The Washington herald., 1907-09-22
THE WORLD OF BOOKS.
By HECTOR FULLER
By HECTOR FULLER.

More and more attention is being paid
10 the readings provided for the young
sters. and one Of the finest marks of this
tendency is a series Of books just about
10 be published by Houghton. Mimin &
Co. of Boston. called The Children's
Hour" The series is arranged Icy Eva
March Tappin, The series, of course.
takes its name from that poem of Long
fellow:
Between the dark and the daylight,
When the night is beginning 90 lower
Comes pause IL the DAYS occupations.
That Is known as the children hour.
The series Is designed for children of
all ages The stories are taken from the
literature of all nations and all ages. and
so selected that they will not only in
terest and instruct but will ultimately
lead 70 a desire for literature of the best
kind. The variety is very wide. There
are fairy stories, ranging all the way
from those Of Germany and the Morse
countries 20 India and Japan; there are
classic tales from the Greek and Latin
and there are the mythical tales Of chival-
~ and the old favorites. 1t is fine idea.
and it is to be hoped it viii be worthily
carried out.
AT the Public Library last week the
most popular books in nonhCtion were
-Pallisers -'Up-to-Date House Plans" and
Bagley's Classroom Management" In
fiction the call was for "Couuiston" by
Winston Churchill. and The Fighting
Chance. by Chambers. The juveniles
called for Grimms Fairy Tale and Al
colts Little Women" The other sub
Jects during the week that We're especial
ly popular were Esperanto and psy-
chology.
ThacGeray was never able TO dictate
his stories; he tried TO. but gave il up
Scott. too, attempted dictatiou, but
found the effort useless. and returned 10
what he termed the magic Of the
PEN Even in this present-day steno-
graphic era. there are many writer's who
write out all OF their work themselves,
although some choose 10 utilize the
typewriter. finding. with its use, an
easier flow OF thought than when they
use the pen. W. l.. Howels never die
tates his work; and Henry James never
took up dictation until after getting the
mistaken impression that 0IT HOwells
used it.
Reviewing the poetic drama Of the pres
ent day. in the course of an article in the
September number Of the North Ameri-
can Review, Louise Collier Wilcox
touches vaTiOuSly upon the pOeticaI works
Of William ButlerT eats, Thomas Hardy's
The Dynasts" Olive Tilford bargains
Lords and Lovers. and Other Dramas"
RidgeIy Torrence's "Abelard and Heloise."
Percy OIacllaye's Jeanne dare" and
"Sapho and Phaon," and Sara King
Wieys "The Coming Of Philibert" She
remarks. Each year sends in a new
dozen or so of pOeuc plays showing that
the form has undoubtedly come 10 stay
IN some sort il gives an answer 20 the
reiterated question, Is literature dead2
Not dead. but hiding, is the reply; a
little overlaid by quantities of Chcaply
manufactured novels and, literature being
essentially dristOCratiC. somewhat awed
by ascendant democracy In an age when
an uniearned opinion can carry us far as
the learned, when public school education
has made every man a mediocre critic
and silenced the sound Of the trained
voice, it is somewhat difficult for litera-
ture 10 flourish exuberantly. The theory
that, 10 enter the sacred realm, q living
language must be handled as a learned
instrument, depending as much upon
sight and sound upon texture color. and
perfume as upon the sense IL conveys
does not easily gain popularity; and
when the garment Of words ga which a
the plain meanings TO peep through. and
the meanings are adapted 70 suit the
masses. then literature can Go no better
than hide a while and wait better times.
For literature, like all true art, has as
its aim TO give a very high and rare
order OF intellectual JOY; and 20 say that
its first aim should be 10 convey a fact,
or tell a tale is as dull as 10 fancy that
Beethoven symphony or a Rodin statue
should aim at telling a story or COM
memorating fact"
What chance has poet in these days?
asks the London Reader. a very poor
chance in this country. He may sell a
thousand copies. and, if SO. he is a very
fortunate man. But a thousand copies
viii bring him only so. and that is poor
pay for the thought the imagination, and
the labor condensed into "a volume Of
poetry Nor are things much better in
America,
The sudden death Of Eduard Crieg is a
great loss 20 the musical world of Amer
lea and Europe In the Masters Of
Music" series. John Lane Company have
issued a profusely illustrated biography
OF the famous Norwegian musician. The
author Of this work IS Henry T, Finck,
the well-known musical critic and author.
The book is dedicated 10 Edward Mac
doweH, Americas most original composer
who was more influenced by Eduard
Grieg than by any other musician. The
book contains a complete list of Grieg's
works. and many valuable and interest
Ing -full-page illustrations reproduced
from portraits.
The volume In memory Of the late Dr.
Boyd, which DR. TuEoch has edited un-
der tie title OF Sermons and Stray
Papers by A X. II. b." contains. Of
course, some amusing clerical stories
Here are two which are related in the
editors biographical Introduction;
A youthful preacher. walking home from church
with q venerable elder, i. evil moment said:
That was a fine text ! had to-day" NhcTCupou
Che elder. with much imIatieDce. replied: Oh yes
There was uacthiEE the matter with the text
Long ago % use the Lords Prayer condemned a
yUIug parson. Il was not sound. 90 It was "a
form IN that l8mcf8hle day a youth vent 80
preach for fine old Dr Gilchrist GA the Caumsatr.
IN Edinburgh We always say the Lord Prayer
here" the venerable father said in the vestry The
poor youth locked unhappy Much evil might come
upon him. doing And, with discounted conn
tenauce he SAID Must ! give the Lords Prayer3'