The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1902-12-20
OREGON LITERATURE
A Second Edition-A new Book BY
Prof. John B Hoener.

A Second Ed1t1on-A new BOOK Dy
Prof. John B Horner.
"Oregon Literature. is the title
of an attractive new book just Of
fered the public. which. as its name
indicates, deals with the literary
work of Oregon men. The author
is J B Horner of the Oregon Ag1i-
cultural College, and the publisher
the j K Gill Company of Portland.
The book contains z53 pages and
is handsomely illustrated. 1t is
the second addition of a much small.
volume published by Prof Horner
three or four years ago. In his pre-
face. the anthor says that the ready
sale the first edition met with
seems to indicate that there IS de-
mand for a more pretentiousvolume
on the same subject, and it is on
this account that the new book is
published.
The book opens with the deca1-
ration that the meu and women
who made Oregon have already
produced more genuine literature
than did theThirteen Colonies prior
to the American Revolution. Fol
lowing the preface is a discussion
of the influences that assistedin the
development of literature in Oregon
among which are. the influence of
pioneer life, the influence of scenery
the influence of song, the camp
meeting, pulpiteers, the old fashioned
preacher, the Bible, climatic inf1u-
ence, college influence. the Chat
auqua, newspapers and magazines,
and other influenees. Joaquin
Miller IS given FIRST plaee, in the
volume, and his biography and
selections from his produetions oc-
cupy twenty pages, including
several pictures of the
well known and justly celebrated
poet. Edwin Markham, author of
''The Man with the Hoe" is given
second place, though but three
pages are devoted to his biography,
picture and selections. The third
place falls to Mrs Ella Higginson
to whom "a pages is devoted.
Though fourth in place in the book
43 pages is devoted to Sam L Simp-
son. A feature of the latter, and
probably the most attractive thing
in the volume is Sam Simpsyns
Beautiful Willamette" with IL
1ustrations. The latter includes
scenes from the we'll known river at
Corvallis, Albany, Willamette Falls
the mouth OF the Columbia, sunset
on the river, and biographical
sketches and selections from many
other authors, known and unknown
occupy the remaining pages of the
volume.
Among the illustrations is,
group of the FIVE pioneer college
presidents as follows: B L Arnold,
J w Johnson, first president of the
State University 7 F Campbell
formerly of the Christian College at
Monmouth, S H Marsh, for rs
years president of the Pacific Uni
versity, and Thomas NJ Catch,
president of the Oregon Agricu1tur-
al College. Another group picture
is of noted Oregon poets, as follows;
Joaquin Miller. Edwin Markham,
James G Clark, Mrs Ella Higgin-
son, and Sam L Simpson. Another
Is the pioneer journalists of Oregon,
Asahel Bush, founder Oregon
Statesman; Col. W 6 T'Vault,
first editor of the Oregon Spectator;
T J Dryer, founder of the Oregon
ian; De1azon Smith, founder of the
Albany Democrat; T T McElroy,
printer on the Spectator and foun-
der of the Columbian, the first
newspaper north of the Columbia
River, issued at Olympia in 1852.
There are also groups of State
Superintendents Of Public Instruc-
ton and many other illustrations.
The book deserves a place in any
Oregon household. If it has a
fault, it Is because of the presence
of selections for which it cannot be
claimed that they are literature.