New-York tribune., 1903-06-07
Ibe Nem'2lork Gribmo1&
ILLUSTRATED SUPPLEMENT.
SUNDAY, JUNE Z, 1903.

from lack OF new DOCKS. OH lue Soho"iy'
there are plenty of them to keep every one
occupied, no matter what his special interest
in literature may be. This, as cannot be too
often pointed out, is one of the most important
aspects of the literary market with which we
have TO reckon AS the hot weather ap-
preached we used to receive scarcely anything
save fiction. Now there are scores or new
novels on the horizon. but there are quite as
many books of more serious character aS
even the most captious critic might ask STOUT
volumes on sociology and psychology make
their appearance at this time; history ana
biography are fairly well represented, ana IL
has even seemed worth while to the puDilshers
TO bring out at this time the first volumes in an
elaborate enterprise like the illustrated HIS
tory of English Literature" edited by Dr. Car
nett and Mr. Gosse Books of travel are be-
coming as numerous as the sands OF the sea-
But perhaps the most encouraging part OF the
situation is that history, biography and purely
literary books are now being made SO 1amllar
TO buyers of books in the spring and summer.
Though the novel everywhere fiaunts Its head'
it cannot claim to enjoy to-day the vogue Whlch
it enjoyed only year or two ago.
Time often gives the little soul its chance
Once more we have been reminded OF this Dy
the amazing diScOurseS on Lord Lytton, served
ND by his countryneR on the occasion OF the
hundredth anniversary of his birth. How they
natronze him! We wonder if LyttOn, could he
look down upon their Obligations, would be
nightly affronted or richly entertained. VI
course. it is easy to understand how the thlhg
happens. man like Lord Lytton is the theme
of the moment Everybody must say some
thing about him. Everybody knows he was not
q great man. but some know that he had great
IIinfy 10
though knowing absolutely nothing about It
-becausc every one likes to be good natured on
an occasion of the sort. But why poor Lytton
should be paved over, patted, amiably forgiven
and most owlishy praised, in beautiful blend
of bombast treacIe and vulgarity, we do not
know Nearly all the English journalists who
have seized upon him as topic seem 10 nave
considered it necessary to shake their heads
over mis- private life, to make solemn remarks
about his style and TO inquire through many
columns, if 4 man O. as an author he was
really sincere. 1t does not seem to have oc-
CURED to any one to state the main facts about
him. to point out his merits and defects in
straightforward way, and then to let him alone
Instead, have been afflicted with more
maundcrings superfluous and inane, than have
been provoked by any other literary reputation
in wears The tone Of patronage running
through it all has been especially offensive.
It is reassuring to learn that according to
Mr. J. d. Crimmins, who was quoted on the
subject in The Tribune the other day, the OBJ
iccts of the new Irish Literary Society of New
York are the promotion of the study and knOwl-
edge of the Irish language and literature, and
Of the arts Study and knowledge the things
to be kept in the foreground of an enterprise
like this They have not been forgotten by all
the members of the Celtic school, in Ireland
and England, but too many of the men and
women interested in the subject have made 1t
irritating to merely rational people by their
sllv rant and altogether injudicious enthusiasm.
There are writer's capable of unb0SOming them
selves over the works of Fiona Macleod or
MI w T. Yeats with solemnity and rapt-
ure which 10 the outsider only provocative
Of mirtil-Ehen they not provocative of con-
teIlpt They are the same writers who at one
time or another have made the welkin ring with
tlciT decamatory nonsense about Maeterlinck,
0? The Yellow Book" or IbSen. But the Celtic
furorc has lasted longer than any of the others.
That is because it is based, in part, on worthy
things The new Irish Literary Society of New
York will wax strong, popular and useful just
in proportion to the care with which it cschews
hysteria and makes for sound sense