The Washington herald., 1907-10-06
In the World of Books
LITERARY GOSSIP
LITERARY GOSSIP.

In striking contrast to the bulk Of
heavy literature about Ibsen is the little
volume "Erinnerungen an Henrik Ibsen"
by Won John Paulsen, who was Ibsen's
companion in South Germany and Italy
for many years. and who contributed the
sketches that make up his book 70 vari-
Gus Norwegian journals from time to
time. Won Paulsen gives the world a de-
lightfuIly Intimate glimpse of this sour
old genius who did his work In silence
and took no one into his confidence. He
was rIdioulously sensitive about letting
his thoughts about his work be known.
and once, while Frau Ibsen and their
son, SiSurd. were travelling they picked
up a slip Of paper on which Ibsen had
written Der D0ktor sagt, referring, OF
course, to Dr. Stockman in An Enemy
OF the People" They began to speak 10
him about his next play, and Ibsen flew
into rage, asked her Il he were sur
rounded by spies. and whether the con-
tents Of his desk were no longer sacred.
Acquainted with Goethe and Schiller,
Hebbel and Ludwig from his youth, and
strongly drawn TO Dante. 1bsen never
theless gave little or no attention to the
modern German writer's knew Yerga.
Edmond0 dAmici. Fogazzaro. and other
Italians only by name. and was never
known, TO Paulsen. 10 have an Italian
book OF journal in his room. Like Goethe.
he cared not a fig for Florence, and spent
much of HIS time in Italy in the capital
itself
Won Paulsen had many a long talk with
Ibsen, and he reproduces much Of what
the great dramatist had 10 say. OF
Bjornson he said; He and are not
enemies, as many think. our partisans
are at enmiry with each other, but not
we ourselves" Ibsen did not believe that
a man could successfully divide his talent
in the writing of both novels and dramas.
and pronounced Bjornson's Newly We'd
ded Couple" a dramatic novel Paulsen
tells how Hans Christian Andersen re-
fused 10 come down 10 a notable dinner
10 which Ihsen was also invited, keeping
the company waiting nearly an hour
1bsen relieved the situation by going up
10 Andersen's room alone patting him on
the back, and sh0wering him with COM
plIments. Andersen asked me-" said
lbsen. If I really still appreciated him.
It was a delightful dinner: Andersen
could be entertaining and amiable as few
others"
As a stage director for his own PLAYS
Ibsen was not much of success. He
was finicky about little things. and in
sisted always on his choice Of certain
people for the parts he had written II
Is interesting 20 learn. too, how Ibsen
studied the world and its characters. TAX
ing UP his position regularly in restau-
rants near the doors, and preferably be
fore mirrors, so that he might study pas
sing individuals.
The record Of book popularity NJ the
Public Library during the past week is
as follows:
NONFICTION
CTsne-" Right ana Wrong Thinking"
brandon Analysis Of Gothic Architecture"
FICTION
DeMoTgau-"AIcs for short"
Williams Princess Virginia"
JUVENILE,
Alcott-"LittIs Women.
Laug-"Red Fairy Book"
Brown Two College Girls.
During the week books on domestic
architecture and psychology have been
especially in demand. On the former SUB
ject the books most called for We're
Briggs Bungalows and Country Resi-
dences' and Hodgsou's Practical Bunga-
lows and Cottages for Town and Coun-
try The most popular books on pgy-
cholOgy were William James Talks 10
Teachers on Psychology" and DeXte-s
Psychology in the Schoolroom."
Books thar have just been published h.
Henry Holt s, Co. are: Wage Earn
ers' Budgets" a study Of standards and
cost Of living in New York City. by
Louise p. More. with a preface by Prof.
Franklin Il. Giddiags. Of Columbia Uni
versity: "Harps Hung Up in Babylon"
a collection of poems by arthur Cotton:
"A Turnpike Lady" "a tale Of Bcartown.
Vt. 176S-lI5G by Sarah y. CIeghorn;
'The Youngsters Of Centerville.'' a book
for boys and girls. by Eta Anthony
Baker, "POe's Raven IN an Elevator, and
Other Tales" being the third edition Of
Charles Battcu LOOmis' More Cheerful
Americans
THE Romance Of the Salvation Army
by Hulda Friederichs. with an iutroduc-
tion by Gen. Booth. is an important work
which viii be published next week by the
CasseH- Company. Miss Friederichs gives
the complete story Of the rise and prog
ress Of the Salvation Army from sources
Of information which render her work an
authoritative as well as a deeply inter
esting one.
The Maine coast possesses q great at
traction for authors. William Dean How
ellis has his summer home there. at Kit
terry Point, and occupies himself with a
vegetable garden. Mrs. Margaret Deland
has a cottage at KennebunkpOrt. and
cultivates there some gorgeous flowers.
Now Jahn KendTick Bangs has purchased
an estate between Portsmouth and Port
land, where he plans 20 spend the greater
part OF the year. Il is probable that he
viii devote some Of his time 10 farming
Philip Verrin NIighels, whose latest
book is called "Sunnyside Tad" tHar-
pers). is a lively traveller. He spends his
summers In California and Nevada, and
the autumns and winters in New York,
with frequent runs 10 Florida and an oc-
easionaI trip abroad. He has crossed the
Atlantic four times, and the continent
ENfNtfNNNlAs Il iiAhb a ADllts writes llE.
Mighels, but l cannot recall az present
any more definite site of it than a Pull
man"
When Gertrude Atherton returned from
Munich in July. before returning TO Cali
fornia. which is her home State, she made
q memorable visit to Kentucky. AS Ger
trude Franklin Horn, Mrs. Atherton went
10 boarding school in the Bluegrass cap
ital, Lexington, coming all the way across /
the continent Many Of the friends who
Joined in her entertainment this summer
were women she had known in school
days and had never seen since school
days ended. one social Junction. gar
den DdTty-fOr the descendant OF Benja-