The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-05

the absolutely best of that period, or
OF the fifteen years preceding. Since
George Eliots last two novels written
and published, the greatest novel ]
am acquainted with its Lorna Doone,
by Blackmore, who also wrote other
clever and enjoyable novels. But his
greatest is Il masterpiece of originate
~. interest and strength. 1t is his
torical. The other best and most yig-
orouS L know I'm the time indicated,
arc John lnglesant.' capital his
torical story and rich in interest. by
Joseph Henry Shorthouse, an Eng
llsh author who was born in England
9th September, 1894, and died 4th
March. 1903, i'm his 69th year. Tess
D'Urbeville," by Thomas Hardy, and
Jude, the Obscure" by the same
original and virile author, are distinct
~ memorable. These last by
Hardy. IL man of genius, are not to
he commended because of their coarse
ness and evil faint. Shorthouse lived
at Birmingham. where he was born,
and was manufacturers. He worked
for twenty years on his excellent, now
famous first story. which was publish
ed in 1881. in his forty-seventh year.
He published a half dozen other
books, four of them novels, but none
Increased his fame or eQualled his
first production. John Inglesant' is
still read by people of real culture,
and II is estimated highly. When l
read it soon after it's publication, it
greatly fascinated me, and / could
re-read IL with undated pleasure 1
lave no doubt. His other books are
"on the Platonism of Wordsworth.
1882; ''Sir Percival.' 1885; "a Teach
ar OF the Violin 1885, THE Count
ess Eve 1889; Blanche. Lady
Falaise." 1891, and edited George
Hcrberts THE Temple" the Golden
Thoughts of Molinos, and Morse's
Peace" n qualified reader may go
long i'm search of n more engaging
and well constructed fiction before he
finds a better one produced since
1881.
When we read of the popularity of
writer's let us not forget that the
greatest man in the literatures of the
world, William shakespeare, was
never so much read as now. 1t is
stated as fact that Il quarter of a
million copies of one edition in Eng
land. known as the Temple Shakes
peare.' are sold every year. Rcmem-
Der that there are dozens of editions
on the market and they are steadily
Increasing. But just think of what
We call popular" novels that have
great sale, reaching 100000 copies
or 300. 600 or even more. and then
remembering the great number of edi-
lions of Shakespeare that are pub
lished, and that one of these alone
reaches the sale Of 250.000. not for
one year, but averages that number
for years. Mr.. J. NJ. Dent is an Eng
fish publisher. He says that the
comedies of the great drimatIst are
the most popular. and sell better than
The tragedies. This is not to be Won
dercd at. Where there is one reader
who can really appreciate the depths.
the power of the four great TRACE
dies-"Hamlet," "Macbeth," Lear
and "Othello," there are probably iif
~ who can relish genuinely such fine
and fascinating comedies as Much
Ado About Nothing. the favorite
says Mr. Dent: "a Midsummer'S
Nights Dream" the second favorite,
he says. or the exquisite GAS You Like
It," and 1.-THE Tempest and 1.-THE
Merchant of Venice" In England
Hamlet is the favorite among the
tragedies. / have for thirty years
preferred to read Hamlet TO any
other human composition. but ] dc
not think it greater than Lear or
"Othcllo." There is a consensus of
opinion among the really ablest of
Shakcspcarian critics that either
Lear" or "Othello' is the greatest.
some holding as 10 "Othello,' but
probably majority preferring
Lear" as the highest reach of the
most supcrlatiYc creative genius of
the ages. il is n healthful indication
i'm any country or age when the
Shakespearian productions arc more
rcad than the thin, distorted. cvancs-
cent. vapid literature of the last four
years. In this connection let me cite
what an English writer said some
time ago as TO the publication of
cheap classics, n very capital idea.
In the greatest of all cities. He stated
that in London there were then is
sued Separate plays of Shakespeare
well printed OH good paper and in
cloth binding. for siXpencc each. An
other siX-penny library, under the
supervision of Mr. Sidney Lee. is. an
nounced, TO comprise Shakespeare i'm
ten volumes. Ben Jonson in twelve.
Jane Austen in five. and SO forth. But
these are Ia be in paper covers" When
the worlds best literature is made
accessible TO people OF small means
by being issued in, cheap editions al
twelve cents in cloth binding, then
the way of education is broadened
aud there is some hope for the i'm
crease of good taste among the mass
IS OF readers.
Tho Boston Arena is now one OF
tho foremost of American monthlies.
The editor, Mr.. i. o. Flower, is Il
strong and Wcll-cquipped writer, and
has a board of associate editors. six
teen in number. and six special con-
trbutorS. one of which is Chief Jus
ticc Walter Clark, of North Carolina
In addition he has many other con-
tributors who arc for the most part
men OF parts, thoroughly well furnish
ed for the work they undertake.
Among his superior staff of contribu-
tors is Prof. Archibald Henderson.
Phi. D., an accomplished and gifted
member of the large faculty of the
University OF North Carolina. There
are fifteen articles in the January
number. and in addition sundry ar
tcles by the editor. 1t is altogether
n monthly Of commanding interest
and ability. 1t has four excellent por-
traits of people of distinction. and
many ipgeniousy executed cartoons.
The theme treated by Prof Hendcr-
son Is Henrik 1bsen and Social Pro-
gress. 7 have 10 confess my ignor-
ancc OF Ibsen and other writer's he
-sit Nf