Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-26

friends, Mrs. Brookfield and Mrs.
Perry. these albums being filled with
letters, at least one long original poem,
and several characteristic sketches.
One of these is a drawing of himself in
the act of lecturing. Another is a
watercolor, THE Waterloo Days"
representing garden scene, with Il
bench. on which are grouped a soldier,
nursemaid and a small child. 1t ap-
pears, moreover, that there WAS Il real
Colonel Newcome, and that he was the
father of a very lovely daughter, to
whom Thackeray was devotedly at
tached, and rs Il tangible proof of his
regard sent many presents of jeWelry
Of a very early Victorian type They
bear inscriptions as characteristic in
their way as either the letters, the
poems, or the quaint drawings. The
trinkets and the caSket containing
them will reveal a new chapter. and
that a most romantic one, in the life Of
he dead and gone donor. These are
also in the collection.
In the last years of his life beginning
shortly after the publication of Love
Songs of Childhood" Eugene Field
unused himself in his leisure moments
by penning very carefully in his
microscopic handwriting each poem in
the book. 1t was his intention to en-
oellish these poems with the photo
graphs and signatures of the various
hildren to whom they are dedicated.
md bring them together as his own
personal copy. The poems were COM
Dleted, as designed. and twenty or more
photographs and autographs were con-
tributed to the pages when his sudden
leath put an end to the interesting
work 1t stands, however, today q
bound copy of Love Songs of Child
hood" in Eugene Fields handwriting.
Eugene Fields son, Frederick S.
Field. of Clarendon avenue, Chicago
las under way a facsimile reproduction
VI this unique copy. which will be
privately issued in an edition of five
hundred numbered copies, printed OH
I Imperial Japan paper, and artistically
bound. To the Field collectors this will
be an item of surprising interest, and
all who appreciate a labor OF love will
be glad to have the work i'll their Ii
| brares.
| ne rue SIi lt'Sllt' Sltl1itH : Idlet WIS
wide. lie dealt to good purpose with phil
| OSophy. history. biography ana genera
| literature, and he was Il brilliant maya
zine editor Workers in every one of the
fields in which he labored will miss him
But his loss will he felt most deeply We
the essay. We have scores Of writer's
today who attempt to use that form. hut
| the really competent cSsaYiSt is still ono
of the rarost of literary phenomena. Sir
| ,pSlif Stpnhpn tho In =
| tive of a dying tradition. Mr.. Andrew
Lang. in his charming way, is not unwOr-
thy Of the great esSdYistS of the past.
Mr.. J. Churton Collins is another Briton
of whom as much might be said. But
neither of these gentlemen has shown the
uniform repose, finish and authority char
actcriStic OF the author of Hours in a
Library and studies Of "A Hographer.' -
Sir Leslie Stephen had the happieSt end
for which a man OF letters could wish
h" died in harness His Ford Lectures on
English literature and society IN tn"
while he was i'll his last illness. and he
| had finished not long before he died his
monograph on Hobbies for the English
his literary executors will publish moth
ing that he did not himself see fit to give
10 the world.-Ncw York Tribune.
The Back Bay Literary circle of Bos-
ton recently voted on what the members
considered the hest novels. These re-
CriVcd the majority Of votes:
Best SonSa tional novel, Woman In
White" Collins.
Hcst historical novel, ''Kenilworth, :"
Scott.
Best dramatic novel, Jane Eyre"
Bronte.
Best marine novel, "Rcd Rover" Coop
or.
Best country life novel. Lorna Doone, =
Backmore.
Pest military novel, Charles O'Mallcy,"
Lever.
Best religious novel, 'IIypatia," Kings
ley.
Best sporting novel. 'Digby Grand
Melville.
Best political novel. "Conngshy." Dis
raci.
Pest novel written for a purpose. "Cncle
Toms Cabin" Stowe.
Best imaginative novel, Marble Faun, :
Hawthorne.
Pest pathetic novel. 'Silas Mariner, /"
Eliot
Best humorous novel, "Pickwick Pa
pcrs," Dickens.
Best English novel. adam Bede =
Eliot
Erst American novel. Scarlet Letter, \
Hawthorne.
Best novel in all, Henry Esmond,"
Thackeray.