New-York tribune., 1908-07-19
lbf Nem;1)ork 0xibnme.
SUNDAY, JULY 10. 1908.

Science will some day have to analyze the
effect which friendship with q man Of genius
has upon an ordinary mortal Why, when the
great man is dead, does his friend" develop
the conviction that he knows the mind Of genius
better than genius knew it himself? Some time
ago Mr. Percy Fitzgerald, who had been ad-
mitted to the intimacy Of Dickens Interested
himself in the idea of monument to the novel
list to be erected at Rochester. He offered to
supply 1t at his own cost, and 1t was to be, we
believe, Of his own design How would this
proposal have struck Dickens himself? In his
will he said, II conjure my friends On no ac-
count TO make me the subject Of any monument,
memorial, or testimonial whatever. l rest my
Plains to the remembrance of my countrymen
upon my published works, and to the remem-
brance Of my friends upon their experience OF
me In addition thereto" His son communicated
this passage to the Town Council Of Rochester,
whereupon the project was abandoned. Mr..
Fitzgerald was much disappointed. This must
leave the lovers of Dickens unmoved, but they
will wish to preserve as gem his comment ON
the prohibitory clause in the Will "Now do
not mean" he says ito refine or specially plead,
but it does seem to me that this is Il mere as
pration Of the testator'sI and that he had no
wish to interfere with the desires of the public"
Most wonderful wonderful! and yet again won
derfui. and after that, out of all hopping!
The question Of holiday reading, so called, Is
a matter of temperament One commentator
protests that "it is better to read Of Words
vorths daffodiis from the couch than when you
are walking among hedges OF wild roses. He
Is convinced that the country Sufices, adding
that wild roses need no book, and you have
your sermons in the stones of the road" Your
holiday reading. he argues, should at all events
have the charm of incnngruity. This sounds
very plausible, but it loses something If you
happen to dip into two such anthologies as have
just been published By Henry Holt 4 Co,
Que a collection Of Poems for Travellers" COM
piled by Mary R. ]. Du Bois and the other
similar collection, compiled by Lucy 81. Hum
y,hrey under the title Of "The Poetic Oh-W0rld:
A Little Book for Tourists" Repose and sweet
stimulus for thought are in these pages. Why
should not the traveller carry a volume OF the
sort in his pocket and turn to communion with
the poets when he Is in the mood, whether he
be poised upon an Alp or be at ease in his Inn?
II he is terribly systematic and pompous about
it that Is bis own fault, and the fortunate
observer of his pedantry is the richer by mo-
nent of innocent amusement There is no rea-
son why he should work himself up into pas
sion over SO harmless a foible. reader Of
other temperament may be genuinely grateful
for a book that, forgotten in his pocket or KNAPP
sack for days, suddenly offers itself as his mood
demands it. These two well made anthologies,
conveniently and prettily printed, are precisely
the books for such occasion.
Referring last month to the plaint Of Lon
don publisher on the poor season through which
he and his colleagues had been struggling, we
noted his ascription Of the trouble to 'the pres
ent gIut of pedestrian work." obstacle to the
circulation of good work against which we have
often protested. An American publisher Of
wide experience, confirming our argument In
this matter, reports developments In this coun-
try that are certainly encouraging. The book
sellers occupied in the distribution of momenta
rily popular books have naturally found their
profit in such publications. but they are coming
to see that the concentration Of their efforts
upon merchandise Of the sort has reacted dis
advantageously upon the sale of better stuff.
ITO bring the good book into the foreground to
keep the shelves wen stocked with all manner
of serious works, Is, after all, to make book
shop more interesting to a larger number Of
buyers. As we never tire Of pointing out the
readers in this country are not exclusively read
ers Of fiction, good or bad. The publisher to
whom we ailude observes that his business thus
far in the present year has been, In respect to
serious books, extraordinarily satisfying. Peo-
pie have not stopped reading novels No one in
his senses asks expects that they should do
SO. The point - that are drawing every