Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-27
scribner's Sons. Washington: Bren-


OF first importance to the investigating
student is the reproduction Of original
material issued systematically by the
Carnegie Institution Of Washington. Sec
ondary matter. the product Of interme-
diary thought, is. Of necessity, a differ
ent thing from its original. The student
covets first hand research. both as a
process and for its object. To place
within comparatively easy reach the
means OF this scholarly experience multi
plies the students opportunities and in
creases intellectual efficiency. The pur-
pose of the present volume is to place
one in immediate touch with the first
published history OF Massachusetts,. as
time Of Cotton Mather. The introduction
presents the interesting career Of this
early colonist and author. experimenting
this with an estimate of his weight as
historic authority. and an opinion OF the
standing OF his writings in the literature
Of American history. The hook itself il
record covering the twenty-five years
beginning with 1923. Taken together, II
summarizes first imprint Of the Puri-
tan mind working out. by militant meth
government. To student of the origins
of town and church governments in New
England IL stands as q mine OF author
ity With leisure and some patience for
the slight textual difficulties 1t offers to
the general reader. as well as to the stu
dent, out OF the circumstance and detail
of Its austere enthusiasm and soberly
exalted life. a vivid picture OF this early
people who have transmitted In direct
line that host Of sterling qualities con-
England and New Engiander. This
unique and valuable publication fore
casts further important public service
from this institution at Washington.
ONCE UPON A TIME. BY Richard
Harding Davis. New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons. Washington: Bren-
tano's.
Both title and authors name set up a
pleasant stir Of speculation about these
stories. The title Is q pledge as old as
childhood of important matters to unfold.
The name Is a warrant. too. and here
the mind jumps over to the curiosity
corner, wondering by how much Mr..
Davis has here outstripped those early
tales that brought such clear refresh
ment to hours iaded for want of literary
novelty and stir. These eight new stories
take one to three, out Of the four, quar-
tiers of the earth, making at each land
ing vivid pictures of place and circum-
stance and people in their subtle reac-
tions One meets in these far journey
ings many people. each clean-cut and self
contained-no overfiowings into the per-
sonalities of one another-and each with
definite business on hand to which he is
giving his full time. No supernumeraries
take up room in these stories. AS a
whole, these interesting folks are less
acute-angled than the ones we used to
know, more certain about their own in
side workings. quite free from advertise
ment or any other overt appeal. The
eight subjects look eight different ways,
their only unity lying in the literary at
titude and manner of the author himself.
Only two Of these areelove stories. This
lessons the number OF readers. for. up to
the present. the love story leads. In
passing, one pauses second here to
wonder il Mr.. Davis manner with a love
story Is matter of temperament or
training. Each Of these eight stories, for
immediacy OF plunge. for directness and
energy OF movement. and for concentra-
ton upon its object, Is a model Of struc-
ture co-ordinated with life. in single
incident some one aspect Of human mo-
tive and action. by the authors insight
and clean incisive art.
GEORGE MEEK. bath CHAIRMAN.
BY Himself. With an introduction
by III. G. Wells. New York: e. p.
Dutton Co.
With reference. maybe. to the motley in
which this author sometimes delights to
clothe himself, this book was submitted
with the casual conjecture that 1T prob
ably is some sort or fun Upon this the
reader naturally. but none the less mis-
takenly, shapes his mind to a facetious