Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-07-26

did not abuse the presidents conf
dence In any way. and | shall be very
sorry II the unpleasant newspaper com
ment-based as II is on boy reporter s
words, not mine--should CAUSE DR.. Har-
per TO regret having employed a lay
man and an outsider TO present his
Views Of literature in the lecture-halls
Of the university, other lecturers have
suffered in like manner through the
haste OF the local papers TO base COM
ment on absolutely false reports Of
classroom utterances.'
If Old Trinity, in its majestic silence
at the foot of roaring Wall street ever
stood sponsor for a prettler love scene
than that which Is the climax Of "The
Last Of the Knlckerbockers, 1t may
well be content. The dim aisles Of
the old, brown, over Swallowed church"
form a pleasant background for the
finale Of this graceful serious little
drama, and make one wonder why no
one has used 1t before. But after Mr.,
Viele's deft and artistic handling of
its light and shade, he will be a ven
turesome novelist who shall try It
again.
The account Of what duke and
duchess required In the way Of food
and drink while visiting at an English
countryhouse. as told In An Onlookers
Note Book, Just published by the
Harpers. has called forth a letter to
an English paper which confirms the
astonishing statements Of the Onlook-
er. The letter is signed "a Hostess, E"
~ ~. 4 q la.e Vks
story considerably UNDERSTANDS the
facts? Such is the hateful luxury Of
the present day that no ordinary host
ess thinks Of inviting young men, OH
GERS and such-like, 10 her country
house without being prepared to sup
ply them with new milk and whisky
or Liquors In bed every morning. and
with large bottles Of Eau de Lubin or
Eau de Cologne In their baths.
The men OF the present day, II you fail
to provide such luxurles, describe you
as doing II on the cheap, etc" The
editor Of the paper then very sensibly
advises the Hostess TO keep such
self indulgent self-cdnceited guests"
out OF her house, as they ARE almost
sure TO be as dun as they are luxurious
and effeminate.'
In recent issue Of the Saturday Re-
view, Walter Herries Pollock attempts
TO controvert the often repeated state
ment that Sir Walter Besant never
reached first rank as novelist" 81
believe" he saiys,t that many good
jdges would support my contention
that on many occasions he did reach
first rank, and | further imagine that
most OF them would point to the very
books which l have In mind, The
truth. II seems to me, is that he was
decidedly unequal. Possibly after he
had attained great success the very
multiplicity Of his interests may, eX-
cept In certain instances, have inter-
fered with the concentration that he
was wont to apply To his novels, How.
ever that may be, surely writer OF
fiction should be judged by his best
work, and II Besant had published only
the cream Of HIS writings | doubt II
his claim to place in the first rank
would ever have been questioned"
Mrs. Humphry Wards Eleanor has
been translated into Italian, and is APP
pearing serially In an Italian news
paper
The publication Of Mr. John Kendrick
Banes's new book. "Olympian Nights"
has brought to light some good stories
OF the author, among them the follow.
ing: one summer Mr.. Bangs. having
promised 70 send some new books 10 hts
family IN the mountains, and having
forgotten II until the last moment
hastily entered a bookshop on his way
10 the depot and asked the clerk. a
STRANGER 90 him. for some good sum-
NOR stories. 10 was a warm day and
the salesman took only a languid In
terest I'm the customer He offered
several books not at all adapted to Mr.
Bangs object Finally he brought out