The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-31
breathing Spell for Renders.

Philadelphia Ledger.
Publishers are accustomed to hasten the
issue of their new books in the early win
ter, in anticipation OF the holiday trade,
and after the holidays there comes an inter-
val Of inactivity. This vacation has APP
peared more than commonly long and COM
plete in the present season. The actual
publications Of the fortnight past are fewer
than in any like period for many months,
that the literary news of the week con-
Germs the promise of publications to come
more than recent achievement Readers
who like to keep up with the new books"
should be glad of this interval, in which
they may find opportunity to make up some
arrears. No sane persons, expecting to
remain sane. possibly can read all the books
worth reading, even in selected lines, as
fast as they appear in the busy months. At
this season. when many of the literary pub
HcatlOnS are reviewing, with more or less
WEAKNESS, the output of 1903, one may learn
what one has missed and correct the omis-
sion. Even this need not take very long,
for IL is surprising how small proportion
or each years new books-befow the first
rank, which is never numerous-are re-
membered IN the annual retrospect.
Is there any advantage in reading book
hot from the press? If IL IS a book that
gives timely information. or one that strikes
some new note which challenges consider
there are very many books. legitimately and
even artistically entertaining, that in
their nature ephemeral, and should be taken
while the sparkle Is upon them. If not read
In their day or season, they probably Will
not be read at all. But the books that
count literature. and that are expected
10 endure more than month or so, which
may be enough for magaZine-why need
we be In such haste about them? Surely
one might still regard Morleys Glad
stone, for example, as a sufficiently new
book to embark upon now. 1t must have
been terrific reader who disposed of it,
unless under compulsiOn, In the busy weeks
before Christmas. And this is true of any
book that Is likely to be recalled in a retro
spect OF the year. Indeed, those who are
content to wait till the rush" for a new
book at the libraries has passed by save a
great deal of time and are wiser i'm the end
If the book will not keep" that long, they
cannot miss much, and they have the more
leisure for the books that last
Nothing was more notable i'm the publish
ing record OF last year than the number of
reissues of old books of established worth
ana especially OF complete editions of the
works OF great writer's the essayists, nov
eilStS, historians, poets. These are in every
form, from the pOnderous library or de
luxe editions which are frequently bought
as furniture, to the handy volumes on thin
paper that are bought to read. Each kind
mas It's value. Even readers vary in their
personal preferences, and those who are
not readers but none the less aspire to a IL
prary' at least get no harm, If they get
no good, for their costly Limited" editions
80 each one Of these issues OF a classic does
something Tor literature, and is sometimes
more important literary event than the
issue or new authors newest book.