Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-09
BOOK REVIEWS.
ACCORDING TO MARIA. By Mrs. job,

ACCORDING TO MARIA. BY Mrs. John
Lane author of THE Champagne
Standard etc. illustrated by Joseph
Cotton. New York: John Lane Com
pany.
THE millions of Mar +,s.a rolled ed into into
one are here gathered in the
spectacle of an ascent Of ,soci-
ety's topply ladder. Planted in
the sand. rafting in the rungs.
swaying at the top to a mere onlooker this
is a tricksy, even a fearsome, machine.
But long and patient practice has made an
adept of Maria. BY moving nimby in
time with it's capricious jerks, by crowd
ing off those whose foothod she herself
needs, by squeezing small to make room
beside her for other capable and useful
climbers. by hanging fast to the petticoats
of those step ahead. Maria ultimately ar
rives and preens herself upon her perch
In this mountebank performance Maria
is made to turn her smallest and most
foolish tricks in the light of open day
The little shades OF discriminating tOady-
ism toward her great and her near great.
the small makeshifts. the prompt and
businessIike abandonment of devices and
people no longer servceabe. turn huInor-
ously to make a picture natural as life,
held up with easy hand to genially
amused observance. complete with the
full flavor of Maria'S ambitious fling.
Such story as there is here, in its office
OF slIbordination to Maras progress NOV
Ing by pictures, is relatively light in sub
stance but fine in texture and distinctly
contributory to the indulSent humor of
the whole.
THE CROWDS AND THE YELLED
WOMAN. BY Marian Cox. New
York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.
This is story built apparently TO trace
the birth of the art spirit in a man and
thai of a soul in woman. the former
accomplished somewhat after the vagar-
ious methods of Rousseau. Incidentally,
ii gives two men an opportunity, which
they embrace. to talk themselves to
death usually in the strain of the Scho-
penhauer class, on the subjects of art
and love and life. These talks are not
dialogues as one might naturally sup
pose them to he. They are monologues
that run on till each performer having
completely delivered himself, makes way
for the other one. novel does not seem
to be the happiest medium for this sort
of message--f it be a message
AN ADMIRAL'S LOG: Being Contin-
ued Recollections of Naval Life. bv
Robley d. Evans, Rear Admiral. L.
:. ", author of "A Sailors Log
Illustrated. New York: d. Appleton
& Co.
The man and the book so thorough
j. one here that il is not easy. even If
1t were desirable. to separate the two.
For instance. the book is a vital and
vivid thing because the man. trained to
do big things and to do them with per-
feet directness. lifts to the surface of
This book the essential features of any
situation and presents these with
dramatic simplicity most impressive
This is true in every case. whether II be
the Sampson-Schley matter. court
martial in Samoa. the study of labor
conditions IN Honolulu. the convoy of
prince of the earth. or any other matter.
Then, too the documentary evidence of
the whole book proves that each incident
is turned outward by a fair. fearless,
honest man. 1t is delightful record.
one sof international scope. of genuine
substance and vigorous spirit.
PHILOSOPHY OF THE GREAT IN
CONSCIOUS. BY Samuel Eugene
Stevens. NJ .. Boston: Old Corner
Book Store.
-NUlrn1nS science as MS IOOlioiu. MI
Stevens advances a novel explanation of
human existence. topside-turvy theory,
from the standpoint OF both revelation
and tradition. In rapid movement. the
theory steps off like this: % Mind. or
consciousness result. CD This result
depends for it's existence upon the per-
ceptive faculties. CO The perceptive
faculties were evolved and developed
material stimuli. According to this the
ory then. the grea; material forces OF
nature by inherent energy, fashioned all
things. Unconscious nature has within
Itself the potency of all phenomena. both
physical and psychic. making unconscious
ness the cause of the conscious. Here
follow supporting analysis and illustra-
ton of the primary nature, condition and
conduct o. the creative activity of inn
personal matter No divinity save ma
ture no hereafter save as a part of the
elements The application of the theory
to. ethics and social life has point and
ygor, the latter approaching venom in
some of its comparisons and contrasts.
In it's application of religious theory to
historic fact the book is in places start
liugly truthful 1t is all unauestionably
daring and. from the common point of
view, fatalistic, though the author comes
near To rhapsody at the anticipation OF
becoming part of this great and splen
did thing. Epigram. paradox, poetry
make up these fragments, for they cannot
be called an organized philosophy. The
whole, while il may not seem conclusive,
holds the mind botn by its theory and its
personality
PRIVILEGE AND DEMOCRACY ~
AMERICA. BY Frederic C.. Howe.
Phi. D., author OF The City: The
Hope of Democracy" etc New York:
Charles ScribneTs Sons. Washing
ton: Woodward & Lothrop.
Beginning with the economic founda-
lions of our democracy. the author. with
journalistic yigor, discusses aud con-
dennis the disposition Of our public lands
as the national fundamental error from
which have sprung the facts and dangers
of privilege. monopoly. serfdom and gen
eral labor unrest. With historic compari-
son he points the moral and draws PIC
lures of gloomy economic future. The
remedy, like the evil. lies in the land
NATURALIZATION according n he