Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-03
book WORLD NOTES

| "Wit is the lightning of the mind, the
cayenne of conversation and the salt o1
| life."
When John De Horgan struck his lead
"In Lighter Vein" he struck mighty
good prospect Mr.. De Morgan loves to
wander among the forgotten and half
forgotten trails of history, literature and
social life. Biographies and letters of
famous men and women, OF eccentric
geniuses, raconteurs and noted wits, have
evidently been his favorite fields While
delving about In these he has brought
to light rich and varied collection of
not time-worn jests. but rather the
sparkling things that have somehow es-
capped us hitherto; keen witticisms,
bright repartees. snappy pon mots' bril-
liant anecdotes. sparkling bits Of satire
and flashes of humor. One page wrinkles
with the epigrams of well known prime
minister, another scintillates with the wit
of a celebrated Irish comedian; on an
other Mark Twain complies a pun" and
pokes fun at Scotch lawyer. Elsewhere
two keen stories are told at the expense
of Colonel Roosevelt; Dickens contributes
a humorous letter to an eccentric clock
maker; Dean Hole tells a clever anecdote
of a very stout bishop and a frank little
girl, and Artemus Ward, upon his death
bed, perpetrates his last jest. From
cover to cover the book is packed with
unique personalities and delightful remin-
iscences. Among other celebrities quoted
are Elizabeth of England, Grant, Lincoln,
Dumas, Carlyle Burns. Cruikshank,
whistler, Bernhard, Salvini, Burke, Bis
mark, Choate and Depew
"In Lighter Vein" will be found a cap
ital book to pick up when physically tired
or brain tagged, as 1t is certain to amuse
and enchain any one in whom the sense
of huffior survives.
Excellence and good taste in manufac-
turing details are essentials of good
book too vital to be overlooked. This
book has the appearance and the feel of
a handsome library volume-as such suit
able either for presentation or to carry
home and put into the favorite book
shelf Merlo johnson has done an effect
i've frontispiece in coiors. The typograph-
ical scheme consists of striking yet dig
nified Nhand-mitered border inclosing
page of boldface type and side para
graph headings. The binding is an un-
usual one; either of strong blue fabric
or rich brown leather. with leather lining
In place of the more conventional end
papers.
In Lighter Vein Compiled by John De
Morgan. New York: Paul Elder & Co.
Prof. Robert W. Wood of Johns Hop
kins university, author of an advanced
treatise on the theory OF uBnL ana Vdrl-
Gus scientific papers, such as the Flu
orescence and Magnetic Rotation Spectra
of Sodium vapor and Their Analyses"
might claim close affinity to Lewis Car
roll, the profound mathematician and
creator of the inimitable "Alice, in Won
derland" drolleries. Mr.. Woods latest
effort is an important treatise on no less
a subject than How to Tell the Birds
from the Flowers. aptly described as
a manual of fornithology for begin
ners."
Nature students who have hitherto
wrestled with the annoying problem of
between such homologous1
species as the crow and tho crocus, the
parrot and the carrot. the cowbird and
the cowslp, the blue mountain lory and
the blue morning glory will hail this lit
tie volume with shouts of Joy. No longer
need one worry over the close resem-
blance of the pecan to the toucan, for,
though
Very few tell the Toucan
From the Pecan-here's new plant
To take the Toucan from the tree,
Requires immense ag-i-tee,
While anyone pick with ease
The Pecans from the Pecan trees;
y It's such an easy thing 20 do;
That even the Toucan he can too.
For years no scientist, in this country.
at least, has been able to distinguish to
a reasonable certainty between the
common tern (Stirna hirundo) and the
commoner turnip (Brassica campestris).