Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-25

lent opponents of the present move
ment are to be found among the men,
berS of that sex with which appeals
addressed to the feelings are peculiar
ly potent" The distinguished professor
Is careful to add that his character
ization is not meant to apply to all
women, and that those to whom 1t does
not apply are often more Intelligent
feforners than men, He cites the
act that high position and sex were
once regarded as eXemfpting their pro-
fessors from correct spelling. Rich
HrdSon represents Charlotte Grandi-
son as saying that one of her lovers
spelled pretty well for a lord" And
Swift, "who in one way or another
was always in a state of anxiety about
the English language. had frequent
occasion to chasten Stella on the sub
ject."
AS regularly az Christmas approach
es, and the standard authors arc arrycd
In line for choice Of giving. the old
imginary Dicltens-Thackeray battle is
fought again by their respective low
ers Why this opposition must exist
Is one of those literary problems that
are SO plain to some and so mysterious
to others; but II one doubts that it
does exist. one has only to try to find
cray was a snob-Dlckens was a cock
ney-go the cries from the opposing
regiments, and war proceeds. 1t may
be worth while to remember amid the
noise of conflict what Thackeray HIM
self wrote of Dickens. Such an ex-
preston is quoted in Mrs Charles
Mason Fairbanks little book of quota
tlons THE Sense and Sentiment OF
Thackeray" (Harpers): one may regard
III A-Ik-.
genius of the one novelist, or to the
graciousness OF he other. II delight"
wrote Thackeray. "and wonder at his
(Dickenss] genius, l recognize in 1t
I speak with awe and reverence-a
commission from that divine Benefl-
cience whose blessed task we know 1t
Will one day be to wipe every tear from
every eye. Thankfully take my share
of the feast of love and kindness which
this gentle and generous and charitable
soul has contributed to the happiness
of the world. take and enjoy my
share, and say a benediction for the
meal"
1t may be of interest that VIII N
Harden. author of the new Harper
novel "The Redemption of Kenneth
Gait" and known sometimes as 1.-The
Georgia novelist" finds the names for
his Georgia characters across the wa
ter. He states that II is q fact that
nlne-tenths of the people In Georgia
are descended from English Scotch,
and Irish families. Hence. when he
is constrained to avoid the embarrass-
mcnt OF using names personally faml-
lar, he has only to turn to "Burke's
Landed Gentry" to acquire the infor-
nation he needs. In Georgia, says
Mr.. Harben. the English Cholmondelcy
has been wholly converted into Chum-
ley, and Taliaferro Is never anything
but Tolllver. The povelist's own
name is English although sometimes
spelled Harbin instead of Harben.
In connection with Decisive Battles
OF America" Just published by Harper
& Brothers. 1t Is of interest to note the
endorsement given by eminent histori-
ans to the selections which have been
made. Thus. Col T. w. Higginson
confirms tho point that the wars with
the Pequots and King Philip were as
important for the colonlsts as tho
Seven Years War; and Thirty
Years War" for Europe; and Prof.
Babcock emphasizes the decisiveness
of tho battles of Lake Erie and Lake
Champlain. Other authorities, such as
Capt Mahan, are quoted in endorse
ment of the selections. all of which
must be regarded as testimony to the
quality of the book as a standard.