Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-22
Literary Notes

| A writer in the current number of the
Grand Magazine says of Spurgeon: 81
was first introduced to Mr.. Spurgeon
about thirty years ago. He was con-
temptuous of all affectation of piety, and
could never tolerate a Stiggins. AS knew
him he was something of bonvivant-en-
joyed the pleasures of the table-port was
he could have taken-and was a. great
smoker, being especially addicted to
cigars. and good ones.
Z" I smoke, said Spurgeon one day, to
the glory of Cod There was no irrev-
said. He believed with ST. Paul that
whether we eat or drink, or whatever we
did, so that it be not sinful, is done to
the glory of God"
Within the last few months five of the
best and most dignified magazines in Eng
land have gone out of existence. They
all are historic names-Murray's Monthly
Review, The Gentleman's Magazine, Long
mans Magazine, Temple Bar. and Mac
millan's Magazine. And yet at the present
moment the magazine trade is flourishing
as 1t never has fiourished before. 1t is
an interesting sign of literary tendencies,
because it shows the extent of the inva-
sion of literature by commerciallsm, and
because 1t illustrates some points of diff
ference between the English and the
American reading publics.
Writing of the Russian censorship Of
books Leroy Scott in the Outlook says:
II asked for several forbidden publica-
tions, and was informed with great cour-
tesy that they did not have them. They
..fx esof1 n
Russian friend after we had gone out.
At another bookstore to whose head 1
had an Introduction from Gorky, the situa-
ton was just the opposite Whatever for
hidden print / asked for was shown me
instantly, though with extreme caution,
for any one of the students and pro-
fessional looking men who crowded the
store might be a spy. At length asked
for little pamphlet telling the story Of
Znaida Konoplannikova, the girl terrorist
who year ago killed Gen. Minn-a most
dangerous book to have about. The
dealer fiImbled under the counter, let me
in behind the counter beside him, and
handed me large volume of government
statistics Face the crowd; it's in that,
he whispered. | faced about and opened
the book, with its back toward the other
customers There, within its pages, In a
red cover, was the story of the former
schoolmistress who had boldly and gladly
exchanged her life for the life of one
hated as a brutal tyrant. Behind the
protection of the government report |
slipped the pamphlet inside my coat. Then
handed back the big volume-and the
publisher looked relieved"
81
An article in the London Bookman says;
'oThe great stories that shine in litera-
ture have kept their pace by the faith
hope. Justice purity, strength of convic-
tion shadowed forth in them. dNo supreme
book breaches moral anarchy. The alter
native to be decided by readers-chietiy
women-who make the fortune of English
fiction, is whether we shall continue the
splendidly wise and tender-hearted tradi-
tion OF Scott, Dickens, Thackeray, or fall
upon the garbage spread out in the sun
by imtators of the erotic, absinthe-
drenched, nerve-racked decadente who
swarm about Paris cafes. Do we choose
the latter? Then our novel is doomed
1t will be a thing illicit and unmention-
able, to be Stunned by the self-respecting;
a bad habit which lowers vitality, clouds
the brain and clamors for increase of
poison till nothing remains but anfappe-
tite, le soif de la mort. Literature Will
have sunk to pathology; and the physician
may be compelled to treat the modern
story as If 1t were a shameful disease.
81
Clara Barton, in ''The Story of My
Childhood,' has told In an entertaining
way Of her early years in her English
home. and Of the struggles which she
made to overcome extreme bashfulness
and timidity.