The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-18
nOOks AND AITHORS.

DOOhS ANO AZ HUM
Warwick Deeping IL 10 live In sus-
eek county, England, near the site Of the
famous battle Of Hastings, a picturesque
country full 81 historical associations. He
has interested himself enthusiastically in
gardening and other outdoor occupations,
and the scene Of his new novel. "Bess Of the
Woods" is laid near his new home.
Thomas Hardy may he seen almost any
day at his country place In Dorchester,
England, walking slowly up and down the
garden like a mar prematurely aged, his
hands behind his back, his head bowed.
He cares little for society and lives simply
and quietly, enjoying nature and writing.
OF late he has turned his attention TO poetry.
In his own opinion the work Of his which
will live the longest is 'Jude the Obscure"
but he believes that his greatest book is
yet TO come.
People whov are curious TO know how
books are written may be interested in learn
ing that a large part Of Rex Beach's latest
book was written on trains to and from
Chicago while the first chapters were being
published serially and the author was, as
he himself says, scared to death" lest II
should not be finished in time. The general
plot OF the story was carefully planned
the details added from a notebook crammed
with the jottings Of Mr.. Beach's Alaskan
experience. The author is a member Of the
firm Of a large manufacturing business and
secretary Of the Chicago Athletic Associa-
ton. He says he rather likes composing
on the train, as the noise and hurry Of car
wheels tend to promote mental activity.
Jennette Lee, the author of Uncle Will
lam, is a professor of English at Smith Col
lege and a great favorite among the stu
dents. not because Of personal magnetism
but for the admiration she arouses by her
intellectual force and power. Dressed in
the plainest fashion, living the true, simple
life with devotion to her work. Mrs. Lee
arouses the loyalty and devotion OF the
students. Her home in Northampton with
her husband, who is a writer, critic and
lecturer, is described as Just such a house
as literary people should have, near the
town, but with all the quiet and seclusion
and beauty OF the country.
The late Henrik Ibsen had a peculiar
way of doing his literary work. He wrote
hard for a year always, and then for a year
rested. His publisher knew the exact date
once in the two years on which the great man
would hand him over a new play. His last
work, before he went, to use his own words,
Above the stars and the peaks and above
the Great Silence, " is with prophetic coin
dence entitled when We Dead Awaken"
An essay in historical romance of unusual
interest coming out in England is entitled
"A German Pompadour: Being the Extraor-
binary History of Wilhelmine Won Grave-
nitz, Landhofmeisterin OF Nuremberg"
This German Pompadour was the famous
mistress Of Eberhard Ludwig, Grand Duk
Of Wirttemberg, and her history even after
two hundred years Is still regarded as an
unsuitable topic for polite conversation
TIL author. a daughter Of the late Lord
Dupplin and the wife Of the late German
Imperial Charge d'Afaires at Stuttgart has
found the materials for her work in the
archives OF s tuttgart.
A lit lie pool announced for immediate
publication In America is THE Religion of
Nature, " by E. Kay Robinson. The author,
who has devoted his life to the study OF
nature, explains the apparent cruelty in
nature by thu theory that other animals
than man have no conscious knowledge
OF napplleSS OF uIlndDplneSs, anu unQeT-
takes to prove that "the doctrine of evolu-
ton demonstrates the creation of mar in the
likeness of God" and that the truth of
religion and the truth of science are one.
The book is being much discussed in Eng
land, where it appeared serially in The
Countryside, of which Mr.. Robinson is the
editor.
. Percival Gibbons. the London Standard
correspondent and author of South African
stories. is in America, not for a hasty visit,
but for q residence Of at least one year in
which to study American politics, socio-
logical and industrial conditions. .
Prof. Charles G. d. Roberts has COM
pleted the first half of his new romance,
which will be entitled by the Waters of
Fundy" or by the Waters of Tantramar."
Prof, Roberts has recently received the
honorary degree OF LID. from the Uni
versity Of New Brunswick, George Roberts.
grandfather of c. G. p. Roberts, received
the same degree in the '70s and his father,
Canon Roberts. in 1900 was also honored
with the same distinction, a somewhat
unusual record in the comforting of hon
orary degrees. The same degree was also
conferred this year upon Bliss Carm an,
the poet, w no is a cousin of Prof. Roberts.
From The Chinese at Home" a book
adapted from the French Of Emile Bard by
Mr.. II. Twitchell, one learns Of methods of
Oriental graft" The story current among
the population about the lighting Of Pc
kin is typical so, 900 tacls are appropriated
annually for tho lighting Of the citv-the
official in charge of the matter takes 40 900
for his share and gives the rest to his sub
ordinate. who in turn takes out % .OOn.