Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-05-09

After a man is dead, provided he
ietVcs an autobiography to be pub
iished after his deccase. we arc nratt..
sure TO get at his exact and ,Invar-
hlshed opinions. The most recent case
:" Illustration of the general principle
y tAat OF Herbert Spencer. The Lon
doh Times prints some extracts from
MS forthcoming autobiography, ald
among them is the philosophers con-
iesslon that his first perusal of Rus
klns stones of Venice" immediatel5-
destroyed his faith in Ruskin's judy
mcnt. The eloquent passages in that
notable book were evidently too ornate
and pictorial to pass muster with tn.
philosopher of evolution. Spencer is
reported as equally uno complimentary
regarding Carlyle, and expresses as
tonishment that he should be classed
as q philosopher. He declares
that he could not or would not
think cohercntly, but thought in pas
sion. This is a fair return for Car
lylcs wcll-known and frequently en-
pressed antipathy to the materialstic
thinkers or mud philosophers" In
respect to another of Spencers con-
fcssicns there will be more or less
sympathy with his recorded dissent
from classical opinion: After reading
six pages of the Iliad felt that I woulJ
rather give Il large sum than read to
he end" There are undoubtedly many
others who have felt this way. ana die.I
and made II" sign says the Univcrsali,t
Lca.ior. Spencer WAS bold enough to
venture a poathumous verdict
Sir Isaac NcWton's memorandum
book, has just brought at auction tho
not particularly large sum of So. At
the same sale eight page; of the cor
rCctcd proof sheets of Martin Chuz-
zlcwit" bl ought about sos, ana Il por-
ton Of tn" Ms. of Tcnnyson's Char.
Of the Light Brigade" was sold for S113.
\ hoiyGraph opinion Of Francis Bacon.
r"unttrSiGncd by the Earl Of Salisbury,
brought $l95. Only S12 WAS paid for II
group Of relics of Lady Alice I.iSlr.
Judge Jcffrcy's victim. These CON-
priscd documents signed by her ana by
her husband. and Il bit of i drcss ONO
worn by the poor woman.
Mr.. Gale Young Rice, husband of the
author OF the popular Mrs. Wigs
books. is about to bring out second
poetic drama called David"
Macmillan publication to appear
next month is Winston ChurchilIs now
novel, The Crossing" which will have
as its central theme the conquest by
Of H.. IN,
Guided in the Louisiana Purchase.
Two books, ii is said will be the out
come of Mr.. Henry JamcS's visit to
| this country-one is to be Il new novel
| on American life and manners, the
other 4 collection of impressions Of MS
| countrymen. He expects to spend sev-
eral months in travel through these
regions. 1t is sixteen years since he
Ihas seen the home of his youth. ana i'll
that time there have been many cX-
Extraordinary changes in American HABITS
and American ideas.
t5Thc late Dr. Samuel Smiles had
Reached the age of ninety-two, and this
I'm spite of the fact that more than
ffwenty years ago he suffered undar a
tstroke of paralysis. He was then en-
tgaged upon his homcly, useful book.
entitled Thrift" and was comreilt Il
/ to put it and all other literary work
tasiic for three years. He travelled.
rested ana busted himself in drITi@G
| during that period, and at it's close
| found himself completely restored. iiCt
as he used to say, referring to tn" left
| hcniplegic stroke, he finished Thrift
| with but half Il brain" He apparent
| " lost nothing in mental strength or
| spirits. Until very recently he was &C
custumed to take long daily walks.
| "Nhon cease to walk" he would say,
| Il shall cease 10 exist.
| He was Interested in everything to
the last no read and talked freely and
kent ~ III animated correspondence.
The plcasantcst of his many pleasant
| characfciistics WAS the optimism
| which long as was his life. never
| failed him AS for his varied career,
he used tn adduce it as an example OF
lthc case With which any man of fair
liability can learn a calling. Il was
TRAINED" he would say, at the cost Of
lmuch time ana money, as a doctor and
failed: vet, though / began as an
laratcur in journalism. railway man
Laying and literature, was successful
from the first" His unpretcnding
books were not literature. but it must
be conceded that they had great and
lbeucticcnt influence upon minds and
characters i'll need Of their simple wis
dom. "Self-HeIp." we are reminded
was translated into seventeen Ian
cuages-thc latest editions We're issued
in Japanese and Chinese. DIR. Smiles
il is understood, has left his rcmi-
niscenccs ready for publication.
novel. "Dorothea." by Maartcr
Martens. will be published this month
bv Appleton & Co. 1t is now twelve
wars since American readers mad" hi:
acquaintance in his novel Gods
E,ol." Since then he has written 81,
hooks. The scene of his latest story i:
the England of today; and the sub
title. "A Story of the Pure in Heart,
in a measure explains the scope of th'
novel. but can give no idea of thu
sweetness and sympathetic insight dis
1 ~.,Es