The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-02

REALM or COOKS


scientific cleansing of table and kitchen
utensils and the wearing of inexpensive
and destrnetible clothing will avoid the
weekly horror of washday Aerial navl-
cation will be common. chiefly in the form
of individual airships. Overerowding on
land will be met by heaIthful and spacious
cities floating upon the sea. Religion WI
| have accepted the truths of science, phil
osophized upon them, and taken into its
bosom the best thoughts of all mankind
at all times. War will cease. Wealth will
increase. but the majority will no longer
/ be content to see the few enrich them
selves at the expense of the many Work
will be easier; hours for recreation longer.
| Not coal. but water disintegrated by SIM
! pie processes, will furnish all the fuel re-
| quired. No recent book promises to be
more encouraging, or more stimulating to
rational thought along sane lines.
! Some are born dramatists; some achieve
| dramatic fame and fortune some have its
| glitterlng possibilities thrust upon them.
! Arthur Henry Vesey. whose novel, 1.-THE
Castle of Lies" was published by the APP
| pletons last spring, thinks he may fairly
! lay claim to distinction in the last class.
| The late Nelson Wheatcroft was to collab-
crate with him In dramatlzing his first
story "a Cheque for Three Thousand
Mr.. Wheatcroft died before the scenario
was completed Edward W. Townsend
titillated the authors hopes by offering to
take Mr.. Wheatcrofts place, but realized
his folly before the contract was signed.
! The head of a theatrical agency tracked
Mr. Vesey to his retreat in the Pocantleo
Hills, and appeared in the bucolic wllds
a dazzling vision in frock coat silk hat,
and chrysanthemum, offering to Invest a
check for FIVE thousand in his "Cheque for
! Three Thousand" But that vision faded
into thin air. Harry du Souchet was the
next tempter. He thought he saw another
! "Friend From India" In Mr.. Veseys book
"A Pedigree in Pawn" But presently 1t
appeared that he was only fondly dream
ing. The late Kirke la Shelle actually
signed a contract for the dramatization OF
the same book. He too, died. month
| ago one modestly designating herself as
only society woman OF Milwaukee,
| pleaded with four pages of foolscap for
the doubtful honor of putting the story on
| the boards. But Arthur Vesey meanwhile
had purchased temporary respite by
signing a contract for the same book with
an erstwhile stage manager Of Kirke la
| Shelle. This respite was only temporary
| one for the would-not be dramatist. For
six weeks before the appearance OF his
! new story, "A Castle of Lies" dramatic
| agent wrote to him that an advance notice
| OF the book in the New York Times had
come to his attention, and that both story
and title seemed from the rather bald de-
scription to have strong dramN tic posi-
bilities, and would the author call and dis
cuss the matter? He would not.
/ A poet who in this day can write an
epic and have 1t published serially in a
magazine of high standing may well seem
entitle to retirement on his laurels. There
! is, however, no sign that Alfred Noyes,
the man who has actually accomplished
1 -. .1,A1 Af.t.r he
, contrary, he is evidently on the threshold
/ of a career. His Drake: An Epic which
has been appearing serially in Blackwoods
| Magazine, Is the more remarkable as tho
| performance of a man who is only twenty
five, and whose first published work dates
back no more than four years. Within
! this period Noyes has published two or
three volumes of verse in England but
| his first appearance in this country will be
in a volume of Poems" which The Mac
milan Company will bring out this au-
tumn.
I The revival of interest in George Mere
dith's novels continues to grow steadily
| The Saturday Times Review said recently
/ speaking of the new pocket edition of
4 Meredith of which eight Volumes have
| now been published: THAT their appear
| ance has aroused in this country a fresh
! interest in Meredith and his works we do
| not doubt, and we sincerely hope that the
number OF his readers will thereby be
greatly increased Not only because Mere
dith has message pertinent to this very
| hour, or even because of his literary style,
the charm of which becomes irresistible
/ with familiarity, but simply because he
| tells stories worth telling, stories which
entertain, uplift and inspire the reader
| and increase his respect for the literary
art" The theory that Meredith is too
! difficult for the ordinary reader is vanish
! ing as rapidly as the public takes UP his
| books.
The death of Ibsen has served to direct
renewed attention to one of the most re-
markable critical works ever produced:
] George Brandes' study of the Norwegian
| poet and dramatist. The plan and scope
! OF this work are unique. 1t IL In three
! parts, written at intervals of sixteen to
| eighteen years, and covering practically
| the whole of Ibsen's career. The earlier
! sections, like the last. have been allowed
| to stand as they were written, and thus
represent the critics judgment of his SUBJ
| 1ect from phase to phase" as William
| Archer puts it. Undoubtedly this utter
| ance Of one of the foremost contemporary
critics. the recognized champion and
| spokesman of the dramatist, Is the most
| important Of all books about Ibsen. Tho
| English translation, published by The
Macmillan Company, Is united In a single
volume with Brandes acute study of an
\