New-York tribune., 1910-11-09
MISCELLANY.

Italian Fantasies is the title Of a
book of essays which Mr. Zangwill IS
preparing to publish. Some of these pa
pers once appeared in "Harper's Maga-
zine"
Mr.. Kipling as chairman of the Inter
national Conference for the Safety of
Airmen. assembled at Folkestone the
other day. declared that he thought the
safety Of the people underneath the aero
plane had also TO lie considered. In
closing the conference he said: IF five
years ago We had discussed aerial tran
sit in this hall. an Indignant police
would have turned us out. Five years
hence the conditions will be more Won
derful. We are only beginning the new
world"
In a very entertaining paper in The
New York Medical Journal DR.. Max
Kahn deals with Shakespeare's knowl-
edge of medicine. II is interesting and
gratifying. he says. to note that Shake
speare held the physician in marked IS
teem, though he hated the quack and
the charlatan. and adds:
The physicians Of shakespeare's plays
are uniformly kind, honest, dignified and
learned. He made a distinction between
those that practised according ito the laws
of the Congregated college and those that
cured without diplomas. Unlike MOlieTe
who always ridicules the academic physi-
clan who praCtiSeS according to the rules
Of the faculty. and who Is forever max
ing the medical men the butt of his With
cisms. Shakespeare never UNDERWRITERS med
icine. But he knows the limits of medicine
and quite Dointedly throws a shaft at the
doctors who are always prescribing bitter
medicines, which they themselves would
hate TO partake of.
Thou speakest like physician. Helicanus
Who minister'd potion unto me
That thou woUldst tremble TO receive thy
self"
Mrs. Walford. the author Of many de-
lightful novels-of which The Baby's
Grandmother" is chief-has been pub
lishing her recoIlections. Among her
amusing stories is this Of George Eliot
The famous authoress was being feted a
Cambridge. and a few enthusiastic and very
youthful admirers were permitted 10 join {
luncheon party given In her honor, thougi
accommodation could only be found fol
them al a side table They could however
look and listen. and as there was not mucl
large, fun lips seemed to be emitting words
of wisdom: they craned their necks, they
stretched their ears. Suddenly the tension
Was relieved: they leaned back in theil
chairs and laughed as only boys ever laugh
What had they heard2 The deep voice tina
should have pronounced judgment on
Cicero or a SopnocleS had exclaimed witt
fervid protest, But. surely. Mr. So-and-so
YOU do not mean to say you really ike tina
! bitter Bairisch beer?'
John Milton. poet. has lately been hon
ored in a strange fashion at Ludlow
where "Comus" was first played-the
town has acquired new fire engine and
has named it-"John Milton"
Commander Peary's book has beer
much praised abroad as well as Peary
himself. discordant note, however, j:
sometimes struck, as in The Londor
/ Telegraph" This journal says:
! The attainment of the pole itself-as q!
/ observations there must be necessarily Inn
! tied 10 a few days or even hours, ana a!
! the precise locality is devoid of even tina
scientific interest which attaches 10 tn
4 magnetic pole-has been regarded th'
goal of all recent human exploration h.
/ the heart Of man rather than by his head
1 II may therefore be said without disre
spect nay, even with curiously full sens'
/ OF reverence, that this great achievement
/ was of romantic interest rather than o
| real utility IL was a great sporting chal
! len2e such as stirred. and we hope al
ways will stir. the pulses OF white men
| II was especially an occasion on which th'
! claims of gratitude and honor had ever.
right to consideration. Commander Pear.
/ has stated elsewhere. though he does no
repeat the phrase in his book. that he wa
determined TO allow no white man TO haV
! the credit Of having reached the pole witt
/ him. Certainly he carried out his intention
He sent back south the one man TO who's
! unfaillng loyalty AMI unwearyiDg labor IN
whole success OF his expedition was due
| IL is a little beside the point for Com
mander Peary TO argue later in the da,
| that the absence of Bartlett was advisable
| For he confesses that none Of his las
| party except himself had the slightes
! initiative. or could do anything but ODE
| orders. The stress he LAYS upon the argu
ments with which he tries 10 justify hi
| action in this matter shows his conscious
| ness that lie has laid himself open to
] grave charge We do not care TO Ia Dor tn