Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-04

specuIate whether il his success as a
dr:.matist had not come so quickly he
might have persisted as a story writer.
Certainly there is SUFFICIENT in this re-
have scored great a success in that
field as he did in writing for the stage.
Yet il was not altogether kind to reprint
this story. Probably Mr.. Fitch would
characteristic literary effort. 1t is i'm
mature even crude in its outlines. There
are some brilliant passages and here and
there flashes of wit that made the Clyde
Fitch plays always acceptable and usual
ly successful. But the novel itself if
printed anonymously would have been a
failure. An eloquent tribute to the dead
playwright, over the initials NJ. ]. NJ,
portrait. appropriately of date Of July,
1890. is the frontispiece.
WHY AMERICAN MARRIAGES FAIL:
and Other Papers. BY Anna A. Rog
ers. Boston: Houghton Miffiin Com
pany.
The author Of these papers, six in num-
ber-who should have identified herself
frankly as either spinster or matron-un-
dertakes in her initial essay to cast the
burden Of responsibility for the failure OF
American marriages in such large num-
bers upon the wives. She contrasts the
those Of England and deduces from the
immensely greater number here that there
is more marital unhappiness in the United
States, a conclusion not inevitable mas
much as the British divorce system is so
restricted that unspeakable misery is suf-
fered by English wives for the lack of
means OF escape. Yet it is not to be as
sumed that the author takes up the cud-
gels for mankind as against womankind.
She tells some plain truths in a strong.
straightforward manner, and her little
volume of papers might we'll be read in
many households where personal adjust
ments are sOrely needed.
CYRUS HALL MCCORMICK; His Life
and Work. BY Herbert II. Casson.
author of The Romance Of Steel"
etc Illustrated. Chicago: A. c. Nc
Clurg & Co.
Mr.. Casson declares that whoever
wishes to understand the making Of the
United States must read the life of Cyrus
Hall Mccormick. In a large degree 1t is
true that the man who invented and de-
veloped the reaping machine and other
forms of farm mechanism exerted a great
influence on the agricultural and indus
trial life of this country. The story of his
achievements through many adversties
and severe trials is romantic, and it is
told wildly by his present biograph
who has made close study Of this phase
of the industrial history of the United
States. The volume is we'll filled with IL
Illustrations showing the scenes identified
with McCormick's life and the part played
by his machines in the agricultural world.
LANDSCAPE PAINTING. BY Birge
Harrison. With Twenty four Ro-
productions OF Representative Pic
lures. New York: Charles Scrib-
ners Sons. Washington: Woodward
G. Lothrop.
The contents Of this book were orig
nally in the form Of series Of impromp-
tn talks given before the Art Students
League Of New York at its summer
school at Woodstock. n. Y. The author
disclaims any purpose save to present
the present beliefs and convictions of a
painter who is himself a student" He
discusses Landscape Art in General. Color,
Vibration, Refraction. Values. Drawing.
Composition, Quality. Pigments, Framing
Pictures Schools, the Arts and Crafts.
Mural Painting Vision. The Importance
Of Fearlessness in Painting. The Subcon-
scious Servant, Temperament. Character,
What Is a Good Picture, The True impress
sionism, The Future OF American Art. MI
merous illustrations are added to cover
the particular questions involved in the
text. The author regrets the lack Of a
color printing press of sufficient delicacy
to reproduce in this work the best ex-
amples for his purpose.