The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-26
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

George Wharton James, the author and
lecturer, objects to being called ~protes-
sor." In a letter to the publishers VINO are
bringing out his two volume work. Inc
Wonders of the Colorado Desert, =" he says;
Il am not now a professor and never was,
although the title was given me many
wears ago on account of my featuring at
various universities" MIR. James has re-
turned to his Pasadena home from his
shack in the Colorado desert region, where
he has studied the subject presented IN tine
new book. which will contain also an ac-
count of his p~erilous journey made down
the overflow Of the Colorado River 20 the
mysterious Salton Sea.
"ToIstoi on Shakespeare" will be pub
lished next week. In a letter TO the trans
lator regarding this work George Bernard
Shaw says:
unfortunately the English worship their great
artists quite lndiscTiminately and abjecuy, 10 tha1
n is quite impossible TO make them understand
that Shakespeare's extraordinary literary power,
his fun. his mimicry and the endeanng qualities
that earned the title OF tho gentle Shakespeare
all OF which. whatever Tolstoi may say. are quite
uuquestionable facts-do not stand or fall with MS
absurd reputation as a thinker. Tolstol VIII Ger
taInly treat that side OF his reputation with the
severity 10 deserves, aud you will ind that the
English viii instantly announce that TOlstol con
siders bis own works greater than Shakespeare 5
(Which. in some respects, they certainly are by the
way, and that he has attempted 20 stigmati2e our
greatest poet as a liar. a thief, a forger, a murderer.
an incendiary, a drunkard. n lbertine. q fool. a mad
man, a coward, a vagabond, and even a man OF
questionable gentility. You must not be surprised
or indignant at this, It Is what Is called dramatic
criticism" in England and America. only a few
of the best OF our journalistic critics Will say any
thing worth reading on the subject.
Mr.. Crockett says that he will write a
real Galloway book, in the full Galloway
dialect, to be understood only by those to
the manner born. His later romances
have been OF other lands, but his heart il
always in his own grey Galloway
Mrs. Maud Jerrauld has written a book
about a Vittoria Colonna with some details
concerning her friends and her time. 1t
is a study in Italian history OF the fifteenth
century. -
II is nearly seventy years since william
Blake died, and his work as an artist. poet
and philosopher, long recognized by the
cultured Jew, is now beginning to attract
the attention of the majority. The re-
vival of interest in this peculiar genius is
indicated by the number OF books which
appear in this season 3 list concerning him A..
A remarkable collection of Blake's pictures
was recently exhibited in London, closely
| followed by a reprint OF Mr.. Swinburne's
| illuminating book, Mr.. John SIMPSONS
edition Of the poems and half a dozen
other volumes, including The Letters OF
William Blake, Together With His Life, y
nv F. latham. and THE Poetical Works
80 Wil;an RIake n edited nv Mr.. r.. j. Ellis.
The life OF Blake and his wife, his Beloved
Kate" whom Mr.. Swinburne says de-
serves remembrance a. about the most
perfect wife on record" is a charming
idyl. She had her trials, as the wives of
geniuses do, even to the point OF Blake's
proposing to add a second wife to the es-
t%ablishment. Be it said to his credit that
he gave up the idea when he found her
| opposed to it. They worked together in a
little room, he writing and she binding the