Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-26

cOVery, almost childi1ke IN its eager 1nten-
sity, Of the very material Of romance so
long denied 1t by isolation and by the new
ness and practically of its own environ
ment should have contributed SO extern
sively to movements of which he himself
could have had no conception"
THE ALBERT GATE MYsTERY Being Further
tective. By Louis Tracy, author Of wings OF
the Morning. &c. Illustrated. New York: r.
I. Fenno Co. Washington: Woodward &
Lothrop.
The American publishers of this highly
entertaining detective story have not been
as careful in it's issue 1t deserves.
Whereas the covers and the title page and
the Illustration sheets state the name as
1.-THE Albert Gate Mystery" the pages are
themselves headed THE Albert Gate At
fair" a discrepancy which is somewhat
confusing to the reader. But however
named, the tale itself is well worth read
ing. 1t tells of the unraveing by Regf-
maid Brett, attractive young barrister
with an artistic taste for detective work,
of a remarkable crime committed in London
by a group of Turks for the sake of some
diamonds that the sultan has sent to the
English capital to be cut. A young Eng
lishman connected with the foreign office,
who is in a way in charge of the estab
lishment where the diamonds are being
cut, disappears simultaneously with the
gems and circumstances point to his COM
plicity in the crime. Mr. Brett shrewdly Sc
cures his release from detention and brings
the chief conspirators to book in a manner
to warm the heart of the most fastidious
reader of this kind of fiction.
IMPORTED AMERICANS; the Story of the Ex-
periences of Disguised American and his Wife
ton Brandenburg Illustrated from photographs
by the author. New York: Frederick A. Stokes
Company. Washington Brentano's
wife up to the study of the immigration
problem as completely as possible, studied
the italian language until proficient, emf
grated to Italy, lived among the people and
then '1mmigrated" himself in the steerage
of a liner with hundreds of others. He
rubbed elbows with the system, found out
where corruption has eaten into it, where
| laXity has permitted abuses to grow. APP
parently at nearly every turn he met with
chances to evade the laws by the payment
of small tips to officials or hangerS-On. His
| conclusion is that the system is today a
weak bulwark against the inflow of the
| least desirable of the Europeans, and he
proposes as remedy the plan of establish
| ing examining boards in Europe to pass
upon the qualifications of the would-be
Americans. This method he estimates will
cost about So a head for every immigrant
received, whereas the present system costs
about IS, and would have many decided
advantages. He urges his reform, which
is stated In extenso, earnestly, and with the
weight of his own experience to enforce
his suggestions it is worthy of serious con-
sderation. Incidentally he tells an inter-
esting story of the Italian immigrants, pro-
senting a number of distinct personalities
and showing the good side of the system
and the inflow as well as the bad side.
A HISTORY OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, 1884
1904; Published in Commemorat;on of the One
Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Found
y lumbIa University Press (The Macmillan Com
pany. Agents.. Washington: Brentanos.
After the close of the revolution the new
ly organized state of New York enacted
legislation creating university of the state
and granting powers for the organization Of
colleges. AS a direct result the name CO.
lumbia College was given to the institution
which had been founded in October, 1854,
by King George, under the name Of Kings
College. The two establishments are now
regarded as virtually one. despite the break
caused by the war. In part in commemora-
ton of the celebration of the one hundred
and fiftieth anniversary Of the institutions
beginning this history has been compiled
under the direction OF a committee Of alum
nj consisting Of Brander Matthews, chair
man; John B. Pine, Harry Thurston Peck,
Munroe Smith and Frederick p. Keppel.
They have utilized much existing material.
but have turned out virtually new history
of the old establishment, describing espe-
university and the new branches which
have been added to its course. The volume
Is richly illustrated with portraits Of officers
Of the university and the colleges, the va
rious buildings of the past and present. The
part Of the work descriptive of the affiliated
colleges including Barnard, is an evidence
of the Importance attached to these appur-
tenant parts of the great Columbia system.
THE Eu T5Mf n f 1T TIE CEN
o. MT mi ri1
19023. By Barrett Wendell. professor of En-
glish at Harvard College. New York: Charles
Scrlbner's Sons Washington: William Ballan-
tyne 4 Sons.
These lectures were the first ever deliver
ed on the subject of English literature at
an English university by an American. But
they were the work of a man whose knowl-
edge of his subject was bounded by no ma
tional lines of geography or politics, whose
understanding OF the vital forces of liter
ature was inspired by the demand for the
truth regardless of conditions or circum-
stances. In consequence the course at
tracted wide attention abroad and their
presentation to American students of liter
ature is wholly justified. The lectures are
in the form rather of a running common
tary than severely comprehensive treatiSes
The authors purpose was to indicate the
manner in which the national temper of
England as revealed in seventeenth-century
literature, changed from temper anceS-
trally common to modern England and mod
ern America, and became before the CEN
fury closed something which later time
must recognize as distinctly and specifical-
ly English.
EMERSON, POET AND THINKER. By Elisabeth
Luther Cary. Illustrated. New York G. p.
Putnam's Sons. Washington: Woodward &
Lothrop.
Miss Cafys essay on Emerson has been
given form by her publishers in a manner
to cause regret that the volume did not APP
pear during the general revival of interest
In the philosophers life and works incident
to the celebration of the centenary of his
birth, in May 1903 For this is rarely
beautiful work in point of printing and
binding, artistically illustrated with we'll
chosen portraits and scenes, and above all
written in a spirit of understanding of
Emerson's true place in the worlds litera-
ture. The author believes that not too often
can Emerson's message be Interpreted, for
the fundamental truth of his works be-
comes more and more applicable as time
passes Her review of Emerson and his
achievements Is analytical in its nature
She has sought for the influences which
bent him in his activities of mind. She
has dissected his meanings, laid bare the
leading lines of his thought, and told the
story of his life in terms of his doctrines
md dali rnrln al,.a1~