Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-18

son makes an unworthy use of very marked
talents. The writer possesses decided power OF
Characterization good literary technique ana
knowledge of life as 1t Is but in his book he
offers nothing more than a long drawn out re-
ctal of a liaison In high life weakly attempt
ing to Justify the narrative by dragging In the
usual nemesis at the end.
The book is frankly and unconcernedly In
eofltravention with all canons of conventional
morality, and holds up badly hedonistic
standard of living. The punishment Wnich
overtakes the two principal characters at the
end Is not the result Of their moral detection,
but of the mans placing his career above his
Illicit love for the woman
Richard MELVILLE, an obscure young barris-
ter under the patronage OF wealthy and
fascinating woman. Gwendolen Ainslie, be-
comes rich and famous. Mrs. Ainsie's nus
band Wilfred Ainsie, self-centered hypo-
chondyiac seems more or less neglible. except
in serving by his unovable qualities TO condone
the offenses of his wife. MELVILLE reaches the
turning point of his career, when his success
depends upon his abandoning the woman.
dramatic effect is achieved when Mrs. Ainsiie
learns of her lovers detection and her hus-
bands suicide at the same time. The latter
does not concern her. Her only thought is OF
Melville She falls ill., and the end Is accom-
plished with death bed scene In which the
reclaimed lover arrives in time to receive for
giveness.
There are several we'll drawn secondary char
acters. and thread of secondary plot, mostly
adventurous, as far as its relation to the
main theme is concerned. All the characters
In itself There is much good dialogue, and
much true and convincing portrayal OF life
but nothing subtle searching or profoundly
| analytical. The books hold practically the
| same interest as Three Weeks" and should
| be a worthy successor to this volume
1.-THE Other Mans Wife" New York: Nit
elell & Kennedy.
Since there is no one book extant in any
| language or in any country which in any
| 80 Mil tha for M
| tiquity. for authority, for the Importance the
dignity and the variety of the matter 1t con-
| tains, 1t is but fitting that 1t should be the
subject of many dictionaries designed to eX-
plain its contents. During the past few years
great dictionaries of the Bible have been given
| to the world, but these are In many Volumes
costly to buy and cumbersome to consult. Be
sides, they bear the stamp OF speculative
| theory so deeply impressed upon them that
| they have proved acceptable to members of
only the most advanced school of higher criti-
| cism work of, very different type In one
volume has recently been published by the
Funk & Wagnalls company of New York. II is
"A Standard Bible Dictionary" and is designed
as a comprehensive guide to the Scriptures. 1t
| embraces the languages, literature, history
| biography, manners and customs, and the
theology OF the Scriptures. The book is the
| joint product of thirty-seven Bible scholars
/ who represent not less than seven demonina-
/ tions Of the Protestant church of America
| Great Britain and Germany. The editors in
| selecting their collaborators were guided by
| the eminent ntneSS OF tne tneOlOBidtiS iOT lIe
| tasks allotted to them, and the result OF their
combined labors Is work which for the homo
| geneity of its contents has never yet been
| equaled Quality of matter rather than guam
| tity of contributors seems to be the Keystone
on which this. the very latest Bible dictionary
issued. has been built. Unlike most other
| publications of the kind, which are launched
| with long lists of collaborators whose names
are for the greater part unknown without the
immediate circles of their activities, the stand
ard Bible Dictionary will be found to be the
work of theological scholars of national and IN
| transitional reputation. Not name appears
| on the list of editors and contributors whose
| bearer has not achieved fame in his particular
| line of theological study Thus, for the hrst
| time In the history of the making of a SINGLE
volume Bible dictionary the work has been as
| signed to select corps of specialists in Bible
| lore Every article is signed with the initials
| Of it's contributor, thus enabling the reader to
| identify with ease the writer of any or all the
| articles he consults. Since anonymous writing
| is not always infallible the advantage of hav-
| Ing signed article is obvious 1t stamps the
| work done as authoritative and places the re-
| spcnsibility for the statements made where
| 1t should rest
"A STANDARD Bible Dictionary" New York
| Funk & Wagnals.
| great many people who have met the
minor actor and his manager will read
| George II. Brennan's book, "Bill Truetell,"
| to be published in February by A. G. Nc
Clurg & Co.. and will voice their praise by
saying that Mr., Brennan's characters are
| typical. The people who say this will mean
| the opposite, however, for the chief merit OF
| this story OF rea and intense life is that
| the characters are not mere types, but
| highly individualized people. The typical
| actor and manager are more or less myth
| zeal conventions. and the real actors and
| managers are all unique departures from
| type Bill Truetell, the "shoestring man
| ager; ''the little Van Balken," who joins
| his company and becomes his good angel
| Rupert Steelson, whose loyalty to Shakes
peare is mistaken by popular indifference.
are all real people and. therefore. all
UNIQUE Mr.. Brennan knows them intI-
mately and his book is true in spirit, and in
large measure, in incident. In James
Montgomery Flag, who draws the colored