The sun., 1908-03-25
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

The arrival Of Mrs. Humphry Ward for
her first writ to America Ia arousing much
interest among literary and society people.
Mrs. Wards uncle. Matthew Arnold came
10 the United States in 1888, and repeated
his yisit three year, afterward. The present
hostess and cousin OF Mrs Ward, Mrs.
Frederick W. Whitrdge, who is the daugh-
ter Of Matthew Arnold, was likewise his
hostess. end the Nhtridge dwelling at IL
East Eleventh street is the same house
where Arnold was entertained, Mrs. Ward
Ia continually asked to tell whether she
has come for impressions Of America,
and in reply intnatcs that she cannot
help but get them. Meanwhile fortunate
people who are invited 10 meet Mrs. Ward
are catching up as fast as they can with
her new novel The Testing Of Diana Nal
ory.- running serially in H0rDors udpd-
Iinc, and with the March number reaching
dramatic climax.
II il Interesting 70 lesrn that Prof james
inspired 'The Riddle Of Personality that
the proofs were examined by him and that
]
idea is that all the various movements for
investigating the psychical and unknown
during the last twenty years, however
absurd and illogical we're all converging
toward a great science Of the study, the
development and the utilization Of mans
latent powers' II tells OF the work that
is being done in Europe and America TO
stamp the abnormal out Of human life,
10 cure mental and nervous disease. 10
assist men 70 withstand better the terrific
strain Of present day conditions.
The London public seems TO he greatly
interested just now in what they call truly
American plays and books. The Squaw
Man" which has been 50 popular that It
has caused a demand for an English edition
published under the title OF 'The White
Man" is 20 be succeeded 10y a production
Of "Pudd nhead Wilson" rlaye! by the
same star that made a success Of It's pred
ecessor,
MIR Maurice Hewlett's new novel, The
Spanish Jade to be published this spring,
deals with the Spanish people Of Fifty years
ago in tho same graphic manner with which
the author has so often presented mediaval
France or England.
Speaking oi novels George Dyre Ed
ridge, who has a new novel OF his own,
In the Potter's House coming out this
week. says q find especial pleasure in
Hardy, Meredith Balzac, few works Of
Thackeray, Dickens and Stevenson and
Eliots 'Sas Mariner Scott has ceased
to attract me As he once did. Tom Jones
is a store Of wealth in its way, but 'Jons.
than Wild is TO me a standing marvel and
the best book Of its kind know Of, When
| want something stirring | reread the
Three Musketeers, but | never find my
desire 80 strong as 10 carry rue into the
succeeding volumes. KipNug grips me
hard
Mr.. Bernard Shaw says, 4 am over 81
now and have shot my bolt, | have broken
a hole in the hedge for younger men and
there Is a whole string Of them pressing
through il and doing much more finished
and less hammered work than mine.
In Sir Henry Drummonds Rambling
Recollections" is quoted an entry from his
notebook 'Mr. and Mrs, Browning were
s'5o living in Florence anG tners, believe,
their son was born. To Lady Normandy
was attributed the saying Now thore are
not two incomprehensibleS, but three in
cumprehensiblesr The author also quotes
o letter from Buwer Lytton in which is
written three masterpieces in narrative
can never be too much studied-the 'Hdi-
pus Tyrannus, The Bride Of Lammer-
moor and Tom Jones.
Most Of the literary pilgrims who have
been jouneying down to Boxhll 10 help cele-
brate George Meredith's eightieth year drop
into the Burford Bridge Hotel, little hos
telry which has interesting associations Of
its own 1t was here that Mr. Meredith
made the one speech he ever made I a
little dinner given him by friends and ad-
mirers. Moreover IL was here that Nelson
and Lady Hamilton parted when Nelson
went down to Portsmouth TO join the Victory
and subsequently win Trafalgar II was
here that Keats is said 10 rave written
'Endymion' or some part Of IL
The fund for a memorial 10 III" late Mrs
Craigie CJohn Oliver Hobbesi Ia very nearly
completed to tn required El, 900, A me-
dalion OF Mrs. Craigie is TO be placed in
University College London, and the surplus
will go toward founding a scholarship for
the study Of modern English literature
News Of Plays and Players.
The Shuberts yesterday announced the
cas- for their forthcoming production Of