New-York tribune., 1905-01-07
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.
Current Talk about Things Pres
ent and to Come.

Joseph Conrad author OF NosIrohoI mas
come out IN a very interesting letter to
'The London Times" discussing the re-
cent episode of Russias Baltic fleet in the
North Sea He writes a mariner who has
spent nearly g. quarter of century in all sorts
of craft, upon seas both narrow and wide, and
in the North Sea itself, and in command of both
sailing and steam ships" Mr.. Conrad has little
patience with the explanations OF the Russian
admiral He expresses himself with the bluff
frankness of a sailor. and does not hesitate to
speak Of the Russians as "lubbers blundering
about the seas" Perhaps the authors Polish
birth is not without its influence when he speaks
of the Russians characteristic impudence'' in
charging the British ishermen with faisehood'
and when he adds scornfullY. "an imputation OF
lying occurs naturally to the Russian minG"
II is said that Rider Haggard's first thres
books netted the author only t1O Bafied
but not discouraged, he tried again. King Sol
onaon's Mines" was the result 4 case where
the luck came with even numbers
II.u Catna maintains that moments OF the
greatest inspiration come in great solitudes He
himself was alone half way up bleak and rug
ged mountain in Iceland when the thought came
to him to end his latest novel, THE. Prodlgal
Son" by having Oscar de in an avalanche IN
stead of being killed by his brother dagnus' as
he had originally intended He Immediately de-
cided to make the change and at the same time
made a note of the incident for future press
notice.
A new book by Israel ZangwiIl. to be entitled
| 'eThe Celibates' Club" VIII be issued by the
Macmillan Company in the spring. The same
house announces that Mr.. Zangwilrs clever story
.aThe Serio-Comic Governess.' which the author
overelaborated into a trifing play for Cecilia
LOTUS has been reprinted. in q book by ITSELF
from THE Grey Wig" the collection Of short
stories IN which 1T first appeared
Among the list of volumes announced by the
Putnams for early publication this year are the
| second part of Chancellor and Hewes's The
United States, 1607-1904" The volume Will
cover the years from 1898 to 17I4. carrying for
ward the story Of the development OF the Col
onies to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War
-whas has been called "the neglected period" OF
American history. Other books on the list, Of
foreign origin. ara Henri de Noussannes THE
Kaiser as He Is; or the Real William H." IN a
translation by Walter Littleheld; Henry W.
Wacks THE Story of the Congo Free State"
| George NJ. Trevelyan's England Under the
stuarts." Sidney Lows The Governance Of
England" and L. Cecil James THE Coming Of
Parliament 135O-166O" the latter constituting
the seventy-third volume in the Story Of the
urnes on the history of the United Kingdom.
Thomas Dixon's new novel THE Clansman."
will be published by Doubleday. Page e Co. on
January II in an edition of fifty thousand copies.
owen Johnson's novel. I'm the Name of LIB
erty" will be published by the Century Company
on January 1S It is a story OF the French Rev
olution turing the Terror. The author is said
to have spent two years in Paris gathering ma
terial for the book
D. C. Mason, writing of Beethoven in the jan
uary magazine number of ''The Outlook" tells
some interesting anecdotes Of the maestro's per-
sonal manners and appearance. Unconventional
ne certainly was, even beyond what we are wont
to allow to the eccentricities of genius.
His unconventionaHty appears in all his actions
| and opinions. from the most trivial to the most
momentous- Take for instance to begin with. the
meanor. What altogether unusual man IL
taRen ri 10 visit I'VE mounted says Gerry n.y. ve
or six stories high to Beethoyen's apartment. and
In very desolate room, with papers and articles
chests. hardly chair except the rickety one one
standing by the piano, there was party of six
once reminded me Of the description Of Rnbnson at
CTusoe / had lust been reading He had = sb9CK
OF jet black hair (cut Ia Titus) standing straight
naturally dark face stin blacker. noticed also
with childs quick observation, that he had
ton-wool which seemed TO have been dipped in
some yellow fluid in both His hands were
covered with hair. and the fingers very broad
especially the tips" The oddity in dress OBJ
served by CZerny habitua with Beethoven
in the summer of 1S13' says SCHNEIDER he had
neither decent coat whole shirt"
habit of dabblng his hands in until he was
thoroughly wet. while following musical
thought, cannot have improved his clothes Nor
did his carriage them off; he was extremely
awkward with his body-coud not dance in time
and generally himself when he shaved which
however, he did ,nfrequently.
A new novel OF Quaker life is announced for
early spring publication by Revell Appropriate
ly it comes from Philadelphia, and its author
is l. c. Wood. himself a member OF the So
ciety OF Friends. The story will be called For
a Free Conscience"
January IA is the date of issue of AyImer
Maude's book about the Doukhobors "a Pc
culiar People" to be published by Funk & Wag-
nails 1t viii be illustrated with many half
tone reproductions OF photographs
The of