New-York tribune., 1905-07-26

spell Of the old place. with which, indeed, one Of
them has links not Immediately suspected and
thenceforth. for the most part, Mr.. Kipling is
engaged in exhibiting the reaction of English
environment upon American natures. The work
IS Of slight structure. but it has an ingratiating
quality. It is amusing. by the way. TO see that
even Mr Kipling with his extraordinary faculty
for apprehending the little things which mark
q people, has not been able TO avoid the mistakes
of the foreigner who attempts TO deneate our
manners There are two droll solecisms in IAN
Habitation Enforced
Good Stevensonians not supposed to be
really happy until they have acquired a copy
OF that Edinburgh Edition of their author which
makes so imposing array upon the shelves.
But for our own part. we would gladly give all
those stately volumes for the Biographical Edi-
lion OF Stevenson's Works. which is now in
course OF publication by Charles Scribner's Sons.
In this set OF pocket volumes. eleven are given
10 the novels and romances. four TO the shorter
stories, five TO the essays travels and sketches
and one TO the poems making twenty-four in
all Ultimately, believe the publishers will
have to print the biography and the letters In
this form, for il is, beyond all question. the ideal
form in which TO possess Stevenson's writings.
The paper is good the type is so large that these
miniature volumes are as easy on the eyes as
though they were double the size, and there are
no illustrations TO bother the reader With their
dainty covers OF olive green limp leather and
artistic end papers, the books are as attractive
10 look at as they TO handle. Finally Mrs
Stevenson shows excellent judgment in the pref
atory contributions which give this edition Its
title
She is brief, and in her reco!lections she ad-
heres. on the whole. TO the things which serve
10 shed some little light on Stevenson's charac-
harY 0Tl
at Hyeres They tell of one Notwithstanding
TO an attack of sciatica and a terrible hemor-
rhage"-which somehow is curiously eloquent OF
the ronlancer's outlook upon life. Says Mrs.
Stevenson;
It happened. about this time that editor of a
notorious London journal, who published scandal
prosecuted for libel. found guilty and punished by
husband said this was an occasion that must be
celebrated In the evening we placed candle
lighted a bonfire we had previously prepared in
1ns,d and caSped hands and danced round the
fire shouting and laughing. Nemesis followed. We
was blowing. until We were chilled TO the bone.
It Is impossible to read this without saying.
How like Stevenson" There are other pas
sages in his wife's chapters equally interesting
some of them, as IN the case Of the preface to
"The wrecker." giving US vivid sense Of the
stores Of experience from which he drew so
twenty-four volumes have thus far been issued.
The remaining ten viii be awaited with lively
interest and We hope that the biography and
letters will be added with the least possible de-
lay.
Mr. E. V. Lucas, as Of the best of the re-
cent editors OF Charles Lambs writings has
every right 20 be heard the subject of epis
tolary literature. Treating Of the subject in
THE London Outlook" under the title of
Bachelors and the Post" he announces
theory which is not as plausible as it looks. but
which is none the less suggestive. Stating that
from discussion OF the art Of letter writing,
which he shared the other day, there suddenly
emerged the luminous fact that the best letter
writers have been bachelors" he goes on to OBJ
serve that eat any rate Cowper, Walpole. Lamb,
Gray, FitzGerald and Keats were bachelors,
and it would be hard TO find their superiors in
The art. while Byron might almost come under
the same heading so far as the restriction Of
the marriage tie was concerned and he wrote
good letters too" Continuing. Mr.. Lucas says
Looking at this little group again notice that
not only they bachelors, but also TO a consid-
Gerald were thorough reciuses. Lamb was very
nearly one. Keats dwet much apart and: and Wslpoe'
was lonely man man Byron too SO that we ,dIS find
s reSs 9 Sest f o aSo TS W6e9 one
comes 10 think Of IL, is natural enough. The man
has no time write letters and little time think
OF anything to say in them 9 3re9yeF 1t Is & not until
correspondent that the need impulse to write is
likely 70 We do not write letters to the
easily accessible; notes merely II at ALL It Is also
reasonable enough that a bachelor. whether not
q recluse. should write q good letter. for many
OF the hindrances that come between man who
has wife and other responsibilities not his
He can sit at his desk as long as he likes; he
be late for meals So; 1t Is true. can husband
but not a good husband: which leads 10 the re1ec-
ticn that only bad husbands write good letters the
few exceptions being those men who have wives in
a thousand. Being good husband is occupation
sufficient TO exclude all epistolary eflOrescence.
Where the bachelor is writing letters the good
band Is writing checks.
II is rather interesting 10 find this additional
in the indictment Of marriage-that it kills
letter writing. have not examined the corre-
spondence Of any married letter writer to
what extent his matter and manner deteriorated
after he took wife; but. no doubt unless he
bad husband, the search would reveal amenta-
ble differences. With exceptions of course: the
principal being perhaps Stevenson; who was. how
ever. exceptional throughout.
Mr.. Lucas is = little rash. He admits as much
in a postscript saying: ''It has only just oc-