The Washington herald., 1908-06-21
THROUGH THE MAGIC DOOR

THROUGH THE MAGIC DOOR
The novels and stories Of Sir A. Conan
Doyle have long delighted many readers
who have sought entertainment in ex-
element. It Is a widely different dish
and an appeal to a different clientele
that he offers in his latest work, THE
Magic Door" For this door is the one
that leads TO his library. where. ranged
around the walls, are the shelves con-
tanning the thoughts Of the best people
in the world. It is a personal invitation
that the author extends TO book lovers:
Come through the magic door with me. and si;
there on the green Settee, where you can see the
old oak case, with its untidy lines Of volumes
Smoking is not forbidden. Would you care 10 hear
mo talk OF theml Wei, ! ask nothing better, for
there is volume there which IS not dear. PER
sOnal friend. and what a man talk Of more
pleasantly than thatl The other books arc over
yonder. but these my own faYorites-the ones
care 20 re-read and 20 have near my elbow. There
is not tattered cover which does not bring its
mellow memories TO me.
And it must sound good TO the bookman
TO think OF this company OF favored
books. the ones the author picked up at
secondhand book stalls when every book
purchased meant n sacrifice. Well, but
they were worth Il. for here are Gordon's
"Taccitus," Sir William Temples Essays,
Addison's works. Swift's Tale of a Tub. >"
Clarendon's History. "Gn Bias" Buck
ingham's poems. Life of Bacon odd
volumes OF Milton. Machiavelli Ha.iam,
Southey. Bunyan. Byron, Johnson, Pitt.
Hampden, Give Hastings, Chatham
what nuclei for thought
And then TO hear Sir Conan Doyle talk
enthusiastically about his books. IL is a
rare treat, for this book is written in an
intimate personal way. and there is no
more dogmatsm or didactlcism than there
would be In conversation between two
gentlemen. He offers his opinions for
what they are worth. you feel that he
could argue well about them; but ne does
not insist on them. One thing he is sure
of-and that is real enthusiasm-that a
great writer can never go wrong II
Shakespeare gives a seacoast 70 Bohemia
or Victor Hugo calls an English prize
fighter Mr.. Jim-John-Jack-well il really
was so, and there's an end Of A. There
is no second line OF rails at that point"
said an editor 10 an author. I make a
second line said the author; and he
was within his rights, If he can carry his
readers with him
Here is discourse Of old DR.. Johnson.
that virulent old man. so afraid OF death,
who yet died like a gentleman Here
is eulogy on Walter Scott, and plea
for Count Robert OF Paris" one OF the
least read OF all his novels. Then we
cofe TO George Borrow, and that leads
US on 10 the days OF the prize ring Lit
erature, good literature deigns even 70
deal with these. for behind The Magic
| Door" and volumes OF Fistiana as il is
called, and here IS a reflection that the
author throws out:
Many Of these men have served their country
wei with that strength and courage which brought
them fame. CRIB was. II I mistake not. f. the
uul navy. SO was the terrible dwarf ScTugFins.
al chest and Shoulders whose Swinging hats for
many a year carried al before them until the
cauuy Welsllnan, Ned Tuner. stopped his career.
Ouly % be stopped 10 turn ty the brilliant Irish
man. Jack Randall Shaw who stood high among
the heavy-weights. cut 20 pieces b. the French
cuirassiers in the first charge Of Waterloo. The
brutal Bcrss died greatly iu the breach a. Badaos.
Tho lives q these prizc fighters stood fOr some
thing and that was Just the one supreme thing
which tho times called f0r-an uuhinchlnE endurance
which could bear up against a world In arms Look
| az Jem Beicher-bsautifil. heroic Jem. a manher
/ BrC1-bIt there this IS not an old mans essay
on the Trizo ring. and one mans lore Is another
mans bore. Let US pass those three loE-doWu. un-
ustfabe. fascinating VOLUMES and on 20 nobler
/ topics beyond
And II YOU will but follow him. he will
/ take you into the society OF Poe and
Stevenson. those masters OF the short
story; and he Will tell you about Kip
/ ling and about Ambrose BIerce. whom.
mistakenly. he seems 10 think dead. for
. he speaks OF a man who IS a familiar
figure in Washington in the past tense.
/ He says Of him:
Z have one o. his works there "In the Midst Of
I Life" This man had fatUr quite bis owu and was
great artist IN his way. IL IS not cheering reading
but IL leaves its mark upCn you and that Is proof
/ Of good work
/ We have said enough. perhaps. 10 whet
/ the appetite OF book lovers fo- this latest
I book of Sir Conan Doyle's. There is meat
/ here for the digestion Of manya pleasant
evening. IL is a book that seems pc
culiarly fitted for winters evening
and a wood fire. a sympathetic friend. a
/ pipe. a chapter OF the book and then talk
talk Of books. which leads 10 talk OF
men and deeds. which is the sanest and
/ healthiest sort of talk. This book is an
/ inspiration 10 good things-a sheer delight.
/ CNew York. The Mcclure Company