Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-20
CURRENT LITERATURE.

NNNEAINN ~ LIN 0NAs
a characteristic paper by Maurice
Maeterlink in the current Atlantic on
"Our Anxious Morality" will attract alike
the enthusiastic admirers of the distin-
guished author, and those who confess
Ignorance and curiosity as 20 his work
With his love for the mystic phases of
LIES philosophy he espouses in this day Of
rauonalism and crumbling shrines, the
cause of the Imagination and those poeti-
cal yearnings that through all time have
guided the race upward and onward.
Now when we are. alas, too familiar with
criticism of our unframed diplomatic SER
wee it Is encouraging TO find in Francis
D. LoWells paper comparing our ministers
with those OF other countries, every reason
20 be proud OF a system that represents q
nation by the very flower of its ability and
Intelligence. Trained in the etiquette OF
courts they may rarely be; unequal to
those delicate duties they may occasion
ally prove, but such list of brilliant and
able ministers as the writer cites in "a
period Oi 80 years, gives the reader a thrill
ol pride and approval. Mr.. Lowell avoids
study OF the consular branch of the sub
leci, that neglected quarter where we fear
be would find crying need for improve
ment. Another article of timely interest
ls the able discussion of Special Legis-
lauon," wherein Samuel p. Orth presents
very clearly the enormous disadvantages
of the present means of dealing with
private measures. and makes a plea for a
readlustment of methods TO conditions.
Many readers viii find much TO surprise
them in Albert Schintz's account OF
Esperanto, and the firm footing on
which the universal language is already
established. This is particularly true in
European countries where its commercial
usefulness is freely acknowledged. Andrew
5. Draper contributes a thoughtful paper
on The University Presidency, a careful
study of the requirements of that exacting
Office; while in Impressions From Chi
cago Faces, Loren H. b. Knox tells the
story OF that citv's miraculous evolution.
A timely and absorbing article is "Ihe
Muiik, and the New Regime in Russia, %
ably treated by Herbert ID. Pierce. Mary
Moss contributes discriminating review
Of new novels, and NJ. A. de Wolf Howe
discusses American Biography "Ihe
Wife From Vienna is q touching story
OF our alien population full of the crude
pictWesqueness OF a Polish miners home;
while from the poems we single out as
strong musical and inspiring "Ebb Tide
by John Finley.
For the present issue of the Metropolitan
Magazine Blendon Campbell has painted
an exquisite Valentine motive. This is
the most stnkingly artistic cover-design
Mr., Campbell has yet achieved and he is
unquestionably the foremost artist in
! America today whose work appears most
| frequently as the exterior adornment OF
the best periodicals. The Metropolitan
cover-picture is in iull-color and depicts
an exceedingly pretty girl reading a valen-
tine, presumably sent to her by some one
m whom she is deeply interested The
| cleverdrawlng of the figure, the fine hand
ling OF color values, and the whole scheme
OF the composition make the picture one
of theArichest effects in full-color covers
| ever offered to the discriminating public
In addition to the Illuminated cover is the
! irontispiece, also in lull-color, aud repro
! duced from the painting by W. Herbert
| Dunton to illustrate his prose poem, "a
| Sea Tragedy" This lrontispiece shows a
| great galeon of the Seventeenth Centur,
engaged in a mid-sea struggle with a pirate
ship. The stir and action of the contest
ing vessels, the roll and thickening O
cannon smoke, the turquoise sky and deer
blue sea arc all conveyed with a pict oria
verve and charm that is indes crbable. Ii
conjunction with his color composition
Mr.. Dunton has drawn a set of text illus
tratons, and these, with the story thu
artist-author tells in a thrilling but beau
tiful way make a very attractive and enter
tanning feature.
The spirit of Saint Valentine will b,
found in a number of the independent
Illustrations as well as on the cover and
number Of dainty poems bearing on the
theme viii be printed. Among the poet
represented win be Frank Dempster Sher
man, Edmund Vance Cooke, Clinton Scol
! lard and Iheodosia Garrison The mum
Der will be most profusely illustrated
throughout and the several department.
will contain material of unusual import
| ancc.