The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-11-17
THE WORLD OF BOOKS
LITERARY GLEANINGS AND GOSSIP

life OF Tolstoy. The same museum con-
tains the manuscripts OF all Tolstoy's
works, presented by himself
The books which WIFI be published this
month by Longmans. Green &. Co. will
form interesting additions TO the liter
allure Of the essay. One of these books
brings new material from no less a per
sOnage than that prince of essayists.
Lord Macauley, under the title, The
Marginal Notes of Lord Macauiey," Sc
lected by Sir G. o. Trevelyan. Macaulev
was an omniverous reader. and II was his
custom 10 jot down on the margins OF his
books what occurred TO him. by way OF
comment, on the subject that he was
reading. His library is thus a mine of
brief, original writings on every con-
ceivable topic. the best OF which Il has
been the aim OF the author TO collect in
this volume The other book is a collec-
ton OF short essays. mainly from the At
lantic Monthly. by Prof Charles Sears
Baldwin. OF Yale University, published
under the title. Essays Out OF Hours.
As this title indicates. the formality
which is sometimes associated with the
word essay is renounced, and the various
subjects touched by Prof. Baldwin are
moro SUCCESSFULLY than exclusively ere
ated.
That Dickens still has a ready and will
ing public Is testified by the fact that
Messrs. Jacobs & Co. already have ad-
vance orders for nearly the whole i'm
portatiOn OF a new and cheap edition OF
the novelist's works. This is a handy
edition Of twenty-five volumes, published
by Chapman & Hall in London, for which
Messrs- Jacobs & Co. have taken the
American market.
Selma Lagerlof was born In Varmland.
Sweden. forty years ago. Her first book
was the story Of Costa Berllng." novel
crowded with romance, adventure. and
pathos Her next book was Jerusalem"
story Of peasant life. Her third book
was the Miracles Of Anti-Christ "a story
OF life among the Siciliaus Perhaps the
most absorbing novel that Miss I4agerlof
has written is From a Swedish Home
stead" Her work has also included a
good number OF short stories. some Of
which have been gathered into a notable
book called Invisible Links" II would
seem, however, as II she had reached her
greatest power in the Wonderful Adven-
lures Of Nils" published by Doubleday.
Page, s. Co. which has appealed 20 the
heart Of Sweden as none Of her other
books has done.
In the Biographical series the Grafton
Press publishes this fall The Life and
Letters OF Andrew Ellicott." a famous
engineer Of Revolutionary times, by Cath
crime V. &. Mathews, and the late Prof
Hermann Krusi's "RecolIections of My
Life edited by Elizabeth 5. Alling
The title OF Mr.. Owen wister's forth
coming book. The Seven Ages OF Wash
ington." promises marked originality in
the treatment OF this subject Mr.. Wister
has not attempted 20 add 20 our knowl-
edge of the external events OF Washing
toms life. nor has It been his effort 10
bring together. in a bulky work. all the
existing biographical data. He has rather
aimed 20 sum up comprehensively the
qualities that made Washington what he
was, and 10 trace his influence on the
institutions OF this country. This IS a
task demanding something OF the nov
elists gift OF psychology. as well as the
historians trained sense OF perspective.
and in both Of these qualities Mr.. Wister
Is particularly we'll endowed. The book
IS 10 be produced In a manner betting
its importance, with adequate illustra-
lions. by the Macmillan Company.
4 notable collection of autograph let
ters. formerly the property OF the IA
nous Lady Blessington. sold BY auction
in London last week. Among the items
are some Of the most interesting Of
Thackeray's letters. one describing his eff
forts. Just before Vanity Fair" brought
him prosperity. TO get a place I'm the
post-offiee C'What place" ne says. "for
man Of letters.') and another showing
how he felt toward Dickens:
I have been for the last month the elumn,est and
most melancholy author who ever cracked Joke
With 4 sal heart Ny work shows ny dullness
think. tut. on the other hand, there is a fellow
b. the name Of Dickens who is bringing out a rival
publication. and who has written beautifully Bravo
Dickens! Day Copperield has beautiful things IN
it. those sweet little inmitabc bits which make one
50 fond of him. and let me tell your ladyshlp that
think he has bern reading certain yeow-c uvered
book VANITY Fair and with advantage. too tor
he has simpifed his style kept cut the fine words
and IN fact. is doing his best l am glad OF IL
hope it viii IsIt somebody his mettle somebody
who has been careless Of everything Of late but
won't 20 into the dolefuls All NY lady. who hasn't
his share:
Did Shelley, in his grewsome tragedy,
The Cenci," founded. as he acknowl-
edged. on a story "eminently fearful and
monstrous." place too much credence on
the manuscript communicated 70 him In
Italy? Mr.. Marion Crawford has written
an article which shows, Il is said. the
falsity Of the history used by Shelley
The novelist has lately acquired two
Cenci family documents. one of these
being a long letter written by the abom-
Unable Francesca Ceuci himself. a COPY
OF another Cenci letter has been given 10
him, and he has framed from these and
from careful study of the ease what he
believes to be a true relation II will
probably need TO be extraordinarily con-
vincing proof that VIII change opinion I'm
Italy I'm regard 20 the terrible tragedy OF
The Cenci family. MI Crawford's ar
ticle is TO appear in future number OF
the Century
Tennyson. figuring as champion of
the imperilled rights Of property. is thus
quoted In William Allingham's lately pub
lished Diary
! once in coffee shop in the Westminster
road az ( O'Clock In the morning. man was nag
ing, Why has s5and-so hundred pounds and I
have not a ShilIingi" I said 20 him: IF yoslr
father had left you hundred pounds YOU would
not give il away to somebody else " He had not a
word 20 answer. ] knew he hadn't.
Mrs. Humphry Ward. author of "MHly
and OIl1- rflblfsheE Nvox-.,,,to- - -.