The Washington herald., 1908-03-08
THE WORLD OF BOOKS
LITERARY cLEANINcs AND GOSSIP

At the Public Library last week the
most popular books were; In nonfiction.
Weale's 'Indiscreet Letters from Pekin. -
and campbell's New Theology in fc-
ton. Glasgow's Ancient Law" and
Locke's Morals Of Marcus Ordeyne;"
in Juvenile books. Alcott's Little Wom-
en- and Grimm's Fairy Tales" Books
concerning food and chemical technology
have also been in demand On the for
mer subject the call has been for Wileys $
Foods and Their Adulteration" and
Blyths Foods Their Composition and
Analysis" on the latter subject it has
been Wagner's Manuel of Chemical
Technology" and Thorp's Outlines of
Industrial Chemistry
Mary INLAY Taylor, whose new novel,
"The Resping" deals with the political
and social life OF the National Capital.
was born in Washington, d. c.. where
she was educated entirely at home under
private tutors. and at an early age be-
gan writing both poetry and prose--to
the ea-ertainment of her family Her
especial studies We're always history and
first writings TO appear in print should be
colored with historical romance. Her first
novel, "on the Red Staircase was fol-
lowed by other romances. including The
Cardinals Musketeer," THE Cobbler OF
Mines. Anne Scarlet" Little Mis-
tress Of Good Hope THE Rebellion Of
the Princess" and my Lady Clancarty.' .
and THE Impersonator" The latter at
tracted widespread attention. Lillian
Whiting pronouncing IL mot only a most
absorbing story, but the ranking novel Of
those whose scenes are laid in Washing
ton
Prof. Albert Bushnell Harts National
Ideals" the last volume Of the Harpers'
cooperative history. The American Ma
ton" contains many pat and pointed
sayings regarding modern politics. In
speaking Of what he calls unofficial gov
ernment," Prof. Hart remarks: Nobody
ever stated the American principle Of
party organization better .han Thad-
deus Stevens. who. when told thar he
candidate for a particular Office was a
damned rascal. said. An want 10 know
is whether he is our damned rascal
number of the North American Review
an interesting essay under the title of
''The Poets Mind" in which ne en-
deavors to define the true nature Of
poetry. He arrives at the conclusion that
the essence Of poetry is imagined sense
experience. Poetry IS effective figure.
whereas practical language is non
fgurative or dsfgurative Mr. Eastman
says:
Lauguage is poetry. and prose is wIthered Ian
saase. Every poet who tries to write is made
aware tlat language is always dyiag and being born
again. This makes the trouble about mixed fig
ures. II phrase has become so common as to have
lost Us pictorial quality. il may become the in
gTedient Of a new and more comprehensive figure
but If II still conveys picture Of its own then the
union will be inCunQuOuS Yet if We bear in mind
those forgotten Origins. all language IS a mixture
OF nguTeS So long spoke simply, we SPOKE
pOetiCally. but when We became complex We had
70 mind our logic, and that primitive poetry died.
But here and there grows man whose thought is
an elixir 70 language. By no means viii he let his
visions tali nisdt into the patterns Of old expires
sion Combining these faded figures. he fashions a
new language which bodies the thing in a form 10
be. not aprrehended. but behcld; and We behold
ing. think that have found out our own thoughts
a. last. and We become his Disciples"
Sir Oliver Lodge. scientist and author
Of THE, Substance Of Faith which the
Har7ccs publish on this side of the
water, PRESENTS the rathc impressive
aspect Of a spiritualst who is a. INC same
time a sportsman Sir Oliver is 4 con
stant golfer, a member Of the Sutton
Coldheld and Felixstowe golf clubs. and.
in fact. has played the game for thirty
years. At ST. Andrews. where he learn
nd no C-DU
said TO him ione day, you don't plav
golf with your muscles; you play with
your morals" But, I hope" said Sir
Oliver. in telling the story, no one VIII
consider my morals as lad as my golf :"
Mrs HumphrY Ward will sail from
England to America on March II on
board the Adriatic. She expects 10 re-
main, as the guest OF her cousin. Mrs.
Frederick w Whitridge, for about six
weeks, in New York A vast number
of social arrangements have already
been completed for her entertainment
and there is no end to these in sight In
spite of the conjecture as to how much
of her coming experience she will turn
into material, it is probable that Mrs
Ward will give herself over 20 a single
and let literary motives for a while at
any rate. alone The Testing OF Diana
Mallory, in Harpers Magazine. prom
ises to be a fertile topic OF discussion
during the sojourn of its author.
AT a recent meeting of New England
college presidents, one Of the most i'm
portant Of them all remarked that mental
arithmetic did not train child's mind
and that mathematician per Sc was in
capable Of moral reasoning. Mathema-
ticians might take notice. remarks the
current Harper's Weekly 1T reminds
One.' says the writer, "of Stfles-Stiles
The greatest of the Yale mathematicians
of his time. He. indeed. hac virtues as
well as mathematics. and was the grace
ful and learned editor OF Garden and
Forest. horticulturist editor of the New
York Tribune. and president OF the New
York park commission. Once he was Ill
lor long tnle-a very long time-and he
used TO say that when he became con-
Nalescent he discovered that the mathe-
niaticai was the lowest order of mind.
He wanted 10 read; he tried poetry. and
that would not do: nor would fiction or
philosophy or history-but when he at
last tried mathematics he found that his
enfeebled mind could master that"
In the literary department of the March
number Hf the North American Review
Glasgow's THE Ancient Law is review
ed by Louise Collier Wilcox: Co,es'
Signs and Portents in the East and
Neame's The Asiatic Danger in the Col
onles." by J. H. Coates: Lepelletier's $
Paul Verlaine.' by Christian Gauss.
Tennyson loved to drink port On one