The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-24
THE literary world lost one of it's

"HE literary world lost one of it's
leaders in the death of Sir Leslie
Stephen, who died recently in
England. He was the son of Sir James
Stephen, himself a writer, and was
born in Kensington in 1882. He went
to Elton and from there to Kings col
lege and then to Trinity hall, Cam
bridge, where took the highest degrees.
He remained at college as instructor
and in 1916 went up to London to en-
gage in literary work. In 1871 he be-
came editor of the Cornhill magazine,
founded by Thackeray in 1859, and not
long after married his youngest daugh-
ter, who only lived a short time after
marriage. In writing of Sir Leslie a
friend says that he perfectly looked the
man of letters that he was. He de-
scribes him as being very pale, with a
thoughtful face, the stoOp of the stu
dent and the locks of a poet. AS a
writer he was active from 1871 until
his death, and for a time was editor of
the Dictionary of National Biography,
publishing much beside. His principal
works number about twenty, not to
mention the great amount of magazine
work that he did. One of the last books
he wrote was fine study of George
Eliot" He was president of the British
Ethical society when he died and was
one of England's most distinguished
writer's in an age when great men of
letters are rare.
14zApother death in England which has
made, a gap in the literary ranks is
that of Canon Alfred Anger, who was
considered the greatest authority on
Charles Lamb. The canon was a deep
student, but was not the solemn faced
man We often associate in our minds
with the term scholar, and was a great
punster and wit. He devoted much
time to study of the works of Lamb and
did much to place the great essayist
IN the proper perspective. He con-
trfbuted the biography of Lamb to the
English Men of Letters Series" and
has done much good work beside. He
died lately at the age of siXty-seven.
In one of the current magazines there
Is most interesting sketch of Mime.
Nordica at home in holiday time, when
She throws off all professionalism and
becomes quite like everybody else
Nine. Nordica was born and brought
up IN Maine and would like immensely
TO spend some part of her summers in
an old farm house on her native heath,
but the writer remarks that strange to
say, opera singers lost caste if they re-
strange obtuseness which makes every
thing over the seas seem a little better
to US, we are inclined to look ScOrn-
fully upon the great and best if it is
native. The fact that Nine Nordica
is an American has always handicapped
her somewhat in this country, so that
her fitting each year to Germany
saves her and brings her back with
that foreign cachet which seems so
necessary to the success of singers.
A few years ago Nordica found a
quiet and enhancing spot in a valley
on the edge Of the Black Forest, and
miles away from a railway. Here she
established herself in a tiny villa which
she has made homelike and pretty, and
here she is secure from disturbance
and quite cut off from the strenuous
life she is obliged to live during two
thirds of the year. She lives in a
thoroughly German way, without form
or ceremony and devoting her time to
resting and to study. Very few except
those directly concerned with the stage
and operate stage at that, realize what
the preparation for the big roles of
grand opera means. Here Mime. Nor
dica can sing and rehearse without
fear Of critical interruption, and here
she can be herself.
This desire to hear only foreign
singers is, in a way, sort of proVin-
cialfsm displayed by Americans and
which has already, and probably will
continue to work great hardships upon
native talent. 1t Is now necessary for
the American woman with a voice to
go abroad for study and to make her
debut even though she might be able to
do as well in the matter of teachers
over here. Then, as Nordica realizes.
she must spend her summers on the
continent, for should she remain over
In this country her audiences would
actually decrease in the autumn.
Mrs Charlotte Perkins Gilman is the
author of the latest book on women
and their affairs. 1t is entitled WON
en- and Economics" and is, of course,
highly original like everything put
forth by this remarkable woman. She
believes that the development of wom-
en- and their places in the home and
society, is In the very beginnings of
movement as yet and that they must
think deeply, wait patiently and work
wisely until they come into their own,
which, ii Mrs. Gilman is not mistaken.
is the entire earth and the fulIness
Thereof. Her book is full of radical
ideas which will be accepted by but
few women and much smiled at by
men.
Around the World With a KIng-By Will
liam N. Armstrong. Frederick A. Stokes
company, publishers. For sale by ST
Paul Book and Stationery conr~any.
MI. AAIlStIOIS WROTE THIS DOCK long
ago, but delayed it's publication waiting
for the death Of the king with whom he
toured the world in 1881. The monarch
in question was Kalakaua, the last SOW
ereign Of Hawaii. After reading this
interesting account Of the royal travels
one decides that 1T is just as well that
the author delayed the appearance of
the book until the royal hero had been
gathered to his fathers, for the volume
Is not exactly eulogy. His biographer
is remarkably frank about his master.
tells most amusingly of his eccentrici-
ties and shows up his Inconsistencies
and wonderful combination of igno-
rance and shreWdnass which were the