The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-17
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been remarkable for any single
great success. nor for the rise
lt<9eM of any new writer of exceptional
- promise, says Filson Young, writ
ing in the London Mail of the British liter
airy output. II has rather seen the soldl-
fication of several regulations and, with
deterioration in the general literary stand
ard of popular fiction. an all-round inn
provement, both in manner and substance,
in the more serious departments of litera-
ture.
1t has been a year of biography and au-
tObiography-two CT the most perennially
interesting forms a book can take I'm
doubtedly the book of the year from this
point of view is Mr.. Morley's Life of Glad
stone" a truly monumental achievement,
and in every respect worthy of the great
statesman whom ii commentaries. Other
noteworthy biographies have been Mr.. Mey-
nells life of Benjamin Disraeli, Lord GOsch-
ems life of mis- grandfather. and Mr.. Bryces
Studies in Contemporary Biography" In
autobiography we have had Sir Francis
Burnand's delightful volume of reminis
cences and Lord Wolsley's STORY of a
Soldiers Life"-two books that in widely
different ways are of first-rate interest and
importance.
There have been several valuable editions
OF social and historical memoirs, many of
them conspicuous for the excellence with
which their editors have handled them,
and also rot few able studies of his
toric characters.
Very little poetry worth the name has
been produced during the year, although
the flood of minor verse has not abated,
and has perhaps improved in average quail
ity Mr.. Kipling's "The Five Nations Is
of course. the chief volume of the years
verse. 1t contains some of his best work
in this direction, as well as some that can
hardly be called poetry at all. and that
Mir. Kipling himself would probably be
the last TO call by that name. But a book
fin which THE Sea and the Hills" The
Burial" and "RecessiOnaT appear must
always be memorable in the annals of Eng
lish verse. Mr.. William Watson has pub
lished a new volume of verse. and among
the ranks of the minor poets Miss Ethel
Clifford. a newcomer. has shown in her
little volume. Songs OF Dreams, much
of the spirit and promise of greater things.
The Poet Laureate has abstained from
publishing volume OF verse.
book that stands quite by itself is the
late Mr.. Myers's Human Personality
which may be said TO break entirely new
ground IN the application of the highest
sctentinc principles To supernatural re-
search Probably IL heTalds a series of
such works, expressing the newest efforts
of science in the most absorbing and fas-
cinating OF studies. Mans Place in the
Universe" by DR.. Alfred Russell Wallace.
Is another effort in a similar direction. and
I'm their way these two books mark an
epoch in scientific literature.
Sociology and travel have been well
represented. Mr.. Booths monumental study
of life and labor in London will be for long
standard work. while Mr.. II. c. Wells
has pursued his excursions into this subject
by an ambitious and daring work. Man
kind in the Making" which is perhaps valu-
able chiefly because of its originality and
courage. There are some who think Mr..
Wells is most interesting as a writer of
fiction, but there can be no comparison be-
tween the ability shown by him in the two
kinds OF work. II he had written nothing
else. Mankind I'm the Making" would have
won for him deserved fame. In the de-
partment OF travel the three chief books
have been Mr.. LandOrs Across Coveted
Lands, DR. Sven Hedn's Central Asia
and Tibet" and ION the Polar Star in the
Arctic Seas" by the Duke Of the AbruZz.
Fiction is remarkable chiefly for the
gaps In IL. NJ Meredith. incomparably the
greatest literary figure of the age, has re-
NAMED dumb. and we fear that we have
already seen his last novel. unless. indeed
ne can be induced 20 publish some early
work which has never appeared. Mr.. HARDY
also has published nothing during the past
year. and these are two gaps which can
not be niied But lesser men have been
busy. Mr.. Henry James the chief OF them
has published two books, Of which The