The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-17


hobs up just so often for dis
cussion and varying opinions Of
his particular functions are expressed.
Of course the matter is viewed from
wholly different points of view by the
publisher and author, and by the re-
viewers themselves. 1T is very seldom
that the writer of a book welcomes
honest criticism, although he may
state he is longing for 1t. The rare
writer win profit by the reading of a
real criticism written by an authority
and one which points out the faults of
construction or style in a kindly man
ner. Too often the writer will think
IN his secret soul that his critic is I'M
appreciative of the beauties of litera-
ture. AS far as the publisher is con-
cerned there are just two classes of
valuable boOk-reviews; one that which,
written by capable critic, will extol
the book and point out it's beauties the
other the exact opposite and condemn
Ing the book as immoral and hurtfuI to
the ordinary reader. 1t is a question
whether the latter is not the better
advertisement of the two. Many a
book has been made by the scathing
condemnation of clever writer. The
great thing in the mind of the pub
Usher is to get the book talked about,
either for good or ILL., To ignore the
book to pass it by indifferently
with short notice, is what the pub
fishers find the most fault with.
On the other hand, from the review
er's point of view, the subject bristles
with difficulties. There are those who
maintain that it is his sole province
TO describe the story, speak of the
style, but express no opinion either
way. On the other hand, some win
aver that the honest book-reviewer
should simply give his opinion of the
book in question. The supporters of
this theory say that the opinion of one
person is as good as that of another.
1t would seem that the latter have
the best of the question, for an hon.
est opinion has its value always and
everywhere. There are, of course, many
circumstances connected with book re-
viewing which often handicap the hon
est man, from expressing his real opin-
lon, but it is safest and best in the end.
To say that one does not like book
is not condemnation, as others may like
It What appeals to one does not to
of reading. Many man has found a
message in a book which to some other
man has been duh trash. There are
one or two literary magazines in the
country which are edited by persons
whose opinions are entitled to respect,
and yet when they condemn book the
publishers are up in arms, and some
times the author will write letters of
protest. This has happened in several
instances, and shows the point of view
Of the publisher and author. They
seem to think the reviewer should live
to eulOgize.
In spite of the conservatism of Japan
in regard to women, there was time
when women went to war and fought
shoulder to shoulder with men. Once
an army was led into Korea by an en-
press of Japan. A Japanese woman
writing for Harper's Weekly says:
1T is different now. Only men go
out. But there is much left for the
women to do, and there is not a woman
in Japan who will shirk her duty. Not
only must she take care of the family
when the men are away, but she must
work for the soldiers. Our empress
herself is the patron of the Japanese
Red Cross society, whose president is
always a prince of the royal house
With her own hands the empress pre-
pares bandages and clothing for the
men in the field, and so great was her
personal interest in the men who
fought in the war with China that at
the close of the war she gave an ar
t1icial limb to every man who had lost
one on the battlefield" With our ideas
Of japanese conservatism 1t Is sur
pris1ng to read of the great part the
women play In this war, both in nurs-
ing the soldiers and in working for the
army. They go so far as to lay aside
their kimonos and wear the regular
dress OF nurse while in hospital
Which is a tremendous concession for
them to make. A writer saws there are
no better nurses in the world than
these japanese women. They have
taken their training at the hands of
American and European nurses and
have thoroughly mastered all modern
ideas. 1t is not too much to saw that
the japanese are the most remarkable
people in the world, when one con-
siders what they have Accomplished
and mastered in the last century.
"HoW to Know Oriental Ruos"-Bv Mary
Beach LangtOn. D. Appleton & Co
publishers. For sale by ST Paul Book
and Stationery company.
The reader who opens Mrs. Lang
tons attractive little book, How to
Know Oriental Rugs" will be struck at
once with the charm of it's enthusiasm
and with the authors lively sense Of
the sentiment and romance that I1lrlx
for the true rug-lover, in any scrap
Of good oriental carpet. He will turn
from chapter to chapter chasing his
own special favorites and skipping
other varieties with which he is less
enamnrad or lasn faranilinr D.