Evening journal., 1905-04-29
OIL KINGS READING
John D. Rockefeller's Liking For
Marie Corelli's Novels.
OFTEN QUOTES HER EPIGRAMs.

Whether on Trains, at His Home or
While Driving, He Peruses One Of
the Novelisfs works-Admires CO.
reIIi's FOrcefuI style, but Thinks
She Does Not Relieve Her own Doc
trines--Qu quotations That Please Him.
Should you happen TO see John ID.
Rockefeller on a train bound for Lake
wood, n. j., or coming out Of his New
York house or entering the businesses
Of the Standard Oil company in New
York the chances are he Will have un-
der his arm one Of Marie Corelll's
books, says the New York World. Mr..
Rockefeller is now a confessed admirer
Of this writer. While not a studious
man, the oil king likes a good brisk
novel, and seldom does he tackle the
classics.
He read his first Marie Corelli book
three years ago after she accused An
drew Carnegie Of desecrating STRAIT
ford-on-Avon and controversy fol
lowed. This reused Rockefeller's inter.
est, and her Romance of Two Worlds"
was sent to the Tarrytown home Of the
millionaire. From this grew Rockefel
ler's liking for her novels. His friends
are amazed at his taste.
Rockefeller defends himself by say
ing he does not necessarily believe In
her doctrines. and he does not think
/ that she does, but be admires her force
/ ful style Mr.. Rockefeller takes partic
ular delight In her semireliglous worl
and often quotes her epigraDs. There
| Is one COrellism that is especially ap
propriate TO the tainted money" situa
tion, and Mr.. Rockefeller might con
fuse his critics by sending them thil
quotation:
God condemns nothing, because II
everything there is a portion Of him
self"
After ,the controversy between Mis-
/ Corelli and Andrew Carnegie she wrOt
as follows
Making money is not a bad occupa
ton. It is not so bad as idleness. I
We're Rockefeller. for instance,
would buy the whole of Stratford-on
Avon, pay all its municipal debts ant
make it the happiest little place in tn
world. Then II had the Rockefelle
fortune would buy a fine steam zach
and, with a few friends, would ton
the coast Of Spain, the Mediterranea
and the Greek archipelago-in fact,
would do the whole pilgrimage of By
ron's 'Childe Harold
This is Corelli's famous denunciatlo
Of America and her millionaires:
"As a nation Of bombast America
i a kind of Rarey show in the world
progress, but her strength is centere
chiefly in dollars. English society ha
{ been vulgarized sadly by the America
taint Wealth in excess, wealth
chunks, wealth in great. awkward, III
becoming dabs is plastered by the me-
est haphazard toss of Fortunes die
on the backs of uncultured. illiterat
persons who. bowed down like asse
beneath the golden burden. are asinin'
= ly ignorant of its highest uses"
Marie Coreli was heralded by he
b. astute publishers as Queen Victoria
: favorite novelist. and It was said thI
her volumes were always in the queen
private sitting room. There is a con
a., plete set Of her novels in the Lakewoo
home Of Rockefeller. He usually take
, one with him to read on trains an
1 while driving.
Here are some quotations from Mar
Corelli's works which, his friends sa.
have interested Rockefeller;
'In religion one cannot appeal solel
I 10 the intellect. One must touch II
i, heart. the emotions"
] "The lilies Of France, emblems
honor loyalty, truth and chivalry-
a what smudged and trampled blossom
I they seem today
: True spirituallsm is above all thinl
e healthy"
/. without God nothing is possible"
|. "She loved her own husband, a fa'
= which, considering the state Of soclet
n In France and England. rendered h'
4 contemplate in the eyes Of advance
thinkers"
"The moving spring OF civilization
l the love OF nature and art"
. Sprouting willow Table.
It At the home Of L. II. Dudley. tw