Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-13

To have created two characters entirely new
to fiction is mean achievement. and this
Is what Miss Zona Gale seems to have done in
THE Loves of Pelleas and Etarre.' The most
experienced novel reader is not likely 70 re-
call any figures in the whole realm OF fitera-
ture quite like the aged lovers of this story
1t was, indeed. daring experiment to write
a real love story about hero and heroine
of seventy, but Miss Gales attempt is Justi-
fled by it's entire success. The story, altnougn
1t has plenty Of incident is one OF the Simplest
as to plot. Peleas and Etarre. who have been
married for half century, are not only still
ardently in love with each other, but they
are also incorrgible match makers. without
children of their own, they adopt all tne
children of their friends, and make 1t their
self-appointed task to sooth the rough course
Of true love for every zone they know Tne
book Is merely the history of their successive
adventures. encountered in the pursuit OF this
amiable occupation
One of the most striking short stories pub
lished in recent years in America was Jack
London's Glove of Life'-an Unconditional mar
rative of the experience of a man lost in the
northwestern wilderness, and barely escap-
ing starvation. The story attracted conside-
rable attention at the time Of its hrst puDllca-
tion in a magazine. both as a remarkanie ex.
ample of London'5 ability in the handling Of
difficult subject and because the narrative
was said to be based on an actual occurrence
This is the story that stands hrst in the new
collection OF Londons short stories and give'
its title to lhe volume. There are seven Others
in the book, and some of them are no les'
striking than Love OF Life.
The popularity OF Richard Hovey's ''steir
Song" Barney McGee." and the songs from
vagabondi.. written with Bliss Carman, as
well as his splendid Dartmouth hymn ano
Dartn1ot:..l odes, have obscured the more Inn
portant masques and dramas of his Arthurian
SERIES OF the four finished books of this series
which he called "A Poem in Dramas, Tale
SIM" is the art poem in the sense that Goe-
the's Faust" and Dantes Paradise are
such Merlin is masque of the evolution OF
metaphysics. The Marriage of Guenevcre is
a stage play. and presents woman to be DIS
cussed in contrast with Tennyson's Guenevere.
The Birth of Galahad," another blank verse
drama for the theater, contains one splendid
act motherhood.
The Holy Grail. with other fragments and
completed parss Of the later and unfnisneo
plays OF the series, edited by Mrs. Richard
Hovey and with a preface by Bliss Carman.
published this month by Duffield & Co.. con
tains the plan by which the underlying
thought in this great work was to be wrought
out
Elinor Glyn. whose new novel, Three
Weeks has been issued in this country by
Duffield & Co. Is visiting friends in New
York and Newport Since THE Visits OF
Elizabeth" this English authoress has done
nothing that has stirred up readers and critics
of both continents like Three Weeks In
private life Elinor Glyn is Mrs. Clayton Glyn
of Harlow Essex, England. and sister OF
Lady Duff Gordon. This is her first visit to
most complete series Of reproductions OF
America.
Rembrandt's paintings, etchings and studies
will be found In special double number Is
sued by the International Studio. edited by
Emil Michel. The plates consist of photograv-
ure and colored illustrations. John Lane COM
papy ANNOUNCES this volume for early publica-
ton.
The Harpers are publishing this week new
novel by Gertrude Atherton, entitled ''Ances-
tors" 1t is not only forceful story, not only
one of absorbing and cumulative interest, but
it is a book planned and worked out on the
broad and generous scale of the masterpieces
Of the past. II, not only goes on with steady
increasing interest to the end, but the author
takes the time and pains, and possesses the
skill and the imagination, to give wonderfully
vivid presentations of characters and scenes
as the story proceeds. In its breadth and
sweep. it's absence OF slurring haste. Its splen-
did mastery of fascinating detail it constantly
reminds the reader of Thackeray and Dickens
and George Elot--those giants in fiction who
added to their genius an Infinite patience.
\ 1t is primarily a novel of America and Of
American life, but is story with English