
story writer next to Kipling. Mr.. Wells
is now at work on a series of scientific
articles, which will begin publication in
this country and in England sometime in
the fall.
"Top or Bottom-Which?" is a book
just published, which is supposed to tell
how to succeed. Its publication adds
one more volume to the thousands OF
the kind already issued. Are there any
more successful men in the world because
of the tons of good paper which have
Cn1 in |
fault with almost every book on "how
to succeed" is that it contains only self
evident truths. One is told that he must
possess integrity, energy. force of char
acter capacity OF work and gentlemanly
manners in order to be successful. Does
not everyone know these things? You
cannot feed man on axioms. Are the
authors of success books successful =
themselves? One New. York publisher,
who conducts a periodical of the kind
has been near financial ruin several
times. Docs Mr.. Archer Brown, the au-
thor of TOP or Bottom" stand at the
top himself? 1t may seem hypercritcal
to drag the author into the case, but /
We are only trying to decide whether
books on success are worth while read
ing. Evidently they are worth while
publishing since they appear often. but
it is question whether most of the
readers of these abstract works on
How to succeed do not read them in
order to find out how to succeed without
working.
1t is not generally known that Mr..
Andrew Carnegie, capitalist, author and
librarian for the Universe, purchased the
late Lord Actions famous library sew
eral years before the latter's death. 1t
was a very kind method of relieving his
lordships financial condition and, since
Mr.. Carnegie really did not need the lib
rary anyway, it is n surprising that he
let the former oT' retain it during his
life time. Mr.. l<rnegie has now pre-
sented the Action library to Mr.. John
scented the Acton library to Mr.. John
valuable storehouse of reference works.
A well collected library has often been
the means of saving the fortunes of
family, though rarely is library dis
posed of before the owners death. 1t is
said that Catherine III, of Russia, res