The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-01
hooks AND AUTHORS.


There has been much discussion as to
whether the essay as a present day form
Of expression is not going into disnse'
Despite much data that may be brought
forward concerning the tremendous sway
gained by fiction over the attention OF the
reading public It ia interesting to note
that Marg aret Deland, who is one OF the
foremost story writer's Of the day, with
drew from the field Of fiction long enough
to produce the widely read collection OF
essays. "The Common Way and E. S.
Martins delightful and popular essays on
THE Luxury Of Children and Some Other
Luxuries" have had sale that Ia attained
10y only a small proportion Of novels-a
sale, moreover. that is continuous. Ar
rangements are already being made for an
Italian edition Of the book. Even in the
much % be regretted rush Of modern lie
when a writer has something to say and
knows how to say It people have time and
inclination 10 read il, no matter what literary
form Ia chosen as the vehicle Of Its presenta-
ton. There is a general feeling that any
body can write an essay just as anybody
can play the piano. but there is as much
difference between the exquiaitely finished
literary style Of tho old time essay and its
modern copy az between child's stumbling
exercises and Joseffys singing on ivory
or Padeiewsky's marvellous arpeggios.
The rumor Is gaining credenoe that Mark
Twain's "Hadleyburg' was not wholly a
creation Of the authors fancy, but that
Oberlin, Ohio. was the town IN his nnd
when he wrote his story Of THE Man Who
Corrupted Hadleyburg.' 1t Is said that
Twain once visited Oberlin and took
violent dislike to the place because its
goodness was too good and twas too proud
of it. On leaving the town Twain vowed
that he would never enter 1t again. lie
emphasized his disapproval by saying;
II could not go from New York TO Chi
cago without passing through Oberlln
would go around the other way Twain'5
story of towns moral downfall was written
many years ago and now the Chadwick
exposures and the crash in Oberln have
come. As one correspondent has said,
-Oberlin would have been the last in which
to have looked for a sensation such as has
come upon it. When reading Twain's keen
bit OF satire we laughed. 1t was 80 far from
any possible realization that it WAS real
joke. But. alasl fiction has become fact.
Oberlin has been corrupted. More than
fancy could have pictured has been realized.
Shall Mark Twain be numbered among the
prophets7
Mrs. Clay OF Alabama, whose memoirs
OF American social and political life were
published during the last season under the
title Of a Belle of the Fifties,' tells this
story OF Gen. Lee When Mrs. Clay saw Lee
for the last time in Washington. after the
surrender. the Confederate leader said TO
her Tell your dear husband when you
SEQ him that have thought more OF him
than Of myself Mrs. Clay's husband, the
Hon. Clement c, Clay of Alabama. was i'm
prisoned with Jefferson Davis at Fort
Monroe for nearly year. He was one of
MIR. Daviss advis rs and also a member OF
the Senate from his own State. II is an
interesting coincidence that Mrs. Clay's
memoirs and Gen Lees letters should have
been published almost simutan ously by
the same Publisher.
Dillon Wa lace, the companion OF Leonldas
Hubbard, Jr.. who died Of starvation a
little over q, year ago on an exploring e1-
petition in tie interior e lstraGor, fes
written the story Of the tragedy from his
own journal ana will publish it under the
Alternative tkle OF The Lure Of the Isbra-
dor Wild In this story of tragic destiny,
lured on by false hopes and erroneous infor-
nation from unsupported danger 20 danger
until the fatal end the remarkable thing is
the manifest devotion of the two sufferers
for each other through all their hardships.
The Academy Is enthusiastic in praise
Of the recently published Memorials of
Edward Burne-Jones.- Although literary
portraiture. according to this authority,
is rarely we'll done by women and mans
biography when written by his widow is
usually Of small value, in this instance tho
book is an exception, partly because there
were no shadows 10 Burne-Jones's brill
liant character that wife might seek to
hide, and partly because the honest candor
of the writer conveys the impression that
If there were she would not make the at
TEMPT OF criticism there is LITTLE or none.
but the facts OF the artists lie are set forth
with ample detal-his conversations and
his letters. his travels and his soiourning g.
his Efforts disappointments and triunphs.
The most Illuminating revelation Of the
PAINTERS character is contained in the quo
tation OF bis own words uttered in mo-
ment of INSPIRATION: 1T takes an artist
fifty years TO learn to do anything and
fifty 10 learn what not to do. and fifty to
sft and find what ne simply desires to do
and 300 wears to do it--and when 1t is done
neither heaven nor earth much needs nor
heeds IT, Well, I'll peg away. can do
nothing else and wouldn't il | could
Mrs. Humphry Ward. whose serial In
Hdrpe''s Magazine, The Marriage Of VIII
liam Aste.- is being illustrated by Albert
Steiner. has found a satisfactory portrait
painter for herself in the illustrator Of her
novel. The portrait Is done in chalk Of
three colors-black white and red, and al
though Mrs Ward has been considered a
difficult subject by painters. her friends
unite in saying that the American illus
traitor has made her look like hersef-and
that self a genius. The figure Ia posed
with dignity and grace and the face is drawn
with artistic sympathy to make the most
of the best features-the intellectual fore