New-York tribune., 1903-01-11

opinion Of those who, by the perpetual readlng
and admirfng of inferior writings, have vitiated
their taste and deadened their imagination
Mr. Hardy's novels are appealing to the col
lector. A complete set Of them. al first edi-
tons brought S135 the other day at an auction
sale
The authors Of THE Pride Of Jennico'' havs
written a new novel, to which they have given
the peculiar title of The Star Of Comfort
aFIow Paris Amuses Herself Is the title Of
book which Mr. T. Berkeley Smith is now en-
volume himself as he did his first book. The
Real Latin Quarter" The author is the son OF
Mr.. Hopkinson Smith, who appears to have
shared with the young his own envia5ls
gifts as writer and artist
The late Mr. Henty short time before he
died stated that he always got considerably
more letters from girls about his books than
from boyS-thOugh all the books were written
for boys Interested in this fact. the veteran
made up his mind to consider girls IN cOnnec-
tion with future stories, appreciating, more
over, the Duchess of Sutherland's point Of view:
why should courage. resource and fair play
alone?'
Professor Knight, Of Edinburgh, has been
publishing his "reminiscences, interspersng them
with many amusing stories One, concerning
the famous Thomas Chalmers. is to the effect
that in criticising his students sermons he said
to one of them: Mr.. -, you must cut out
one-half OF that sermon 1t doesn't matter
which half"
Another story Is told concerning Professor
Henderson, who filed the chair of pathology in
Edinburgh University for twenty-seven years:
When his colleague, Professor Train, the En-
cyclopadia Britannica" editor, one day objected
to candidate for graduation (who was
tive of Ceylonl on the ground of false spelling:
Trail said. Why he actually spelled exceed
with one 'e'" why" replied Henderson, in
a moment, you should remember that he came
from the land of the SingaI-eseP' The joke
saved the candidate
An illustrated biography Of Robert Buchanan
Is to De brought out soon by his siSter-in-law,
Miss Jay. 1t Is in way autobiography, the
novelist speaking for himself whenever pos
sibie.
From entertaining sketch OF the author OF
"The Firg1nian,' published in The Saturday
Evening Post" OF Philadelphia, we learn that
Mr.. Wister is contemplating the production Of
another novel Of the Far West. But first" he
said, Il shall write story round a New-Eng-
land superstition Would you believe that
within sound Of the whistle Of the New-York
New Haven and Hartford locomotives there are
people, many people. who believe in vampires?'
Not really vanpireS-perSOns in human form
who suck the blood OF their fellow betngs?''
Yes, the real, old fashioned, Arabian Nights
vampires I think it should make an interesting
novel"
"And then you will write the Western storyT-
Yes-of a somewhat earlier day than The
V1rg1nian-' 1t will be q broader story, too
taking in the whole OF pioneer Hfe-Indians,
hunters first settlers, cowboys. desperadOes
and all"
AS for his admirable hero, the Virginfan Mr..
Wister says: He wasn't anybody in particular.
He was development from the life out there
/ saw it He has characteristics Of half a dozen
men-nothins from any one definite enough to
be identifable- I'm getting many letters from
acQuaintances. saying, Didn't you mean so-and-
so? or Wasn't he the who was foreman If
this ranch or that in a certain year?
The most popular book in England Of the hOIf-
day season just past has been Mr.. EipIings de-
Hghtful Just So Stories" Net only young peO-
pie, but their elders, to have fallen victims
to its charms.
Colonial society and life at Princeton had
some interesting phases which were described
by one Of the class OF 1853 Edited by Mr.. ".
j. Mills, author OF Historic Houses Of New.
Jersey, this account will be published q few
months hence.