The San Francisco call., 1910-12-04
Some Autumn Books

Some Autumn Books
In Jean Lang's "a Land of Romance"
is told the romantic story of the Scot
tish border from the time of the build
ing of the Roman wall Much history
is missing, but one is supposed to know
it. and the romance collected in this
book is not found in any history. The
tales of the border battles, clan feuds,
and the records of the lawless strug-
giles in the days of Mary Stuart and
bonnie Prince Charlie are admirably
told and the incidents have been chosen
with fine taste and discrimination.
The book reads like novel, and is
vastly more entertaining than many.
fThe Dodge publishing company, New
York. $4,000
The MarveIs Beyond Science" is the
title of an unusually interesting book
1t is written by Joseph Grasset. NJ. D.,
a distinguished French scientist. and
translated by Rene Jacques Tubeuf.
We know that many things which at
one time were considered mysterious
and occult are now scientifically eN-
planned, and on the strength of that
he says: There is no logical situation
which binders facts not yet belonging
to science from ceasing some day TO be
occult and becoming scientific. The
author has very thoroughly covered
the subject and in a very interesting
manner. (Funk & wagnaIls, New
York; s1.75).
". A. Hirst. in his book. Argentina. :"
gives a thoroughly comprehensive pres
entation Of a country little known to
travellers. 1t is larger than Russia in
Europe and is highly civilized. but
being out of the beaten track. is
thought by many people to be still in
a savage state The chapters tell Of
the country. its history. constitution.
industries, agriculture, commerce. lit
erature. education. religion. etc. etc,
but the information is condensed and
well written. The book contains many
Photographic illustrations from differ
ent sources, all Of interest. 1t is a
very valuable book, well printed and
bound. Imported by Charles Scrib-
ner's Sons, New York. So
The Basis of Musical Pleasure" by
Albert Gehring. is devoted to an emu
meratien and description of the actual
sources of musical pleasure. The chap
ter headings. The Power of Tone"
Form Association" ''Symboliza-
tion. 'Tonal and Mental ParaIlelism," I"
indicate his manner of treatment. The
big thing in the book is an essay on
The opera Problem" in which he
discusses the dilemma Of choosing be-
tween dramatic truth and the beauty
OF regular forms. This is followed by
another essay on The Expression Of
Emotions in Music" in which he con-
cludes that the Journalists are right
when they maintain that music need
not be expressive in the sense of a
definite portrayal or denotation, and
that the expressionists may be right
fbRxr insist that shall ava ken.
nurture aud harmonize with the feel
ings, and thus express them by con-
tagion or sympathetic arousal. &C. p
Putnams Sons, New York and London;
$1.5O)
THE Girl Who Lived in the Woods"
is the title of the first novel by Mar
jorie Benton Cooke. 1t tells the story
of Cecilia Carne, young artist who
fees to the woods TO live alone in a
cabin because the little things in life
absorb her TO the hurt of her art. Her
own romance comes to her there but 1t
is a complicated affair and takes some
time TO smooth all the rough spots on
the road TO happiness The story is
interesting, but the characters are
rather wooden and most unconvincing
in their speeches and actions. The lit
le child of the tale, Bobby. is human
in spots only The author shows much
promise. CA. C. McClurg & Co. Chi
cago; $3.50.
Studies in spiritualism" is the title
of a book by Amy e. Tanner, Ph. y.
1t contains an introduction by ID. G.
Stanley Hall. in which he says: ITO
my mind. the treatise is the sanest and
best of the many that have of late ap-
peared in this field. and should be care
fully pondered by all interested in the
subject Those with skepti-
cism enough to have been impartial
have never been able to arouse interest
enough to treat these studies thor
oughly. Thus l can not but hope that
this book will mark the turn of the
tide" With such recommendation, all
interested in the subject are sure 20
read it with profit. The author has a
clear, good style and tells of the expe-
riences and Investigations with Mrs.
Piper and other famous mediums in a
most interesting fashion. 1t is a book
to interest all readers. Cd. Appleton &
Co, New York; $2-50).
An absolutely crazy book is written
by Sir Edwin burning Lawrence with
the belligerent title Bacon Is Shake
speare." And crazy though it is, it an
noys and irritates to a degree that
makes one wish TO abuse the writer
rather than allow him to drop quietly
into the oblivion he deserves. This
baronet, of whose literary pretensions
we have never heard before. writes
dreary chapter upon chapter proving
the cryptogram theory in a more out
rageous fashion than DOnnelly at his
worst. That wonderful word in Loves
Labor Lost" Observation-Disclosures
is the explanation, but it is much too
long, too complicated and too comic to
explain it in this notice. That man of
Bacon's erudition revealed himself in
so cheap a fashion is impossible of be-
lief and after reading the explanation
offered by the titled author no educated
person can take it seriously. The book
is not worth the paper it is printed on
nor the space taken by this notice.
(The John Mcbride company, New
York;