The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-09
Books and futhors.
Gossip and Comment.

ing, very politely, that THE Grace or
Orders'' has not had justice done 1T by
the critics. Our correspondent declares
that far from its being i frivolous. fugi-
tive entertaining thing, there is great
significance and intellectual superiority
in the book. which the ordinary world
has not appreciated
To quote the letter: "Her CMiss Win
ston) book ('The Grace of Orders,o has
mainly to do with serious, earnest people,
who talk intelligently. on many subjects
and are concerned with only serious
ones
The expression "a serious novel; is
contradiction in terms according to every
standard of literary criticism. The Eng
lish word novel was derived from the
French word nouvea.u or nouvelle, mean
ing new, fresh and striking, in an en-
gaging and agreeable sense. Technically
speaking, the method of the novel is
dramatic. There has been occasional
extraordinary genius who has written a
true novel with a purpose" For in
stance, Tolstoi. But 1t is matter of
common remark that one becomes so
absorbed in the dramatic power of Toll
stoi'S novels that he does not find out
until it is all over that he has absorbed
the authors serious meaning. With Toll
stoi the purpose is suppressed into an
incidental position entirely subservient to
the dramatic principle. The Grace Of
Orders is perfectly barren Of dramatic
inspiration. At every turn Of a page
a. long face stares up at the reader, and
the pages fall of their own weight. The
book is the very sign and lesson Of what
a novel ought net to be.
We reviewed as favorably as possible
''rhe Grace of Orders and drew the
mantle of charity around 1t because it
.cr
Mamie Winston. We commcnted then
uron its solid pages and 1eaden serious
ness but praised the evident thoughtful
ness and good iEterlticns of the author.
Recognizing her ambitious energy and
nndcniabIe talent, we ventl1red to outline
course which would lead her from the
essay habit into the novel form. Miss
winston means well, and is good. studi-
Gus essayist but as a novelist she is, so
far, q. failure.
According to the Bookmans lists, the
following are the six best selling books
for the month: The Right of Way, 265
points; The Cavalier. 100 points; The Man
From Glengarry. Ill points: Lazarre. ITO
points: Sir Richard Calnadv, 100 points;
The Crisis 81 points. The Tribnne's es-
innate for New York city last week
named the following. selling in the order:
Inc h1SlI OIL tNdJ az lJil Aoli mil
ard Calmady, The House with the Green
Shutters, The Methods OF Lady Walden
hurst and Count Hannibal.
Stephen Phillips, the author of Ulysses,
is now in his tflirty-fourth year. He is a
typical Englishman. fond of outdoor
sports an enthusiastic cricketer. and a
| pop,llar member OF the English clubs. he
| is said to be an all-round genial compan-
| ion, quite free from The eccentricisies with
| which most geniuses are provided
! Through the foresight of England s late
queen, he has been placed upon the civil
list of that land. and so, in a measure at
/ least is relieved from the cares of money
| making which is fortunate for like many
literary men he is not fond of exercising
his business ability. 1t is notceap!e
fact that Mr.. Phillips inherits his poet'-
| cal Temperament from his mother. VINO
was related to Wordsworth and the
Eloyds Charles Lambs literary friends.
! A second edition of Ulysses is on the
press. The first edition has been taken
UP within ten days OF publication
The article called "a National Literary
70. the United States" illustrated. by
Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress
is one of peculiar interest to those who are
DESTROYS of having a public library es-
tablished in Richmond.
It is a great pity that there Is not
/ frst-rate reference library In Rlchmond.
4 A lower .second-rate one, in working or
/ der wonla be better than the next-to-
nothing, which we are now compelled &c