The Washington herald., 1907-12-08

One of the interesting books of the week
is Shirley Brooks of Punch" the biogra-
ply OF clever and most interesting man.
The book Is full of anecdote about the
famous men who were Brooks contem-
poraries. and one OF these shows in
most striking way the marked difference
in mental temperament between those an
cient political adversaries, Beaconsheld
and Gladstone.
Al a ROYAL Academy dinner Browning was seated
next TO Disrael. who remarked 70 the poet that the
walls were covered with rubbish. Shortly afterNard
however, on getting up 70 speak, Dsraei enlarged
upon tho glories of English art especially on the
portrait painting and the landscapes. and pointed
70 the walls. When he sat down Browning asked
him how he recencied with his speech what he had
said 70 him privately. He replied My dear
Browning. are you ignorant not 70 know the
difference between a mans private and public Mt
terancesi" When Browning repeated tins 70 Glad
stone ne looked severe and sternly said. Helsh! "
The following is the record Of book
popularity at the Public Library during
the past week. In nonhction the call
was for Duncan's Chemistry OF Com
merce" and Rahil's Corporation Ac-
counting" In fiction the call was for
Wharton's Fruit Of the Tree" and
Parker's "Weavers- Among juvenile
books. Grimms Fairy Tales. Alcott's
Little Women" and Anderson's Fairy
Tales. Some Of the popular subjects on
which there was considerable call FOR
books were life IN colonial days, where
the call was for Earle's Colonial
Days and Glenn's "Sone Colonial Man
sions and Who Lived in Them and
Oriental rugs, where the call was for
Ripley's Oriental Rug Book, and Holt's
Rugs Oriental and Occidental
Harper < Brothers announce the pub
lication Of "The Land OF Believe
and other Christmas Poems" by Wilbur
Nesbit This book contains the best Of
Mr.. Nesbits Christmas and holiday
poems and verse, compiled from his work
of the past twelve years. They cover
a wide range Of sentiment. humor and
pathos, and each one is in his best vein.
The volume has a frOntispiece in color
by A. l. Keller and other illustrations.
and has been given careful and thought
fui treatment mechanically. 1t imme-
diately suggests itself as a gift book.
Holly and Christmas candles are striking
decorative features Of the cover.
The collected works OF Dora Sigerson
which is, although several hundred copies
will be handled in this country by the
Harpers, an English edition. contains an
introduction by Mr. George Meredith In
which the Victorian poet and critic has
notable word TO say upon English YER
sifying. There has been OF late cry. 80
says Mr. Meredith. "for the more rigid
enforcement of rhyme; strange 70 hear
when the many writer's of verse are wear
ing the poor stock we have to shreds-
That hard, cOnsonantal smack on the ear
Of an exact similarity OF sound is re-
quired in what is called our heroic verse.
which relies for its effects on the timely
clapper. In lyrics the demand for music
is imperative, and as quantity is denied
10 the English tongue, rhymes there must
be Unhappily the monosyllables chiefly
I'm request are a scanty lot. Attempt to
translate Heine. and our weakness in
dissyllables battles the experiment. An
unrivalled instrumentalist like Mr.. Swim
burne. prince Of lyrists, does marvels
with the language. Lesser men. however
correct their rhyming, betray the cramp
of their hand in frequent repetitions Of
the rhymes"
Apropos Of the one hundredth anniver-
sary Of the birth Of John Greenleaf Whit
tier which occurs on Tuesday Decem-
Der Il. Prof William Lyon Phelps. OF
Yale. contributes TO the December num-
Der of the North American Review a
charming appreciation of the Quaker
poet. Prof. Phelps says OF Whittier:
He was essentially a lonely man. Romantic by
temperament. susceptible TO feminine charms and
exactly constituted for the happiness Of love and do
nestle life. he was doomed 20 aus;ere celihacy-
Filled with curiosity for distant places, and having
contemporaries Irving who spent over twenty
years Of his life in Europe; Cooper who besides his
voyages. lived abroad successive years: Bryant
who made six excursions 70 the Old World; Long
fellow. who knew Europe perhps better than his
tiye land-Whittier's travels bounded on the
north by the limits Of New England. the east by
the neighbOT1ng shore. TIE south by Washington.
and on The west By Harrisburg Brought up a Qua
ker. he clIt of from the cheerful human actiy-
tiles Of New Engand churches the most prominent
feature Of village social life The curse Of constant
headaches and chronic insomnia made him almost
prisoner. or. Barrett Wendell phrases IT, he was
generally troubled by that sort of robust poor
health which frequently accompanies total alb
stinence. But with all these discouragements pri-
Nations. and enforced rcnunciations he seems 10
have preserved the temperament Of beautiful
child.
The death OF Sir Lewis Morris recalls
the fact that after Tennysons death he
was the popular candidate for the post OF
British Poet Laureate. The honor would
probably have been given him had Glad
stone been in office at the moment.
Indeed. Sir Lewis's occasional poems.
written for public or official celebrations,
were as graceful and appropriate as effu-
sions OF the sort are capable of being.
OF real poetry he wrote little. though he
m IA 20
worth with astonishing skill. He had no
message Of individual or original author
ity. but he wrote sweetly clearly and
with refinement.
From the new volume Of the Memoirs
of the Countess De Boigne" it is interest
ing TO learn how little the training Of
English girls has changed since 1916.
Childhood is carefully watched" the
author writes "and is usually a happv
period; it is surpassed 20 continue to the
age Of Il or IS. The daughter then leaves
the nursery and is presented at court.
her name is printed on her mothers call
ing cards. she is taken about every
where. and abandons a life Of the most
complete seclusion for one Of the utmost
dissipation The husband hunt has now
begun Having become settled in life.
continues this observing old lady. the
mothers care for the children that arrive.
The husband when the season of love has
passed preserves his domestic habits un-
I'll WEAKNESS supervenes. They then
travel and return to bring out their chill
dren. This is the time when English
women begin firtations It is the
time when mothers Of 40 may be seen
falling in love with young men OF p,
Al. Il