The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-08-24
neWs and Views Of
Che Book WorId
BY. HERBERT BREWSTER,

BY HERBERT BREWSTER
ID RESENT day writer's. who have been
severely criticised because of some
of their books, will probably take
considerable comfort in reflections over
the severe handling in former times OF
authors whose names now occupy hlgh
places on the roll of literary honor Mr.
w Z Garrett Fisher, an industrious
Englisnman, has recently collected con-
siderable information along this line
Both Coleridge and Rushn. he says,
abused GlbbOn. now recognized as the
greatest English historian. Coleridge
called Gibbons history of Rome IAN ef-
fectual bar 10 all real familiarity with the
temper and habits of imperial Rome
Scott. as Is we'll known. was the subject
OF much attack by his contemporaries
southey declared that the Ancient Mari
ner was tine clunsiest attempt at Ger
man simplicity he ever saw Byron did
not hesitate 10 pronounce Judgment on
Shakespeare and Milton by saying that
they mad their rise and would most GER
tainly have their decline. Byron also de-
elared Spencer dull and Chaucer con-
temptibie. Wordsworth. Dryden and
Burns feIl under his displeasure.
More recently have men in high places
cared TO speak disparagingiy of, and IN
some cases. TO attack the writer's VINO
are now looked upon as classics. William
Dean Howells, Anthony Hope. Cutcliffe
hyne ana others have confessed that
lhey never cared to read Dickens. EX-
amples mi might be multiplied in other
cases The present generation has i'm
proved, in that we'll known authors are
NOT accustomed 10 attack their fellows
Ihere IS also some comfort for the critics
OF today RuSlin. undoubtedly one of
me greatest. said that any bank clerk in
London could have written better his
tory OF Greece than did Grote- From
his list of the 100 best books Ruskin ex-
cluded Noltaire because ''of the sting and
stencil of him. and Darwin because all
the literary imbecilities of Europe fol-
lowed in his train The critic of today
is not likely to go further wrong in his
judgments than did Ruskin in these
cases.
A new novel by Marie COrelIi is an
nOunced for publication OF both sides OF
the Atlantic this week Temporal Pow
er is the title Of the story, which is fur
Their described as a study in supremacy
1t is the first novel that Miss CoreiH has
done since The Master Christian and.
according to the author herself. it is the
strongest book she has ever written.
Dr. Heilprin. one of the first scientists
TO go to Martinique after the great dis
aster and the first to go to the crater Of
up book which will treat the scientific
side of the volcanic disturbance and also
relate MS experiences. DR.. Heilprin was
true reporter: ne studied the seismic
movements on the spot. even though his
observations were made at the risk of
his life. Professor Heilprin is probably
better equipped to write the real story of
MT Pelee than any other man. His first
story OF the eruption, which was pub
ushed IN one of the magazines, was "A
clear cut account of what had happened.
he IS a scientist and explorer of wide
reputa ton, and the present book will not
ne, by any means. his first contribution
70 geologic or geographic literature. The
book is TO be well illustrated with repro
ducuons of photographs and drawings
made on the spot.
At the last meeting of the Authors club
IN London, Conan DOYLE related the man
ner IN which he was informed of his
knighthood in the distribution of corona
ton honors. In his mail one morning he
Holmes" The envelope contained a
statement from his gunsmith, a respect
able tradesman of London. Filled with
Indignation, the author Immediately wrote
a letter to the firm, to the effect that
hereafter he would not have any dealings
with them Early the next morning he
vidual. who exclaimed 10 him:
am 10 blame. 1t was J. sir. who
addressed the letter. I read in an evening
paper that You were about to be knighted.
and as always thought a man Changed
his name when he received a title and
the paper stated YOU would be known as
SIR Sherlock Holmes, I addressed the let
Whereupon the author wrote to the gun
smiths and asked that the discharged
clerk be reinstated in his position. 1t is
Doyle that he prefers to be known by
them as before$ He is most of all anx-
ious to avoid making literary capital out
OF his title 1t seems very sensible sort
of wish, and there is no reason why it
should not be respected.
The story of DR.. Doyle recalls the book
which, more than anything else. brought
MIN kHtghthood- 1t was his defense of
the English army. which was brought
out and sold al cost or distributed free
trio Of IL.
United States and Canada The way he
came TO write the pamphlet was. in a
way accidental He CHANGED to be trav-
enng TO London one day, when he
overheard two men discussing the many
CRITICISMS OF Il 2 army One of them Ia
mented the fact that there seemed TO be
no one who was ready to take up the de-
tense or the army and the refutation of
papers.
why couldn't 1 do that?" thought DIR.
Doyle Within few days the author
was hard at work, collecting masses of
information and writing as rapidly as
possible His former work on the Boer
war was doubtless most excellent prep
aration for the labor. When il was all
done, DR.. Doyle superintendent the pub
ilcation In various countries and inter-
ested so many others in the work that
the subscription to defray the expense of
distr1betlon was some 5000 in excess of
tne needs Now Dr.. Doyle proposes 10
devote this sum TO the establishment of
a military scholarship in one of the
schools of England.
George Barr McCutcheon has made his
second venture into the Zenda field of
fiction. Castle Craneycrow' is the title
OF the novel and it has just been pub
hshed- 1t is unusual to begin the fail
season in the middle of the summer but
doubtless Mr.. McCutcheon's publishers
wished TO get the book out ahead of the
Hood Of fiction which is sure to begin a
month or so later on. Castle Craney-
crow takes it's name from a huge castle
MO away in Luxembourg, where the sur
prlSlng adventures of a young American
anC mis- friends who are leagued with him
In his endeavor to capture his hearts de-
sire come TO an end. or. perhaps We
should say. come 10 a real beginning For
the story is not one of the new kind of
books which end diSagreeably and hold
public favor because of their strength
and realism II is a pure romance and.
without comparing the novel with the
authors previous story. we can at least
promise for him an interested lot of read
ers FOR II. Mr.. McCutcheon has recently
inoVed 10 Chicago, where he will devote
himself entirely 10 writing He is one
OF the younger band of writer's, in which
are included George AIDE. Booth Tarking-
ton. John 7. McCutcheOn and several
other natives of Indiana who have at
tracted considerable attention within the
past two or three years.
When the literary map of the United
States is finally made up, Holman Day
viii doubtless be given large share of
Maine as his particular field. Mr.. DAY
has brought out another book OF verse
which brings the reader near TO the gen
uine New Highlander His former vol
ume will perhaps stand first, but Pine
Tree Ballads viii surely be appreciated
by the same readers.
Verse like the folloUir~ Is ill., 70 On,