The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-01
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

Mr.. Howells makes Q whimsical arraign-
msnt Of the literary critic from the vantage
point of his Easy ChaiT-a humorous re-
view Of the reviewer-in which the author
argues that lit Is ons Of the conditions OF
literary criticism that the reviewers shall
be nearly always young persona lhey'
II thew alone are capable OF the crueltles
they sometimes practise, are alone capable
Of the enthusiasts which supply publishers
with uuotable passages for their advertise
Ynents and which lift authors hearts in
pride and Joy. It Is their advantage the'
they generally bring to the present work
of a veteran author an ignorance OF all that
he has done before. and have q zest for It
which the performance Of a novice inspires.
All Of which to the really youthful critic
il most cutting patronage, although II
would seem that the authors sympathy
is with the enthusiastic and acute young
critic. For the one charge which youth
cannot endure with philosophy is the aoou-
sation Of immaturity. However the argu-
ment. Il IA difloult 70 determine which side
tba writer really stands for, the youthful
reviewer or the veteran author. FOR to"aro
the conclusion Mr.. Howells says;
VIVA, Ami Flvos an author hls hold upon the
inr' "a may be a paiRfuly pleasing, quality when
An ia peculiar variation must be called his PERSONA
quality. II "a the SENSE OF tht IN etch OF nv eu w
cessiye books which doepens his hold upon .h.
reader, and not the style or the eharsoleis oI Wv
Intrigue Az long - this personal quality ashshH'
he "A new whether he breaks new ground OF no"
or he IA newly welcome. With his own Genereuoh'
with the readers who begNn young Win nun shu
have grown old with him. he Il always sAte' DIV
thsre Il danger for him with the readers VINO oesln
Ana mum Na
40 and Ma tales twice told and himself heeh-
nr,,ed. uuloa, they have been trained 70 hke his
nersonal quality by their elders, Ihh mlgN uo
dimcult but u h not impossible and ough1 hoI "
20 be the glad, the grateful care Of 'uoh 'oei''
Thomas Janvisr, the essayist, short story
writer and historian, IL in Mexico ooun-
try With whose customs aud life he Is al
ready familiar. The purpose OF bis visit
"a 20 discover some Of the subtler and more
interesting details Of the life Of the people
facts which escape the attention Of the
travelar less thoroughly prepared TO study
and note significant facts Of human nature
from the Mexican standpoint. The mate
rial Rleaned will be used as the basis for some
interesting articles later.
Rooth darlington has written a new novel
! In which he has returned 10 the scene OF nus
! arut sucoeas, "1he Gentleman From In
diana, and the first instalment will appear
10 the June number Of H0SPsr's Magazine
Immediately following the conclusion Of
| Mis-. Wards, which concludes with the May
| issue. The story bears the title OF Inc
Conquest Of Canaan and viii be illustrated
by Lucius D. Hitchcock.
The Garden Library IL project OF the
inmed ate future and h significant In that
| n shows the continually increasing in
terest in out Of door life. The library viii
consist Of a ssriss Of little monograph
low priced practical handbooks on home
eardening. The hnst volume viii be Roses
md How 70 Grow Them, and this VII b