Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-05
BOOKS AND
AUTHORS

distinguished names in cOntempor-
AIRY literature are certain to reappear
regularly on publishers lists-AnthOny
Hope, Rider Haggard, Mark Twain.
Hall Caine, Marion Crawford, and a
few others who hold varying rank in
contemporary literature-but it Is not
these names that now stand for fresh
literary achievement. For the notable
| novels of the present season, we DO not
look 10 any of these writer's, but rather
to the men who. practically unknown
a few years ago, are now winning their
way to fame through work which bears
all possible evidence of sincerity ana
permanent value. 1t is not by their
names, but by their work, that they are
known. When such novels as 'The
Sea Wolf" THE Undercurrent, NOS
tromO." THE Common Lot" Broke OF
lCovenden," and 1.-THE Divine Fire are
mentioned. there are few or none OF
equal rank to be added. Such novels
show not merely the art of the modern
novelist. They exhibit more than all
else his scope and variety. for they deal
with practically every phase OF human
activity and social life.
1.-THE list we have named is made up
without the slightest national preju-
dice. and is only for our present pur-
pose. 1t is significant that for the
authorship of these novels three Amer
leans, one Englishman. one Englishwo-
man. and one Pole to whom English is
an acquired language, are responsible.
Aside from these. we have had a story
THE Observation-Disclosures without
any pretence to literary skill. displays
a command of technique and imagina-
tive power which proves that the art
of story telling is by no means wholly
lost. 1t requires no prophetic fervOr to
predict for it's author, Katherine Cecil
1hurston. a rapidly increasing dis
tinction. OF juvenile fiction there is.
as usual. apparently no end. Its time-
Illness is as obvious as it's ephemeral
nature, and the industry of it's writers
proves at least that they are satisfying
d public demand which is wellnigh in
satiable.
Turning from fiction to other classes
of literature. we find what is perhaps
the most satisfactory phase of the
present literary situation. If it be
with many readers. as it was with En-
erson, custom to read an old book
now have the widest opportunity to
crafty that inclination and to make a
wise selection from the literature OF
the past. Never before, we believe
have new editions come so rapidly from
the press. and i'm recent years they have
more than succeeded in turning ones
thoughts towards the literary past.
Chaucer, Shakespeare, Defoe Fielding,
To-,
ers are easily Obtainabe in editions
ranging from archaic leather to modern
cloth, and it is amid them that we can
take refuge after an arduous tour
through the works of contemporary
authors.
1T is. of course. preferable above all
things to read our classics in volumes
whose pages and covers have been
softened and mellowed by age, but
since old books in their original. garb
Ire none too common. we must per-
force be content with them as they
come to us in modern style. Histori-
ans and biographers are also doing
their best to fill our library book
shelves, the history of our own country
being duplicated at the present time IN
at least a ,half-doZen new works rang
ing in length from one to twenty four
volumes. Great Britain and France
too. are brought before us through
their general history, as well as in the
figures Of their greatest men. But the
most conspicuous task to which spe-
cialists have set themselves is the pro-
ductiOn of books about Russia. Japan
Korea and important and incidental
accounts of events during the great
Eastern struggle. Many of these have
been of value. but not few are the OBJ
vious products of writer's eager to sat
lsfy the demand for the latest senSa-
ton of the hour.
"All in all. the literary signs of the
times are by no means discOura ging
There are doubtless as many giants
among us as there were in the olden
days. George Meredith is living, al
though he speaks but seldom; Swim
burne has just given another volume Of
his vlrile poetry to the world, and
Thomas Hardy rests content upon his
laurels in his secluded Wessex home
The great American pair. Howells and
James, are by no means through. Al
though we are forced to satisfy our
selves with lesser names than these
we may always hope that every newly
discovered author has in him the la
tent spark of genius. For that reason
if for none other. we need not be de-
pressed by the prevalence of the ambi-
tious author and by the multitude Of
his books.
Two large editions and part of the
third of The Sea- Wolf were sold
before publication. Judging by this
demand, Mr.. London's romance will be
one of the most widely read books of
the year.
Internal evidence to the contrary, it
appears that the name of May Sim
clair on the titlepage of that note
worthy novel. 1.-THE Divine Fire" does
not conceal a masculine personality.
Miss Sinclair. so we learn. was born in
Cheshire. and she has lived in Essex,
in Worcestershire, in Yorkshire. in
Cornwall, and in Devon. ''The Divine
Fire" was begun in 1897. but it was not
finished until last winter. In the
meantime Miss Sinclair has written
| ehcrt or ap1 a MT very, long novel