The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-11


volumes that have outsold the others
thus far are Henry Esmond, that
great historical noveA by Thackeray,
Westward Ho,' by Charles Kingsley,
Ind Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte.
Referring to an opinion OF Mr.. u: Il.
Street. in the London Pau Mail Mag
zinc. Mr.. w L. Alden writes from
London to the n. Y. saturday Re
view" OF 10Th, uit
I'VE may fairly congratulate our
selves or the choice which the pup
9. has made in purchasing the Tenn
ole Classics, Especially is this true
Of 'ESmOnd.' These are the days
when historical novels are turned out
by thu dozens. Compare any one Of
jhem With EsInOnd. and we might find
some Justification for Mr.. Streets lam
mt. However. ESm0nd' is one of the
two great historical novels in The Eng
ISL language. ana it would be hardly
fair to compare any oIhor historical
noVe! with either OF the ;Wo. If Mr..
Street had said that since the days Of
'EsmonG' and The Cloister ana the
Hearth English historical novels mad
become otiose ana not a. al VITA il
might. perhaps have been true
Henry James has out new novel
he calls THE Golden Bowl" 1T is.
says bone We'll equipped critic, H. w.
EoyntOn. only suggestive of ordinary
improprieties"- not so prurient as
some others by him. OF his latter
manner of writing, he says: 1T is at
best kind of physical deformiiy."
tie says strillir gly:
The wider audience Will never be
more thanNWilling to endure The imno-
slt.on laid upon them by a browning
IT Il Mr.. Meredith or a Mr. James.
fhey do not ike Il diet all bones
though there is marrow in them: ana
Paper frillS are. under The circumSt2n-
oes. an added irony. OF mere man
Lcrism, certainly, they have a right
to be impatient
Volume 4hfrd Of 'Andrew !.ang'a
History OF Scotland" is out, and Keeps
up we'll the interest, candor and abil-
ity Of the two preceding volumes. He
writes of his own country.
Another long and large History Of
the United States is by William e.
Chancellor and Fletcher Willis
HeWes. 1t is to be in ten parts. and
the First Part is issued. 1t is TO cover
a period extending from 1907 IA 1904.
stephen Phillips, much in @voguc
with some Americans, has a new play
called The Sin of David" 1t is the
old Crlah episode. How good it is at
present l am uniformed. If he should
ever write truly great play il Will be
q surprise to his English countrymen
of the cultivated class.
OF course II. Gaines novel, The
Prodigal Son" will be read and crit
icised. 1t is we'll received in Eng
land, and is pronounced his best book
since THE Bondman." Mr.. Nv. l..
Alden, of London. in the \. Y. Sat
urday Revew," writes:
Much as Mr.. Game may improve
such simple narratives as that of the
prodigal son, we really do not feel the
need of such improvements. Even.
people who reverence the genius of
MI Game, are, as Il rule, satisfied with
the Bible us it is. Certainly there does
not seem to be anything like a general
demand for new and expanded Bible
from the pen of Hall Game"
North Cardinals most successful
novelist now living, Thomas Dixon, Jr..
willshave ready in six weeks. his third
venture in the ictive field he calls
The Clansman." 1t is all about the
'ku- kluX- Khan and no doubt il will
interest, perhaps startle many, and be
with Southern people who
passed through those drastic times.
in Tennessee the Ku-KluX- Kan was q
powerful organization, perfectly drill
ed, numbered $4,000, and under the
command of the very great military
genius. Gen. Bedford Forrest 1t Is
stated that the early scenes are Laid
in Washington when Thaddeus Stew
ems had so much sway in the affairs
of the government
kipling is falling off in the excel
!ence and interest of his tales He has
genius. but is something of Il literary
swashbuckler. English authorities say
there is decline, pcrceptible.
A new volume of the great Thack-
erays Letters has been recently is
-lIaA a - II L.
is Letters to an American Family.
he dad not like his own famous novel
THE Newcomes, " and while engaged
upon it wrote of ii in this bewaiilne
style:
I'm in low spirits about the New
comes. It's not good. It's stupid. Il
haunts me like a great, stupid ghost.
l think it says, Why do you go on
writing this rubbish? You are old.
YOU have no more invention, etc.
Write sober books, books of history;
leave novels to younger folks"
1t is now a classic, and no one but
could have written it, But
as mentioned by me recently, / failed
to find it so entertaining lately a.
when | first read it several decades
ago. lie had Il very exalted view Of
George Washington, and said "he loved
and honored him as he loved and hon
ored no other man But he did not
know General Lee, and died TOO early
to appreciate him.
r. Prof. Edward Dowden, the y best
Shakespearean critic [ have ever read
has a good new book for intelligent
readers, The French Revolution aud
English Literature"
In Shakespeares fifty-fifth Sonnet
you will find this tribute to himself:
. Not marble, nor the gilded monu-
n1entS
OF princes, shall outlive this powerful
rhyme
a love of his ''Sonnets'-154 in
number-is probably a good test Of IA
genuine love of the best poetry, espe-
cially in that difficult form.
Two new books on Americans have
been recently published by European
writer's. Zone is by German and is
called The Americans"
BRYANT KINGSBUrRY.
Wilmington, n. c.. Dec. ). 1904.
-.