The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-31
Among Current Magazines
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BY PAUL PRY

In the smidwinter number" of the een- tury is an apotheosis of Dr. Henry van Dyke by Hamilton W. Mabie. In his ex- pressions of appreciation, however, a large number of admiring readers will agree upon possibly any other man of the time. For Dr. van Dyke has won his way into the hearts of thousands of readers and holds there a cherished remembrance. MT. Mabie but echoes our own thoughts when he explains the reason for this. He says, "To recall striking phrase of Goethe s--whatever he does, he does W. his whole nature. Hence his success with those who think and with those who feel with the small company of critical readers and with the great company who read that which stirs or charms or refreshes them. Most men live in one set of faeul- ties; Dr. van Dyke lives in all his facul- ties He thinks clearly, closely, search ingly; he feels quickly and profoundly; his will is virle and masterful. Hence his ability to speak directly and author itatively in verse; in fiction, in the essay, in criticism and in the sermon"
 The article itself is chaste and beautiful ly written Of the accompanying por- trait by John W. Alexander, MT. Mabie says: Tn making Dr. van Dykes vital ity so evident and so significant, MT. Alexander has not only disclosed the secret of his power, but has suggested the prime qualities of the man; his courage, loyalty, sincerity in life and art; above all, his tireless pursuit of complete and adequate self-expression."
 Edith Wharton, who is always a fin- ished and most interesting writer, con- tributes an exquisite article this month appreciative of the marvellous glorious of on Roman Villas" Were we not already appreciation of these marvellous glories of old Rome, Crawford would long since have persuaded us. Here we have not on ly a delightful review of a number of the most important and prominent villas. but valuable descriptions of each. with ac- companying illustrains. Miss Wharton says:
 ''Illustrious architects dispute the honor of having built the famous pleasure houses on the seven hills, and historians of art. from Vasari downward, have re- corded their annals. Faldo engraved them in the seventeenth century, and Percier and Fontaine at the beginning of the nine teenth: and they have been visited and
 
 less travellers from different countries" Among those mentioned are the Villa Madama, built for Cardinal Medici, after wards Pope Clement VIII; the Villa Guilia just beyond the Porta del Popolo, dating from the sixteenth century; the Villa Pia and many others.
 Of the Villa Medici the author says "No one enters the grounds of the Villa Medici without being soothed and charmed by that garden-magic which is the pecu- liar quality of some of the old Italian pleasances. It is not necessary to be a student of garden-architecture to feel the spell of quiet and serenity which falls on one at the very gateway"
 Mention is also made of the syilla Borghese, which every tourist to Rome visits for three reason--each sufficient in itself. First to see the matchless gar dens which show the complete triumph of the baroque; and also to see Canova's famous extended statue of Pauline Borg hese sister of Napoleon I as Venus; and Litian's tenderly beautiful Sacred and Profane Love-"
 In referring to Harper's. mention must first be made of "Sir Mortimer" Mary Johnston's latest story now published serially. We have chapter seven in this Issue and in the opening lines these words prove that she continues to write with all the dash, vigor and brillianey which has made her former work so fascl- hating and popular,
 [" Back backr shouted Baldry Back through the tunnel-back to the adimrai at the main battery. Here alls lostp Above the din rose his voice. Back to the one door of safety surged the English but the way was narrow from that pit itno which they had been betrayed. The guns yet spoke; men dropped with an an- swering groan, or a wild cry to their com rades not to have them behind in that fatal trench, upon Deaths harvest-feld.
 The scenes of Sir Mortimer" are laid in England and the events occur during the romantic period of the reign of good