Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-03

the business OIL puDllSHiilS, uut tiiiS uoCo
not mean that the counters now offer
lean browsing to the lover of literature.
On the contrary, we should say that the
recent period of holiday activity-and
great prosperity-among the publish
ers. has left the market in better con-
dition than ever before at this time OF
the year. The reason is simple enough.
AS we have more than once pointed out
of late. the Christmas book has been
steadily increasing in intrinsic value.
Even in those cases where abundance
of pictures and decorative treatment
generally have seemed to indicate the
Christmas gift in essence, there nave
been elements of permanent interest
both in the text and in the illustrations.
Moreover. the season has witnessed the
publication of an unusual number OF
good works of historical research, me-
moirs and literary studies; of books, in
short, to be read ard preserved. so
many of these, indeed, have been print
ed that they promise to fill in the most
acceptable manner the gap that lies be-
tween the winter and the spring sea-
sons, giving the publishers chance to
breathe after their efforts, to take
stock. and to prepare themselves for
the activities of April and May.
On the fyleaf of copy of Audrey
presented 10 Eleanor Robson Miss john
son transcribed Wordsworth poem be-
ginning, ''Three years she grew in sun
and shower" She added this note:
1.-THE first suggestion (afterward, OF
course, enlarged and altered) of the
character of Audrey, and hence OF TINS
book, was drawn from the above lines
of Wordsworth.
Henry James is about to bring out
new book 1t will contain one long
story and several short ones. With Mr..
James's preferences in the matter or
an abiding place his readers have moth
ing whatever to 60; but they are GER
tainly justified in wondering what eff
feet an American environment would
have had on his talents. Life in France
and in England has apparently con-
firmed him in careful, finical, fastidious
literary methods-methods almost old
maidish in refinement, precision and
frigidity His earlier work is stronger,
if less finished, than his later books.
What would have the latter have been
if the author had remained an Ameri-
can? queries the New York Tribune.
Whoever desires to retain through
life the habit of reading books and of
thinking about them will do well never
to intermit that habit not even Tor
a few weeks or months. This IS a
remark abundantly obvious to those
whose experience of life has taught
them how soon and how completely
habit gains command of us. Its force
cannot be realized by those who are
lust beginning life, when an unbound
ed space of time seems to stretch be-
fore us and we feel splendid conf
dence in the power of our will to ac-
complish all we desire. The critical
moment is that at which one enters
on a business or a profession, or the
time when one marries.
Those fortunate enough TO keep up
the practice of reading, outside the
range of their occupation, for two or
three years after that moment may
well hope to keep it up for the rest
of their life, and thereby not only
sustain their intellectual growth, but
to find a resource against the worries
and vexations and disappointments
some pursuit or taste by turning to
which in hours of leisure one can for
get the vexations, and give the mind a
thorough rest from them does great
deal to smooth the path of life.-James
Bryce, in Youths Companion.
Concerning Mr. Marion Crawford S
books. it is said that Queen Victoria
liked them, deriving, says Mr.. Sidney
Lee in his just published biography, as
much satisfaction from them as from
those of any contemporary writer of
fiction. Mr.. Merrman's Sewers" also
gave her pleasure. She was not well
read. Mr.. Lee tells us, but she emu
lated her husbands respect FOR litera-
ture and took serious view of read
ing as an amusement. In her later
years a book was usually read to her
late at night, before she retired to rest,
and although she enjoyed novels of
various kinds, especially those of a
melodramatic complexion, she deemed
it right to alternate fiction with works
of more serious aim"
4 very rare book was sold in London
the other day for $500. This was the
original edition of Carslake's Gaelic
Translation of John Knox's Geneva
Liturgy. Only two or three copies are
known. and none perfect. A copy of
the first edition of Keats's poems in
scribed by the poet to b. r. Hayden
was disposed of at the same sale for
1856. 1t was fine copy uncut.
Elinor Glyn. author of THE Reflec
lions of Ambrosine' and The Visits of
Elizabeth" is the wife of Il typical Eng
lish squire, who owns a beautiful es-
tate in Essex which has been in his
family about two hundred years.
Though her husband is a great sports
man, and they have numbers of visitors
for the shooting, Mrs. Glyn has few
country tastes herself. She declares
an aversion for golf or any other game.
and. as she says. hates thick boots and
mud" She spends much of her leisure
time in reading and studying. and
takes keen interest in the village
school, offering special prizes to the
little scholars and giving Them a great
party at Christmas time. She has two
beautiful and clever children of her
own. Margot and Juliette.