Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-10-29
London Literary Letter.

UnuIa lew years ago one could find
4 few scstiges OF the cottage near
Itucii mncle Befuadni de ST. Pierre
llN2d. Napoleon III acquiring Mainal-
sou ior mas country place became Il
nctShbor OF st. Slerrc's. An old stone
nenen IS sun pointed out as the spot
"herc .lonaparte frequently chutted
eihia. When ~. Pierre alluded to
LOUIS NJ as q tSrnit tine general Is
shid To ehayc returtcd: ''Had he been
one, shoGld pctnaps stun be an ar
illlery lieutenant, and you would be
saying mass II was during one of
thase qNiut half ilours that citizen
81, l'lerr2' vas promised the leisure
necessary for writing the books so
much ADMIRED by his celebrated neigh
Dor.
French noyeliEts are in anguish; no
one wltn,s their wares. The romance
OF everyday lilo so pals upon the
Pnrisian that he turns To biography
and history for relaxation. Farther
more lie has come to the conclusion
that every phase of human feeling and
experience has been completely ana
there IS no use paying 10 cents to have
the dose repeated This may explain
the present vogue for memories and
scientific works; fact is wanted, net
fiction.
Another cause of tic decay of fiction
In france is the difficulties facing
EoIlng writer's. obviously there is 40
way FOR an author to become I'M
nedintely known except through the
publishers puif paragraph. But indjs-
cr!minate praise long since killed the
review IN Francs. and nowadays every
one knows that DISTINGUISHED criticism
OF book Is not To he found In French
newspapers. the result is that much
undiscovered tnlcnt lies hidden in those
quaint 2inc-lincd boxes that fringe the.
banks OF the Seine
BOOKSELLERS IN ARMS.
The quail side booksellers are By the
way, In distress; recently they form
ed themselves into Il srlf-protecti,f:s;
syndicate 10 rSpudiatc the suppo.e,i
need for their suppression. In -
port submitted to the Paris municiasit
council ii is pointed out that the bU- Z
OF the booksellers will prevent the taS-
Ing of the necessary precautions
against he foods this winter Tire
booksellers, however. mean to fight
hard for their license. Some OF them
argue that the literature in which tl,ev
trade is dry enough to stop any food
These secondhand booksellers have
also been suffering lately from the
large output Of cheap editions of
standard works. Since an English
house began TO bring out French clas-
sizes at % cents. well bound. well print
cd and we'll illustrated. Ill but lovers
of old editions have ceased to buy
upon the Paris quays.
SOMEWHAT PREMATURE.
Recently the Partisan dailies paid
their last tribute" to the memory Of
Emile Blavct, Il famous Journalist who
was for years on the staff OF Tho
Figaro. on the day following these
obituary notices the editorial office of
The Figaro received the following let
ter addressed In n familiar hand:
Coming through Paris on my way
back from Potou, I learn. while walt
ing for the train. that have died at
Nice. and am to be buried next Tues
day at Montmartre cemetery. This in
formation Is really a little premature!
| But while taking 81 glass of milk. l
read Your kindly funeral ovation
| Yours always living.
! EMILE ELAvET, 4
"P. s. Present my posthumous com.
pliments to all my old Figaro fricnds.'
WALTER ROLLINS.