New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-01

ana every Sucn literary eHtti Dl iSS hhoS huAi
dreds of ready participants, it behoo7es US to
watch out" where our financial interests are
concerned. 1t appears that Mr.. A. f. Davidson,
who produced some ten years ago an abridged
translation of the Memoirs" of the elder
Dumas. is preparing a biography of that incom-
parable romancer Writing to THE Athen3um"
about this book Mr.. Davidson nafyely says:
May take this opportunity of asking any OF
your readers who may happen to have met him
IDumasl when he in London, in 1885, il
they can favor with any personal re1nl-
niscences Of him on that occasion? l would
very gratefully acknowledge any such commu-
Iicaton." A grateful acknowledgment would
most certainly be i'll order Indeed, why Shoulu
not Mr. Davidson express his gratitude in terms
O: pounds, shillingS and pence? Somehow IL
seems to us that rs a literary and commerclal
asset Il personal "reminiscences OF the elder
Dumas ought to enjoy very good standing
Consider the deep public interest which would
be felt in such material, Editors would snatch
at it. ANY publisher would recognize it as OF
the utmost value to Il new book on Dumas.
Subscriptions are still needed to complete the
fund for a memorial to Il. D. BIackmore, who
died January 20, 1900. This memorial, which is
to be placed in Exeter Cathedral, is TO take the
form of 4 bust or of a medallion portrait of the
novelist 1t is to be hoped that medallion will
be decided Upon as BlackmOre'S head could be
much more effectively treated in low relief
than in the round The honorary committee IS
COMPOSED Of men of letters and other friends OF
the author among them Thomas Hardy, Rud-
yard Kipling and Eden Phillpotts, and these
gentlemen have lahored most generously in the
interest Of the enterprise. The committee now
has in hand something over two hundred pounds,
but it is hoped that at least three hundred and
perhaps four hundred pounds may be secured.
Certainly the public should respond to this ap-
peal. for 10 modern novelist is more affection
atcly endcarcd to an immense body Of readers
than the author of Lorna DOonc' That work
Of genius is one Of the SoundeSt, most charming
and most permanently interesting things in
English literature 1t has given profound pleas
ure to hundreds of thousands of readers the
world has been the better for its publication,
and it would be indeed diScreditable TO those
who owe 50 much to Blackmore if there were
any serious delay in the completion OF the fund
which is to provide an adequate memorial 10
him Is the memory of this enchanting writer
to be neglected while fortunes are being spent
on the works Of writers unworthy To have tied
his shoestrings? The smallest contribution will
be gladly received by MIR. Albert H. Within. of
Whitinsyiile Mass, old friend of Black
more's, who represents the committee in this
country. Even if the subscription amounts to
no more than a quarter Of a dollar it will help.
The stereotyped character Of the illustrations
provided for most contemporary fiction, TO
which critical reference has more than once
been made in The Tribune is discussed by Mr..
Frank Norris in the current number Of The
Critic" He is tired, are, OF the pretty
girls the smart young women with won
dcrful frocks and hats" who are constantly Wis
IDLE III magazines and novels, all looking alike, /
no matter what the time or place mentioned in
the text may be But we are surprised to find
Mr.. Norris complaining that fiction is to-day too
full Of amiability. almost invariably symbol
lied and bodied forth in the person of young
the Amable Young Girl throws its shadow /
over the whole scope and range Of our latter
day fiction. This fiction is rbpm Amiable !
Young Girls: il is addressed to Amable Young I
able Young Girls We rub eyes, and won !
der what Mr. Norris has been reading. out of I
Il pretty wide acquaintance with the novels Of /
the day we venture to assert that if there is /
cuisines the average heroine from her prede-
ccSSor of an earlier generation in fiction it is ,
her utterly unamiable character. In nine cases /
out of ten your novelist apparently finds il i'm /
M tn, I,if 4 fh,IIt