New-York tribune., 1910-11-06
U9De Neauil))ork 04iibmotee:
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1910.


reyiycs the Old question as to whether Bos-
wells portrait of his patron is no less trust
worthy than ii Is interesting He would not
OF course dispense with Boswell but he ques-
tlonS The Sufiiciency OF the latter's work and
frankly says: I'VE come to closer quarters
with Johnson in the best pages of THE Ram
bier than in the most brilliant of the CONVEX
sationS recalled by Boswell 1t is a sug
gestiYe II not altogether conclusive observa-
ton Whether would find in the Works
as much of Johnson we do find if in the
back of our minds lacked what Boswell
tells us of him is an open question. Yet, as
we have more than once remarked in this
place. there has been too much foolish exalta-
ti0n Of Boswell at the expense of Johnson
own writings. Careless neglect of the latter
has probably done most of the mischief and
it is easy to see how this has happened Bos-
well wrote about his hero Of the most
entertaining books in the world. On the other
hand. ii is not precisely for diversion that you
30 to The great mans critical, biographical and
miscellaneous prose. IT, however, you go 70
these things for light the mental habit Of
the man. his attitude toward life, and, indeed.
his whole character you find much that poor
EozHy. from the very nature Of his linlita-
tons. was bound to miss.
1t is stated that the experiment Of putting
on tue Arencn market cncap reprints Oh Erencn
works printed and published in England has
been brilliant success. The French publish
naturally do not like it, and threaten the
procurement of a protective measure refusing
copyright to books printed outside their coun-
try. The public, on the other hand, is delight
ed as it is called upon to pay only franc %
Centnes for a neatly bound boo1-a book
which In the ordinary French paper covers
would usually he priced at 3 francs 90 CEN
tn'es. The authors are pleased realizing the
appeal Of the royalties and profits made posi-
bic by large circulation and by the cheap
of book production in Edinburgh Mean
while a French authority, recently making d
public speech in that city, Nj Sarolea, has ex-
pressed himself as convinced that the pub
fishers of his country would themselves in the
long run benefit from the stimulus given to
interest in French literature by the dissent
nation throughout the world of the best writ
ings Of the day Referring to his speech, The
Manchester Guardian" says.
II is not upon the Partisan market alone that
they are being placed They widely popular
in England, while upon the Continent, in !
countries not French French is the language of |
culture. Thus in Holland and in Germany. in |
Italy and IN Russia, next to the native Htera- |
tuTG it is French literature that counts while |
there is also the American market In short NJ. |
Sarolea is confident that in the long run Scot |
tiSh publisher Will be found to have done more |
for the language of Montaigne and Victor Hugo |
than all the French publishers put together.
It would be interesting to know what steps |
have been taken to introduce these cheap eii- |
ti0ns Of French books into this country. and |
Just how cheaply they are offered to our read |
ers