The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-23
LITERARY OUTLOOK
4 Series d Scientific Articles by d
q. Wells.

VIII sell beyond the No0 mark There
has been . reaction, they maintain
against the much heralded and much puff
ed historical novel. against the volume of
love letters which were invented by their
ingenious author. against the confessions
OF this or that person. made to seem real
doubtless. fathered by the wish, because
the strain and expense Of booming Is too
great. though a. likely ~ not, the pub
fishers are wrong in this a. they have
been In other prophecies-but most of US
hope they are right. The book world
would be bettered by more genuine spirit
with less Of playing with words and upon
emotions, with less OF frantic effort to
supply the need Of q passing fancy on the
part Of the public After all. probably the
publishers have themselves to blame, and
as 1t II, some OF these are blaming the
others The continued discussion Of the
present condition will do more than any
thing else to correct some of the faults.
booming of books before the public tires
OF the noise they make and some conf
oence In the business Of supplying books
VIII yet remain to those who are not .only
willing but anxious to buy the works,
provided only good work 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
highest kind and these are SO carefully
prepared as to not excite the reader.
and the books published during the sum-
mer by the leading firms would not I'LL
book shelf All the more astonishing then
is the news that Mrs. Wigs of the Cab
bage Patch" has sold 5000 copies dur
ing the past month and that of The vir-
g1nian nearly 5000 copies have been
disposed of in six weeks time. Mrs. Heg-
an and Mr.. Wister are to be congratulate
ed on having interested the public to
such q large extent at most unfavorable
time for attracting attention
1t In not often that one is very forcibly
impressed with the ability of author
because of single story, but a reading
OF Mr.. Quiller-Couch's "Sinbad on Bur
ator' In q 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. Scribner's are to be congratu-
lated on account Of the very successful
color pictures with which they have nlu-
strated it, and Mr.. Qufller-C Couch Is to be
congratulated on having discovered such
a romantic island May. he tell more
ABOUT its strange people and weave more
fairy tales about their doings.
Not long ago someone asked Mr.. Quill
ler-Couch concerning his connection with
st Ives" 1t will be remembered that he
was the one chosen to complete the novel
which Stevenson left unfinished at the
time he died Probably no writer had a
A44OI tn4nH1cSS TASK IQdn IQlS. Is
sorry he ever undertook it,
LAS matter of fact said he, "only
one chapter was my own invention
ought to have changed the whole ending.
for am convinced that Stevenson aban-
doned the book simply because he got
stuck"
H; g. Wells may be said to be the TWEEN
tieth century Jules Verne. The former au-
thor has the advantage of the latter in
that his scientific education was much
superior. his prophetic insight just as keen
young man Mr.. Wells was pupil of
Huxley-that is. he came under the in
struction of that grand old man OF Science
tact with Huxley must have been inspiring
to young enthusiast in science. 1t was
that n M w waa a tooR tn tn AZ
tion- His first books were textbooks on
zoology and kindred subjects. It was only
stories. but he has come to be the best
paid story writer next to Kipiing. Mr.
entifc articles which win begin publica-
ton in this country and In England some
time during the fall.
TOP or Bottom-Whichc' IL a book lust
published which is supposed to tell how to
succeed Its publication adds one more
ready issued. Are there any more success
full men in the world because of the tons
Of good paper which have been used up in
this way? The great fault with almost
every book ON How to succeed'' Is that
1t contains only self-evident truths One
is told that he must possess integrity, en-
ergy, force of character, capacity Of work
and gentIemanly manners in order to be
thin-s? You car not feed a man on
axioms- Arc the authors of success books
successful themselves? One New York pub
Usher VINO conducts periodical of the
kind has been rear financial ruin several
times Does Mr.. Archer Bornw, the au-
II
drag the author into the case. but we are
only trying to decide whether books On
success are worth while reading Evident
ly they are worth while publishing since
they appear often. but it Is question
stract works on how to succeed do not
read them in order to find out how to
succeed without working.
It is not generally known that Mr.. An
drew Carnegie, capitalist author and libra
Ran for the universe. purchased the late
before the latter's death 1t was a very
kind method OF relieving his lordshfp' q
financial condition and. since Mr. Carnegie
really did not need the library anyway. it
is not surprising that he let the former
owner retain it during his life time Mr.
brary to Nj John Morley. who wfll doubt
less find it valuable storehouse Of ref
erence WORKS
A well collected library has often been
the means of saving the fortunes of fam
n.y. though rarely is library disposed OF
Catherine III Of Russia rescued the famous
French encyclopedia Diderot from debt
by purchasing his library and then making
him librarian of it
Mr. Crosland's THE Unspeakab1e Scot
has not attracted the attention which was
expected of so viraIlent a volume Proba-
bly, the Scotchman himself Is willing TO
treat Mr.. Crosland's charges with con-
tempt and. after the fashion of one Of
s1c.s: &c n .iIcfsfxx character. II The
House with the Green Shutter1, merely
snort out sImnhh'' and walk away when
the subjocf = mentioned Such & book as
The TnnnAnnnh1k Scot needs opposition
in order - succeed. and even the an
nounceneHk tat real Scotchman in nov:
hard at Nurk ~ volume to be called
ssThe Unspcahkhk English viii not suf-
flee If the oukhcE who originated the idea
of attachzuG = alton by calling them
names - oeiy nad ,.h ano1 a i M Pr