New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-18


does not need to look to questions OF scale in
preparing his wares for the market 1t is
only the great writer who can legitmately set
an arbitrary price upon his work.
AS for the troubles Of the modern author, we
are sometimes half inclined to believe that he
does not know the meaning of the word. At all
events he is pampered in a way that even
prima donna might envy. Consider the pro
digious seriousness with which he is taken,
often by people in whom we expect certain
powers Of discrimination. There IS, for ex-
ample, the case Of the late William Sharp, who
has been revealed, since his DEATH as the
author Of the books published over the name
Of Fiona Macleod Just because he was sue
cessful In cOncealing his relation to his
DsGudOnymOUs writings, there have been floods
Of gush printed about him-as though his little
mystery really mattered Mr.. Theodore Watts
DuntOn has published a new edition Of NThe
Coming Of Love-" whereupon 1.-The AthenRum"
gives nearly four columns TO the subject
dragging in Aristotle the old Thespian drama,
Hardy, Swinburne, Rossett, "Festus' Bailey,
Burns. and so on. If any sense of proportion
were abroad would this sort Of thing be dOne7
Mr.. Maurice Hewlett is a charming and q sue
ccssful novelist He presents a little play, and
Immediately the said play is handled by the
critics with positively appalling gravity. One
paper even seizeS the occasion to print long
and generally eulogistic account Of all Of Mr..
Hewletts work The list of similar instances
of good nature might be heightened indefinitely.
No doubt austere rule of conduct in these
matters might lead, on occasion, to neglect
which would be cruel But there is apparently
no reason for fearing that the modern author
will ever be overlooked. In fact, If he is killed
of it viii be by kindness
vba cDriD0 p1bIiSbiD0 caacO0 &c i1qf orCaD-
ing, and we may gather some idea of its proba-
bic character 1t promises to be interesting,
though not perhaps, productive Of quite as
many books as it has ordinarily brought forth
Ia recent years. In England the political cam
paign Just closed seems to have had q restrain
ing effect upon the lists Of the publishers At
any rate the latter make fewer announcements
than they have customarily made in March.
Whether the printers strike here has seriously
rurtailed the activities Of the publishers re-
mains to be seen, but in the mean time the
quantity Of books is a trife lighter than it
has been at the same stage Of other seasons.
Fiction of course, is getting itself published as
freely as ever For the rest, biography and
science are in the ascendant Science, espe-
saly, is gaining this year as it has been gain
Flg season after season Biology and psychology
ire almost conspicuous, we may add, as
electricity. There win be new art books this
pring as there were in the autumn and around
Christmas. We observe now, as then, a ten
lency to confne this form OF literature more
md more TO books on a modest scale. AS re-
cards history, may say that while the num-
Der OF monographs is increasing greater atten-
lion is being paid to schemes of an encycIo-
pRdic character. The most popular enterprise
Of all in this field is the one which assigns diff
'erent sections Of the history Of a given coun-
ny to a different writer, eight or ten specialists
nus producing volumes,