The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-29
BOOKS AND a. THORS.

1T * the plan to begin the autumn season
with q flight of fiction the Speaker says
in its forecast for the present publishing
season. The novels are the skirmisheis
the advance guard Of the army Of new
books. They come 10 whet the appetite.
to clear the way for the heavier. more pano-
piled volumes" Next in popularity fol-
lows the personal book the biography
and autobiography -the pages from life,
historical emo of famous men and
fair ladies' OF the past. Third in popularity
are the books Of travel and adventure, "A
department vastly increased with the open
ing up Of new countries, the modern inven-
tons which make travel in unexplored
lands possible. Finally there are books
on sociology under which may he ca%talogued
all sorts Of books Of fact and fiction dealing
with the condition Of humanity in general.
their industrie4, habitations and politics.
Prof. Albert II. Smyth's defnitive edition
OF The Life and Writings Of Benjamin
Franklin" has progressed as far a. Volume
TX. which is published his week by the
Macmillan Company The volume covers
the three years 1869. The edition will be
co mplete in ten volumes.
In connection with Elizabeth McCracken'S
experience in providing the people of the
with satisfactory pictures, as
related in the October Atlantic under Pic
lures for the Tenements," it is interesting
10 read in an article on Ruskin in the No
vember Scribper's what he lad to say on
the same subject. Give the poor what
ever pictures you find they like-of nice
things, not Of merely pathetic or pompous
ones. They're apt to like sick children
starving in bed. beggars at street doors,
Queen Vic opening Parliament. &c. Give
them anything that's simple, cheerful or
pious: always, il possible, oolored never
mind how badly" Miss McCracken finds
that the m ave their own stand
ards for Judging pictures--What's the
story to it," is the principal one.
Frederic C.. PenHeld's The Lure of the
Pearl" in the November Century treats OF
the worlds most gigantic gamble the Cey-
lon pearl fishery, beside which any great
lottery scheme is Insignificant in hazard.
From the taking Of he first oyster to the
draining Of the last vat OF matter" every
step, Mr.. Penfield says, ia attended by ficklc
fortune. Nature furnishes the pesrling
hanks, the Ceylon administrator conducts
lUc III dLN nv " Anh ~
brown or black diver. receives for his dar-
ing and risk one oyster in every three tina
he brings from the depths OF the ocean.
His earnings must be shared with boat
owner, sailors, attendants and many others.
Perhaps one oyster in a hundred contains
a pearl. and not more than one pearl in a
hundred has any value OF importance.
Frances HodgsOn Burnett's new inter-
national story, The Shuttle. begins in the
November number Of the CentUrV and
introduces Americans whose fortunes have
been a part OF the history OF the develop
ment Of the cOuntry--rne first Reuben
Vanderpoel. who in early days Of danger
had traded with savages for the pelts OF
wild animals" and his descendants. The
first Reuben vanderpoel could not spell;
the second could; the third was as well
educated a. a man could be whose sole
profession is money making. His chill.
dren were taught all thatexpensive teachers
and expensive opportunities could teach
them. 1t was a fact much cherished that
Miss Rosalie's bath ives OF Carrara marble.
and TO good souls actively engaged in
doing their own washing m small New
England towns IL was a distinct luxury
to be aware that the water in the Carrara
marble bath was perfumed with Florentine
iris
The translation OF Madame Recamier
and Her Friends" by Edward Herriot, is
now going through the press in America TO
tell the story Of the life OF a beautiful. virtu-
Gus and gifted woman who reigned for
upward OF fifty years a queen in Partisan
society by The right divine Of her own
intelligence and charm.
This Viper Of Milan the new Italian