New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-20
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.
Current Talk about Things Present
and to Come.


and to Come.
Francis Wilson the actor has written his
"reminiscences Of Joseph Jefferson, which will
appear sertally in "Scrtbners," beginning with
the February number. Mr.. Wilson knew MIR.
Jefferson for many years and played with him
in the "all STAR cast OF the 1.-THE Rivals" He
kept a careful record Of MI Jefferson's table
talk on all sorts OF subjects. but particularly on
art and literature. The Illustrations to the
series will be taken largely from Mr.. Wilson's
own collection and in part from those OF other
friends OF Mr.. Jefferson
Eden PhiIlpotts's new novel, 1.-THE Porresve,
originally announced for publication By the
Macmillan Company for January 70 Will not Dc
brought out until some time In February. Inc
somewhat unfamiliar word that serves es q title
for the story signifies the chief magistrate OF
q port or maritime town.
The holiday rush Is scarcely over, and already
the publishers are talking about their spring
lists and arranging for the publication Of more
books and still more books. Among the authors
of forthcoming volumes on the spring list Of
Houghton. Miffin & Co. are John Burroughs,
President Hyde of Bowdoin, President Pritchett
Of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Pro-
lessor Wilhelm OSWALD. Of Leipsic; Hon. Theo-
dore E. Burton, Of Ohio; Professor Edward G.
Bourne Charles T. Holder, Professor Joseph
Jastrow, Herbert NJ Hopkins. Alonzo Roth
schild Andy Adams, Gelett Burgess, Gamaliel
Bradford, jr, William J. Hopkins, Eugenia
Brooks rockingham and Alice Prescott Smith
Those who are interested In the creation, de-
Velopment and management Of public parks will
find mass of valuable information in Frederick
W. Keseys book Just published by ]. S. ogilvie.
New-YorlS The title of 1t Is 1.-THE First County
Park System" and 1t traces from its inception
the movement which has given to Essex County.
N J., a splendid park system. while pointing
out the best opportunities Of making II even
better Mr. Kelsey was from the beginning one
Of the sturdiest and most active champions Of
the park idea and this was recognized by his
appointment as vtce-president Of the first COM
mission appointed to launch the project, AS he
SAYS in his foreword: THE intention Of the
author has been correctly to indicate, step by
STEP the moving forces and potential facts in
the development Of an extended and costly park
system, one of the largest and the initial county
park system of this country" The story starts
with the inception of the enterprise and the leg
islation creating it, and reflects the smooth
course Of progress. until the blighting influence
of special interests and Of practical politics were
injected into the undertaking."
FearessIy and exhaustively Mr. Kelsey goes
through the whole history, emitting nothing of
moment and sparing none whom he believes to
be deserving of criticism In his final chapter
the author treats of the experiences of other
large public park undertakings, and he makes
number of valuable suggestions. The book is a
desirable addition to the relatively small volume
of literature dealing with the facts and methods
of park management
Mark Twain has laid down the pen Of the
author for the moment and has taken UP in its
stead the shears of the editor. The Harpers
make announcement that they about to pub
lish, under the title of the Mark Twain Library
of Humor,' q series of volumes OF selections OF
humorous writings chosen by Mr.. Clemens from
the works not only of those whom the world
has long recognized tunmakers, but to give
full and rightful place to all writer's who. while
working in a wider field have yet given express
sion to the purest hunor" This is certainly a
wide field to Gull from, and it will at least be
interesting to discover the standard by which
Mr. Clemens viii appraise the writings Of other
humorists Genuine as much Of the editors
own hunor is, from some of the stories he has
allowed to be published over his name, it would
seem as if his judgment Of humor was not al
ways equal to his highest personal performance.
The first volume to be issued will bear the COM
nrehensfye and rather commonplace title Of
Men and Things.
Is q man competent witness as to the place
of his nativity? In most Of the obituary notices
of the late Henry Harland, the novelist, as
printed in the newspapers, his birthplace was
given as St. Petersburg, for which Who's Who"
is the authority Mr.. Harland himself always
insisted that he was born IN Norwich. Conn. q
town which he was wont TO call the rose. not
only Of New England. but Of the world His
parents, on the other hand, declared that he had
first seen the light in prosaic Brooklyn He was
accustomed to explain this apparent disagree
rnent by saying that II he was born in Brooklyn.
II was only by accident, and not by rights. con-
suItation or authority"
Man. the Social Creator" is the title OF post
humous work by Henry Demarest Lloyd, which
will be published some time in March by Double
day Page G. Co. The volume is the outcome or
a plan long cherished by the author, to write
a book which should embody his conception OF
man as a creator and potential god. and In
which he should describe the manifestations OF
this creative ability as they are to be seen in
various parts of the world. 1t was in further
ence of this nlau that Mr.. Lloyd visited Europe