The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-04

tention to new we have not read,
Inc usually give some opinions from
critics about them who are presumed TO
nave e them. We have books now
sent to us personally Tor renewal which
we have not written about, although
n has been on hand quite a year. We
prefer not to write about some books
a doing so we might offend or wound,
and unfortunately or otherwise, We
nave a literary conscience and annot
laud and magnify just to tickle and
natter.
Miss Mary Johnston. q Virginian by
birth, has had two great successes with
her novels. They have had prodigious
sales. and IL that were a proper test of
merit her books. with David Harum,"
ChurchilTs last book, "Trilby" and some
one or W others would be greater than
any works ever produced by the worlds
masters-Scott, Thackeray, Dickens.
George Eliot. Fielding. Dumas, the ell
der. Victor Hugo and others. Her last
book, just issued by her publishers,
Houghton, Miflin and Co, Boston, (who
publish also the negro ~ so richly
slashed In the south) contains 41S pages.
So great is the author in popularity
that the first edition was 125,0 900, and Of
this immense size. $4,000 were ordered
before the day of publication. 1t is
stated that Audrey" Is her best book.
The price is $3.50. It will probably
reach a sale Of a half million copies or
more. We have seen but one review
paper upon it as yet. That one is the
New York Saturday Review. From it
we take as follows:
Miss Johnston has had abundant
reason to echo Du Maurierts heartfelt
fermentation that "Trilby' became a fad
To have dauntlessly essayed yet an
other story of the Old Dominion indi-
Gates not only a brave heart, but proves
how thoroughly the author Is possessed
by the scenes and times Of which she
writes. Her achievement in Audrey
justifles her temerity. She has advance
ed much during the two years that have
passed since the appearance Of To
Have and To Hold She has learned to
urb her too exurberant fancy-a fault
so rare that one is 10Th to condemn it.
Audrey is a story OF emotion and of
character, not of adventure, I've of the
great adventure Of living.
Audrey does not at once captivate
the reader. . 8 Certain faults lie upon
the surface: here and there a careless
expression marring the symmetry Of the
style a split infinite shifting the ear.
3 = We foresee wide diversity Of opin-
ion in regard to the denouement of the
tale. q" Take it all in all, Miss John
son has done in Audrey her best
yN-nrk and u-nrk Of n cIJrno CCjn DIV fn0
quality. Her descriptions are at once
restrained and vivid"
:. + =
Mr.. j. C. Darlington, a we'll known
journalist Of Spartanburg, S. c.. issued
last ear a large sized volume, contain
ing 467 pages, entitled-"Men Of the
Time. A Biographical Encyclopedia Of
Contemporaneous South Carolina Lead
ers." 1t is we'll printed on nice paper
and substantially bound. The names Of
the men treated. in brief notices for the
most part, are unknown to US with a
few exceptions. The sketches have been |
evidently prepared with care. and rep
resent a large number Of South Caro-
lima workers in many fields Of endeav-
or. We took the trouble to count the |
names of North C~arolinians residing il
our sister state who are of sufficient |
success IND importance to be noticed, |
n there were 35, out we counted
one name not designated as 10 nativity |
we know hin to be of this state |
The book is published by the CARING
Publishing Company Of Spartan
$780, ~ NY r--- IT, A. zz- L
Of the undertaking has been good. and
the editor is encouraged to prepare Il
work on the same plan for North Caro-
There has been no woik OF sufh- |
cient elaboration attempted iii this /
state. Prof. Jerome Dowd some fifteen
living North Carolirians. The sketches
were generally more extended than
of the South Carolina work. Tile
price of the South Carolina book is s.
We think. 1t has been an undertaking.
OF much labor as one may we'll under
stand when it is remembered how large
correspondence, writing CT sketC hes.
proof reading, etc. Mr. Darlington will
do his best for North Carolina and is
he will be able to improve
his first book. 1t will be Of SER
vice to the state and w~fae-awake, pros
porous North C~arolinians should heed
the announcement. 1t will lake a good
while to prepare the work. A great
many portraits of the men written
about appears in the work under-con-
sfderation. We suppose this plan will
also apply to our own state.
- e - |
One of the greatest names in French
literature in the nineteenth century was
unquestionably that OF Victor Hugo.
mentioned in a line or two that the
French were celebrating his centennial
birthday and that his statue cost $780, 900.
The celebration was in Paris on last
Wednesday the 26th Of February. 1t was
really q very interesting event fJr
France. There is a spirit Of detract;cn
abroad in that country concerning some