Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-17
First Hand Gossip
OF English Authors

LONDON, March Z. 1907.
~ r. JOSEPH PARKER'S successor at
the City Temple, the Rev. Reginald
John Campbell. has just achieved an
astonishing literary feat. His recent
mons. expounding what has come to be
called 1.-The new theology" were much
in accord with modern scientific views and
so little in accord with the old dogmas that
they made a sensation. The newspapers
were filled with the subject, and a good
deal was cabled to America about it. Every
clergyman Numbered back at Mr.. Camp
bell, and Constant Reader" outdid himself
in writing letters to every available editor
in more or less violept criticism of the
new theology
Four weeks ago it was suggested TO Mr..
Campbell that 1t would be a good plan to
write a book on the subject, giving "A cor
rect statement of his views a whole in
stead of taking any part in the controversy
that had been aroused. The conversation
concerning this book, told TO me by one
who took part in 1t. was characteristic OF
Mr.. Campbell.
My friend saw him by appointment at tho
City Temple. Mr.. Campbell was close;cd
with some other Clergyman, organizing
some kind of a new theology campaign.
He came outside, saying he could spare
just two minutes The suggestion was laid
before him in about twenty words. That
is good plan,' said Mr.. Campbell. tersely.
~ he terms suggested are satisfactory. l
will do it,"
But it ought to be done at the earliest
possible moment
1T shall be- was the answer Il start
on my vacation a week hence. | was going
to write another book during that vacation.
l will put that off and write this book 1t
will be about 10000 words and will he
ready in four weeks. Good day"
The publishing man left with the impress
sion that Mr.. Campbell did no: expect to
be taken literally and turned DAYS
later with the contract specifying that
10000 words should be completed II four
weeks. with the expectation tina a consd-
cradle modification would be required. Not
a bit of 1t. The clergyman swept his eye
down through the contract. signed it and
said Good day" again before thu other
man hardly knew what had happen"d.
Exactly fourteen days later the publisher
received from Mr.. Campbell's retreat down
in Cornwall the first half OF the book, and
seven days later he received the second
half, typewritten, revised, corrected. COM
plete in every detail, exactly week
ahead of time.
The book is to be published about tho
middle of March. I have some of the
manuscript and found in II no indication
of the fact that the book nad been written
in three weeks. 1t is a lucid clean-cut and
carefully reasoned restatement of the foun-
dations of the Christian doctrines; an at
tack not against venerable creeds, but
against the popular theology of the
churches. which the author believes to be
misleading, unethical and the chief reason
for the abstention of thoughtful men from
public worship. Mr.. Campbell holds that
the main principles of the new theology
are accepted already all over the world; that
it is the religious articulation of the labor
movement and of the findings of modern
science
1t is safe to say that the book will make
a sensation | understand that il is to be
published in America almost Immediately
after its appearance in England, If not on
the same day.
The anonymous author of Elizabeth and
Her German Garden" and Princess Prs-
elias Fortnight has just dramatized for
herself the latter book. which well
suited to stage purposes. She Is in London
at the present moment and it seems rather
a pity that her name cannot be revealed.
for apparently almost every one in the Lon
don literary set knows quite well what it is.
E. W. Hornung was tempted away from
novel writing by the success of the dram
atiZed version of his "Raffies,'' and has
now finished the dramatizing of at least
one other of his own novels. But the writ
ing of novels is what he really cares for
most. and L am happy to make 1t known
that he has now begun work "A novel
that has been in his mind for the last two
years 1t is going to he serious. careful
work, more in the character OF his Pee
cavi'' than along the lines OF Rallies
The few who have been permitted to hear
the plot of the story believe that 1t is going
to be the most lasting work this gifted
novelist has yet done. If all goes well it
will be finished in the early autumn.
*
Beatrice Baskerville, the bright little
English woman whose long residence in
Warsaw provided her with material for
her book, 1.-The Polish Jew" which was
published both in England and America is
the translator of "Gogors'' fierce turbulent
and powerful story, "Taras Bulba," which
was published here this week. She has been
back In England for some months, but will
be returning soon to Warsaw to complete
a novel of modern Polish life which she
has lately begun.
Another Beatrice-Miss Beatrice GRIM
shaw-wil be setting forth in the opposite
direction in about the same time for the
Cannibal Islands and the South seas 10
write another series of stories about
Waltz whose adventures, as told in the
Saturday Evening Post in the United
States and in Pearson's Magazine in Eng
land, have attracted much attention. Miss
Grimshaw tells that the original of
Waltz is decidedly a real person, and that
her adventures, in fact are scarcely less
entertaining than the adventures Miss
Grmshaw has accorded to her in fiction,
The chances are that the real "Vaiti'' is 50
far out of the track of civilization in the
South seas that she will never know that
she has become heroine of fiction--and it
is probably just well for Miss Grimshaw
that this Is so, for the real "Faiti'' is a
daredevil, and If it happened that she had
seen the stories and did not like them, all
would not be well with the author when
the two meet month two hence. Miss
Grimshaw has just finished a book of travel
in the South seas which is to be published
soon in England and America She is
lively, adventurous Irish woman of
splendid physique. a crack shot, expert
swimmer, and not afraid of anything. She
loves roaming in the South seas far more
than going to teas and dinners In London.
CHARLES OGDENS.