New-York tribune., 1905-01-11
LITERARY NOTES.

show how more than BUSY lhe WEl0eis "'e
publishers were in the year just ended. Looking
at the appalling list, he remarks that II only
makes Il stin more difficult to guess who
reads the increasing mass of publications. who
gets a profit out Of them and what becomes OF
them" II is a record, the whole, he ADDS,
"of mediocrity, for of the 800 hooks excluding
pamphlets) in list there is none OF out-
standing interest and Importance. none which
gives distinction 10 the year 1904 Mr.. Nor
ley's Life OF Gladstone did to the year leoS
II is stated that the output of history has
increased some 30 per cent, and that biography
lis. perhaps, apart from fiction. the most popu-
lar and profitable literary business the list OF
important books supporting this conclusion
Travel books have grown little" says the
statistician and art shows a slight rise" but
of good poetry there Las been very little In
regard 10 fiction, find this awe-inspiring
passage: "A hundred more novels were pub
lished this year than last; $40 works OF
fiction have passed through our hands, ana
each has received its due share Of inspection
an average, II We exclude Sundays, of three
day"
Mr.. Joseph Conrad contributes 10 the current
number OF The North American Review" a
paper on Mr.. Henry James, which is full OF IN
terest as the tribute Of one novelist to another-
The author OF Lord JIM has an immeasurable
thinks that "his mind IS stepped in the waters
flowing from the fountain OF intellectual youth"
Indeed. he is not sure that the metaphor of the
perennial spring quite covers the case or MI
Henry James In its volume and force, he
says, 1.-The body Of his work may be compared
rather 20 a majestic river" In the course OF
his high argument Mr.. Conrad breaks out into
these glowing periods:
Nobody has rendered better. perhaps, The tenacity
lr~7ov 1,1 10
spiritual honor about the dropping form OF VICTOR
IN barren strife AnS the honor & Is al"ays 56ni Stls
with such subtle and direct insight are though only
Ire less heroic dn the modern sense) for the abb
senee Of shouted "2tenwoIqa eiIsn Ul Ai IN nv which
only choice souls ever involved. And MT Henry
James records them with a fearless ana lnslstehC @
fidelity the peripeties Of the contest and the
feelings OF the combatants-
depee the romanee Of yarG4r SRa Of acto5
5as of other things IS imperfect and limited. are
matched. for the auickening OF our maturer years
Henry James's mems and women's sense Of truth.
OF necessity-before all. OF conduct
There are no secrets left within his range. He
that is beautifully, And indeed, ugllness has but
always felt in the truthfulness of his art; it is
there IL surrounds the scene it presses close upon
he u eontaes II Of the ne m in their e
Ilexities. in the sophism Of their mistakes.
Through it all Mr.. Henry James. keeps a firm hold
IS WORTH folding The contrary opinion has been
II not absolutely affirmed. then at least implied,
ingly in sort Of intellectual moonlight in the
" renounced by Mr. Henry James's men and
women stand out endowed with extraordinary
lection ofends by its nnealled for scrupHl9usnesS
dence has implanted in our breasts.
On the first page of the January number of
''The Lamp" It is stated that since IT acquired
its present form and character the publishers
have felt the increasing need each year of
periodical which should more nearly fulfill the
purpose for which The Book Buyer of genera
tion ago designed-a periodical that should
be devoted exclusively TO the interests of the
various departments of Charles Scribner's Sons,
With its next issue therefore the periodical is to
assume this function and with it the original
title of The Book Buyer" The magazine will
be distributed gratuitously among lovers of
good literature and nothing win be left undone
TO make it entertaining" The little monthly has
always been welcome visitor, and it will doubt
less have a cordial reception in its new form.
Mr.. Gerald s Davies has condensed his ad-
mirable monograph on Frans Hals, which
brought out In sumptuous form year two
ago. for publication in the useful series issued
by the Macmans The Great Masters in Paint
ing and Sculpture" He has made some correc-
tions in his valuable list of the painters works
and has made certain changes in his text
Though published a much smaller scale, this
edition, like its predecessor is lavishly illustra-
ted Many half tones are scattered through the
text, and for frontspiece there is a fine photo
gravure Of that Incompatible portrait The
Laughing Cavalier in the Wallace collection
Mr.. Davies produced an interesting and an
authoritative book in his work on Halls and we
are glad that IT has been placed within the reach
OF the student with a slender purse
Abraham Cahan has decided to call his new
novel Of Russian Nhsm to be published next
month by A. s. Barnes & Co, The White Terror
and the Red" instead of The Chasm," the title
he originally selected. He began work on this
soon after the publication of his first book
"Yeh, Tale Of the New-York Ghetto" seven
or eight years ago. but the pressure of Journal
istic engagements and the writing Of a number
OF short stories interfered with his task He
had so far progressed with the manuscript in
1903 that it was included in the list of his
works in last years Who's Who in America"
followed by the typographical symbol indicating
that II was in course OF publication" He with
held il, however for further revision, and in
the mean time learned Of the publication, two
years before, Of a novel called The ChasIn" by
another writer This, Of course. compelled a
change OF title. The story, although dealing
with events that occurred in Russia before the
author carno 10 America in 1882. including the
assassination OF Alexander II and the exciting
episodes CT that time may be expected to throw
light on little known political conditions in
Russia at the present day. Mr. Cahan was
actively engaged in the revolutionary pro2a-
ganda- was made prisoner. and escaped only