New-York tribune., 1906-05-05
BOOKS And AUTHORS.
Current Talk About Things Pres
ent and to Come.

eftt and to Come.
A new novel by Edgar saltus is announced for
early publication By the Lippincotts. 1t win be
entitled Vanity Square" but is not likely IN
other respects to resemble the work OF the late
William Makepeace Thackeray.
Spring days and bourgeoning time give timely
interest to the Macmillan announcement of the
publication Of 'How to Choose a Farm" the
latest volume IN the Rural Science Series"
The author. Professor T. F. Hunt, OF Cornell
University, devotes the first half OF his book to
advice TO those who are seeking land for the
purpose OF seriously engaging IN the business OF
farming, and in the other half discusses the
agricultural possibilities Of the different Sec
ttons Of the United States. The same house win
shortly issue the first volume of the "Cyclo-
peedia OF American Agriculture" upon which
Professor i. H. Bailey, OF Cornell, and several
hundred contributors have been at work for sew
eral years. The work will be completed In four
volumes
Richard Barry. the young San FRANCHISE
newspaper man who appointed himself special
correspondent with the Japanese army before
Port Arthur and who wrote an account Of the
siege in lively 5ournalese under the title OF "a
Monster HerOism." beguiled his leisure hours In
the trenches by composing n novel OF Pacific
Coast life which is shortly to be published by
Moffat. Yard & Co. The story VIII be called
Sandy from the serras''
Robert Haven Schauffier, author OF Where
Speech Ends" another Moffat, Yard & Co. book,
Is at present representing Italy in the tennis
tournament at tho olympian games in Greece.
This seems almost as remarkable a mixture OF
nationalities as that recorded in our sporting
columns. where Myer Prinstein Is described as
All ft1v,Rz
team.
The illustrator Of fiction usually has few
words Of praise either from author or reader.
Indeed. difficult If not impossible. Is 1t for
person TO depict to the satisfaction Of others
characters which each one unconsciously refers
to his or her own ideals that it is open ques-
ton if 1t is ever advisable 20 illustrate novels
and other works of the imagination. Albert
Sterner however. the American artist who has
drawn the illustrations 70 Mrs. Humphry
Wards new novel. "Fenwick's Career" has been
successful, at least, in meeting the approval Of
the author, and so, If perchance our own con-
ceptions Of the personages OF the story should
not agree with his. we must Teadjust them to
his models Mrs. Ward in her preface to the
novel writes thus eulogistically OF Mr.. Sterner's
cooperation:
I have to thank him indeed not only as an ar
Wc & but ba Sss Ss y1 Tc me In the 2 6 OF s
mistakes. and llumined his painters craft for
me as none but painter can. But his poetic
intelligencs as an artist is what ma makes him 50
the husband and wife sitting by the WesImoreland
stream. Phosbe's lovely face and look will be felt
the SS any OF % oTS 2 IN
Sors as 81 II her the Pa af sd ndw s S 6
lous afterglow, as IN the scene with which the
drawings close. To be so understood and so bodied
forth is great good fortune; and beg TO be al
lowed this word Of gratitude.
"Fenwicl1's Career was published Thursday.
and the Harpers report that the advance demand
was great that they were obliged to put the
volume to press four times before the date OF
issue.
A story OF the present political situation In the
"black belt'' Of Alabama is about to be issued
by the G. M. Clark Publishing Company. Of Bos-
ton. It Is by Frederick Chamberlin. Boston
lawyer, and is said to be based on facts The
name OF the novel is I'm the shoestring Coun-
try"
To Molly Elliot Seawell may safely be award
ed the palm for having originated the most de-
lightfuIly extravagant character in the fiction
of the present year. In her recent novel OF
French life, entitled 1.-The Chateau Of Mont
plaisir" Mrs. Seawen has introduced an old
French general who has had the misfortune to
lose leg in a battle To the ordinary individual
such a calamity might prove an eVeflaSunS
handicap. Not so TO the general Being Of an
inventive turn OF mind. and not having quite
subdued his warlike spirit, he rigs up remark
able artificial limb in the shape Of a repeating
rife which he can fire at will. He has fond
ness for automobiling. and frequently. while
speeding through the country in his motor car,
he practises with his strange leg on the farmers
livestock and poultry. Finally the general Is
offered an insult by rival in a love affair. and
finds himself slated for a duel. Having the
choice Of weapons, he promptly selects guns
which must be fred by the leg, condition
which completely staggers his antagonist
A West Pocket Standard Dictionary Is the
latest addition to the Funk & Wagnalls lexieo-
graphic family. This greatly condensed volume
preserves many Of the features which give value
TO the parent work. such the placing Of key
lines for pronunciation at the foot of each page.
the respeIling OF every word OF doubtful pro-
nuneiation. the inclusion OF irregular verbs with
their principal parts all grouped together In one
section the inclusion OF prefxes and suffixes. and
other matters not usually found in pocket lexi-
cons such as a gazetteer OF the world. encyclo-
psedic data on the extracontinental possessions
OF the United States. chart Of the United States
interest tables lists Of the Presidents, weights
and measures. postal rates and so forth and
so on