The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-17

must be the novel of the far-off future, because then all readers will be students of mental science. And as it is always wise to get ahead of the times, we might do worse than make it fne novel of the immediate future I do not mean what the assistants at the circulating library call phychology Whenever an author says Mary looked into her own heart l believe they put the volume on sepa- rate shelf marked psychological and re- serve il for the use of their most erudte subscribers. And won't always agree with the newspapers. When an author says something after this style: Wish ing to fascinate yet dreading to over power. Edward hesitated whether he would wear a white walstcoat or black waistcoat, certain of the newspapers might be inclined to announce that Mrs. Blank has given us another example of her extraordinary insight into the subtlest springs of action
 Barrie Scores Over Rivals
 It is just possible that J. NJ Barrie maystake a larger size in hats now, as result of his recent score over his two great rivals in the playwriting business Messrs. Shaw and Pinero If so, MT. Barrie may be recommended to take run through the list of works which an- other and almost equally we'll known Scottish writer has just discarded from ' to have christening effect Scottish writer No 2 is s. R. Crockett. who gave US "The Stickit Minister" dhough some people are said think it's "The Crockett Minister" by SticlSit,) and the books which he has just weeded out of his big library are to be sold at auction in Lon don next month. Crockett explains that. at his home at Torwood, near Peebles, he has accumulated nearly 10000 volumes, so. as he cannot house comfortably more than 5000, he is disposing of those in which he happens to have lost interest in order to make room for newer acquis tions.
 Now one of the novels which head the list of Crockett's discards is Barrie's "Auld Lick Idyls." while another is "A Window in Thrums." However, their author is in good company for among the other books that Crockett apparently doesn't think worth keeping (and which disclose the variety of novelists book shelves) are Carlyle's Heroes and Hero Worship" Marryat's novels and those of Charles Lever. and Swinburnes essays, not to mention the Newgate Calendar and "Old Bailey Trials" Still if Barrie is sore about this. he has his revenge. For surprisingly enough, another item in Croekett's list of mot wanteds" is no other than ''The Stcl1itt Minister"
 Considering the sensation that Ruben Sleln ulane III the 0Hlltu CldltS Wntn ht first visited us. forty years ago, there is pretty sure to be an American edition of the Musician's "reminiscences, which the French monthly, Les Annales" is pub fishing. In the last installment, Ruben4 stein gives an interesting account of hIs first and only letters of introduce tion. These were given him by the Russian ambassador at the court of Berlin, when he left that city to settle ut Vienna He presented several of them without any satisfactory result, and it then occurred to him to tear those open that remained and read them. They ran, he says, roughly speaking, as follows:
 Dear countess-Our position as am- hassador and ambassadress imposes up on us the tiresome duty of patronizing and introducing all kinds of compatri- ots, who are often most importunate in their solicitations I, therefore. now venture to introduce to you certain Rubenstein, the bearer of this commu cation."
 The certain Rubenstein" says that he straightway threw all of his letters of introduction into the fire, and found that he got along lot better without