Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-25
Gossip from the World Of
Books-Review Of Now
Books - Authors Plans
for the Season-Notss.

French books. Many French book
sellers in Paris now keep the i,npor-
tant English books, as well us quanti-
ties of tranSlationS. Dickens is al
ways popular, and SO is Walter Scott.
Mr.. Ii. G. Wells and DR.. Conan Doyle
are much read. and Sherlock
Holiness" oddly enough, is used as Il
textbook i'll some of the schools.
Sir Edward Grey, in IL speech ut Il
literary dinner in London. made some
variations on the now familiar theme
of the productive period of life. One
of his definite opinions was that the
vital reading of ii man is usually done
between the ages of Il and 30, There
are no doubt precociOus children who
attack masterpieces before they get TO
their teens. but the majority of us
gorged ourselves with rubbish in child
hood. once in our lives Maync Reid
and M:,rryat and Dumas were the lit
eriry kings. But the healthy. advanc-
Ing mlnd throws the rubbish aside as
time goes ON and the maturing judg-
nent begins to drift and search for the
mental food that the Individuality re-
quircS. About IS, however the bones
of the intellect, to write in a metaphor.
begin to induriite. After 40 the minds
of few men continue to cXnaud ,ho,,rb
the judgment may continue to ripen.
The page we turn later is not verse
now. only prose"
The Century. | have no rcc.,rd Of the
Presidents recent reading. hui j; is
not Il secret that he is Excepting I'D the
pace" Some Of my friends are still
"rcadinE at Murlcy's three thick VOL
uncs of Giadstone's Life" The Prcsi-
don't. of course. read them promptly.
z lining. | am told, not ouIy a fresh
but much more Favorable. view of the
great leader, whom he confessed he
had hitherto failed to understand. A
publisher not long ago told mo that Mr.
Roosevelt seemed to have his eye ON
the authors of their house. and now
and then Il private letter full Of ap-
probation would pas through the pub
liSiIc"'s hands on the way to an author
IL the thick of the campaign of 1901 [
| happened to know that he rcrcad all CT
| N"caUlHy's "IiiStory of EnGlnnd," all
| of I;ho'IeS':s "HiSt"ry of the l'nite..
| St;t's." and Dirlcns'S Martin Chuz-
| zl"v-it.'
TIL" other af,, moon he was handed =,
now book-a not very long 'liSsarta-
| ti"n OF a :n1ttcr of current interest.
| That evening he entertained Il num-
| Der of guests at dinner. and late"
| there was Il musical party ut III"
| White House at which he WIS present.
| At luncheon the next day the givcr
| said to him, "Mr. President. of course
you have not had time to look ~ hat
| book" ooh. yes" said thu. President
Il have read it," Whrrcupnn he
proved that he had done 50 by his
| criticism cf the work. one ,lty lately
| Il book Of short stories WAS sent to
hin: aIlrlmi tv return mail rntrc a H.
| ter thanking the sender and saying h"
had already enjoyed the stories great
| ~ in. serial Publication. ..- g., D.
"IIDw Gue: IL manage to do st - All
| know about this is that, in IL" first
| place. he has by nature or pr;ttt.' { The.
| faculty of extremely rapid reading.
There are some men Of letters am!
general readers who never have bcen
able to acquire this art. Others can
| take i'll Paragraphs o. pag"S Weli"nITn
| ut u glance. The President must be
| one of these Photographic readers who
| take almost instantly the Impression
Of Il Who'll" paragraph or ncarls Il whole
page, the cy" running along .h- line
with li-htniIg-iikc rapidly. and leap
| ing to the more Important phrases as
| by instinct. | have known In" follow
| ing to occur: \ Congressman makes Il
! statement to him and hands him 4
| tyr""rittcn paper. Almost I'M
| mc'iiJtcly the President hands It back
| 10 hiIn; Wh"rtupun the Congressman
says !"pr-rrtinSly, Mr. President.
may ! ,,ct leave this paper with you"
! am anv;,'is that you should read it. "
| "Bui. uSwcrs the PrcSiIr.li. II have
read il: you can eXiilnll" mo i'll it, if
| you wish"