New-York tribune., 1905-07-10
Speculative Science. Ancient History and the
Higher Criticism" by ]. Mercier McMullen.

Herbert W. Horwill, writing OF contemporary
fiction in the current number Of "The Forum,
does not have a high opinion of its quality.
Certainly most Of 1t (and there was never more
of io is disappointing to the reader who looks
for good literature and not merely entertain
ment in the novels of the day. Although. as Mr..
Horwin states III reference is made to the most
DISTINGUISHED writer's OF the day, our minds
naturally turn ID ths C4oet distinguished nov
elists" and the question. What books have you
been reading?" means, in nine cases out or ten,
what new novels?" :.v hclds hat for the pres
ervation of the s,anla2ds NJ good writing
must seek in other flsils Of literary endeavOr
He puts himself on record in these words:
Although fiction claims so disproportionate
its rewards in money and fame can make 1t worth
while for the a6est writer's 10 enter t bis b peI1. II
no other kind Of literary work. at least in prose.
many M respects the work of modern writer's will
bear comparison with that OF their preaHGesSoTS S
in the quality of the best biographies letters essays
and scientific and philosophical treatises; for these
personal paragraphs about authors-coqnt for some
thing in literary history. TO say nothing or con
trbutions TO critical scholarship. But TO set the
Tbackeray Dickens or George Eliot would make
the most pronounced optlmlst on contempt
or another test might be employed Let any one
without bias make st OF m Ihe ] oGUAS onb 0I fe nd
sirike out those which are likely be still alive
adv small proportion of novels in the list of sur
vivors According 10 all the standards-artstic
breadth Of sympathies and skill and proprety in
Of our Day are of inferior literary rank the
best published sermons. although hometical ltera;
ture is conventionaIly supposed TO be weaker and
more insipic than any other
Two little stories by Annie Fellows Johnston.
I'm the Desert OF Waiting" and THE Three
weavers,' originally included in two of her
little Colonel books have lately been pub
lished separately by l. c. Page & Co. in two
l6mo volumes. with illustrations by Ethelred B.
Barry.
The United States Department OF Agriculture
will soon have ready for distribution Bulletin
No. 10 of the Bureau of Forestry entitled,
Report on an Examination of a Forest Tract
in Western North Carolina" by Franklin w.
Reed. The report contains a description of
the forest on about 5000 acres of mountain
land which is TO be numbered so that its value
as q summer resort shall not be impaired The
tract is typical Of many others in the Southern
mountains. where undeveloped resources affn-"
opportunity for the practice of forestry, or
conservative numbering. The conditions de-
scribed in the bulletin furnish a concrete ex-
ample of what such land will yield when placed
in the care OF forester who will look after it's
landscape features while cutting the merchant
able lumber. In view Of the rapid denudation
OF forest land that is now going on, with
its consequent disturbing effect on climate snd
rainfall, the work of the Bureau OF Forestry is
assuming a more vital Importance every year
The bulletin referred to may be obtained on
application TO the Forester. United States De-
partment- of Agriculture. WASHINGTON. d. c.