The Washington herald., 1907-01-20

A thousand-fold Upon their shelves they wait
Ready 10 soOthe yoa if you need their aid.
Untouched, they viii not rail al your neglect
Thompson.
The most discussed of the modern
writers just now is George Gissing, the
man Of many tales-taies Of gerat power
and beauty, some Of them-and the author
Of essays. notably his one on Charles
Dickens" that have left their mark OF
his time. He died at ST. Jean de Luz in
1893 at the age of forty-twO. but he
was broken by hard work and by the
early years Of toll and deprivation. He
left a fairly large output for so young
man. He made his first mark with
'The Unclassed" in 1854. and to this
period of his endeavor belong also the
novels Born in Exile" Isabel Claren-
don.' Demos '-Thyrza. and New
Grub Street" Then came another period
of activity and a new line of work be-
ginning with "Denzil Qua: ier, in 1892,
and ending with "The Crown of Life ="
1893 This period embraces the best of
Gissings's novels. his The Year of Jubi-
lee" and The Whirlpool" work Of such
fine quality that it has been compared
by critics to that OF Thomas Hardy.
II is yet doubtful what will be the ulti-
mate position in the world of letters to
which George Gissing will be assigned,
but that 1t viii be a high one there
can be little doubt He has grown stead
lily in appreciation since his death. Per-
haps the phase of his character as a
writer that stands out strongest is his de-
lineation of the ills of poverty-he suf-
feTed much in this way himself, and
wrote OF it from a full heart. To those
who have had no taste of Gissing's quail
ity is to be commended certain passages
dealing with the slums. the unbeautiful
slums in which Gissing still managed to
find something beautiful This note may
be found best. perhaps. in ''Thyrza," that
madonna Of the slums." Here is a frag-
nent of il:
street organ began to play IN front Of a public
house close by. Grail drew near; there we're chill
dren forming dance. and he stood to watch them.
DO y0u know the music Of the obscure ways 20
which the children dancer Not If you have only
heard It ground to your ears afHicti0n beneath
your windows in the square To hear it Alright yen
must stand in the darkness Of such a by-street as
this. and for the moment be with those who
dwell around. in the bleaT-eyed houses in the dim
burrows Of poverty. in the unmapped haunts Of the
seni-human. Then sou viii know the full sig
niheance OF that vulgar changing Of melody; a pa
thos Of which yen did net dream viii touch you.
and therein the secret Ct hidden London viii be
half revealed Tie life Of men who toll without
hope. yet. with the hunger Of an unshsned desire
Of women IN whom the sweetness OF their sex Is
perishins under labor and misery; the laugh the
song Of the grl who strives to enjoy her year OF
two Of youthful vig0r. knowing the darkness Of
the years % come; the careless defiance Of the
youth who feels his blood and reyolts against the
lot which would tame il ali that Is purely human
in these darkened multitudes speaks TO you as you
listen.
Books of reminiscence and biographical
anecdote seem to be having quite a
vogue just now. One Of the latest is
Edinburgh Under Sir Walter Scott" by
w. T. Fyfe. which contains many choice
and quaint stories. One of them is about
a certain Judge Eskgrove:
He had to condemn two or three persons 10 die
who had broken into a house at Luss and assaulted
Sir James Colquhoun and others. and robbed then
of large sum Of money. He first as was his almos'
constant practice explained the nature Of tbe "a
rous crimes. assault. robbery. and the hameslcken
of which last he gave them the etymCogy; and
he then reminded them that they attacked tbs
house Gnd the persons in IT, and robbed them and
then he came 10 this climax: "Au this you did
and God preserve u.s. Joost then they were sitteu
doom 70 their denner
II. Jusserand. in his a Literary History
Of the English People," gives an amusing
account Of how cleverly Cromwell hoisted
upon Henry VIII as his bride the great
Flanders mare" Anne Of Cleves. It was
pity that the most desirable princess for
the king must be deceived about heI
beauty. English ambassadors were sent
10 Cleves. but their reports were at most
caution. They reported Anne well bred
she will be a great loss to her mother
she can sew, read, and write; she avoids
eating too much. AS to the rest: your
graces servante Hanze AIbein taken tn
ef1gy Of my Lady Anne and
hattie expressed her imaige veryc
lyvelye." NJ. Jusserand adds:
HoIbein's portrait was indeed quite pleasing. Tn
only falsehOOd, which apparently by command tn
artists truthful brush ever perpetrated The mar
mage was decided. At the sight of his bride Henri
remained speechless and forgot in his pocket n,
book be had brought her. It too late 10 draw
back. and the union s0lemnzed on the 9Th o
January, 1870. Cromwell was created Earl OF Essel
on the 18th Of April by master who knew
how 10 fiatter victims already doomed. A few
weeks later he was IN the Tower. ending his las
letters with these words: Most gracious prynce
crye for mercye, mercye mercye! Upon N,
knees prostraJe Pardon. mercyer' Thi
vas not to know Heury Some DAYS after fJur
2s the head Of the all powerful minister was strac
Of and the loyal parliament decided that 1T shal
be high treason by word or deed 70 accept. take
Judge, believe the said marriage with the Flander
msrel 70 be good.
Says Mr. Devery," by Percy Lindon
Howard, is a series of essays on thing.
IN general supposed to have been writer
by BIr. Devery, a ward politician. The!
are much varied. and, as the autho
says, you may begin the book at thi
end or in the middle, II you choose. No
every one. perhaps, will agree with Mr.
Devery's theories of life and morals, bu
many will get some fun out Of readin,
them, and any reader may reject what h,
does not like of them. Perhaps nothinr
will give so good taste of the quality
Of this work as a few OF Mr. Devery'i
epigrams picked at random from tn,
essays:
There amt no women no more. All the girl
dies at ffty-dEe OF SIXTY.
Il cuts no hgure for gifl to be able TO mrs
Latin roots. What she wants to know is how Z
cook beet roots
ANY that can't feel the keen joJ Of bein
disposscssed, amt got the science Of life dow
nnc
When you're alone an there amt no uss !,
lyin' the thing 10 do is 20 own up TO corn
AS soon 4 fellow reaches mans estate N
starts in to reach the other mans estate
man don't mary what a woman is, but wha
he figures she is an sometimes he's a skate a
mathematics.
Some parents has trouble with Their boys lyin'
but most Of en- has 1t hardest when they tell tn
truth
The highest privilege Of the American workin
Fr-Gilrqa Of vofi fro ,.r