The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 18, 1896, Page 21

sy ILLIAM MORRIS, POET, ARTIST, PHILOSOPHER- WHOSE ART WAS FOR HUMANITY TLLIAM MORRIS was one of the noblest ) and most significant figures ot our century. By his death the world has lost a great laborer for art and for humanity. Years ago, when both were young men, Dante Gabriel Rossetti called Morris ‘“the greatest literary identity of our time,” and there seems a peculiar ap- propriateness in his phrase. Morris has in- aeed for the past forty years been, among men and letters, & very distinet 1dentity. His strong individuality pervaded all his work. Were he writing poems, manufacturing “art stuffs,” throwing himself heart and soul into the “Socialistic League,” or printing books, everything he turned his hand to wasdone with an earnestness and vigor of purpose which left on each,; “William Morris, his mark}” The news of his death has come with some- thing of a shock to those who thought of him as invineible in his splendid vitality as one of his own Norse heroes. He was struck down in the very prime of life, We had counted upon his living on well into the twentieth century. Morris was born near London only sixty-two years ago. He was an Oxford man and in col- lege during that time when the Pre-Raphaelite movement—started in London by Rossetti— was making such & stir in the universiy- center. Paul Bourget in his “Outre Mer"” ret marks that the two situations containing the greatest possibilities of human happiness seem to him that of & young Englishman of good family at Oxford, or an American girl witha | rich and indulgent father! The first of these blissful alterpatives was William Morris’. He was in those years a young Oxford man of good family and easy circumstances. Like Purne-Jones he was destined for the church. Both these young men, friends at that time as always after, coming under Rossetti’s i fluence were diverted from dogma to art, and to the larger study of humanity. For those who see in the movement of the “Pre- Raphaelites” only the desire for asincerer and less conventional form of art have failed to understand its entire significance. as has been truly said: “In humanity itself, with all ite possibili- ties; in its triumphs and its degradations, its labors and its sufferings, they rediscover “God’—an *unknown God,’ it may be; ‘incon- ceivable,’ if we will, but evident In the quick- ened conscienee of a growing world and in the invincible instincts of human pity and love. MiDlais sees a young Christ in the delicate boy with 8 wounded hand, in the dreary and com- fortless carpenter’s shop. Hunt sees & cruei- fied Christ in the tired workman, overtaxed and despairing amid the calm sunlight of eventide. Rossetti sees & risen Christ in the | o) noble poet, whose great love could conquer death and enter upon the new life at the pres- ent hour. The true Pre-Raphaehsm does not take the halo from the head of the Christ of history, but it puts the halo upon the headof | every suffering child, of every faithful man | and woran since the world began.” This was written in direct reference to the painters and their work. It applies with squal truth to other aspects of this “second renaissance,” es it is sometimes called. Any ostimate of the subject which does not take this into acecunt is uniairand only partial William Morris in his first reaction from latter-day problems, which, we suspect, even then began to press heavily upon bim, turned back to pagan and medieyal subjects. He re- told in glowing words stories of the Greek gods and Norse heroes of a young world and the adventures of knights and ladies in that “middle age” which was at once more sensu- ous, more superstitious and less complete then our own. His work was infused with the true Greek love of besuty, and in the preface to bis ‘“Earthly Paradise” he expressly pro- claimed himself naught but “the idle singer of an empty day.” ln that most exquisite end musical of all dedieations he says: Dreamer of dreams born out of my due time; Why should I try to set the crooked straight? Let it suffice me that my murmuring rayme Beats with light wing against the ivory gate, Telling & tale not too importunate. It is singnlar to remember that these words were written by the man whose whole after life was devoted to an intense humanitarian- ism, whose “soul was conseerate” in the su- preme etfort ““to set the crooked straight.” Those Oxford deys were before all this, and they are good to remember. It was during Morris’ time there that Rossetti and Burne- Jones and Arthur Hughes and some other ardent but Inexperienced souls engaged in the great fresco scheme for the Oxford Union De- bating Hell. The young artists gave their services and the city paid their expenses. Be- ing loftily ignorant of all mere technical knowledge of {resco work they did their paint- ing on the raw brick wall, with the appalling result that in & few months’ time it was all soaked in. We are led to suppose, however, that they were easily consoled for this fiasco, though the loss to art was a somewhat graver matter. Rossetti’s poor obliterated face of Guinevere was said to have been one of the finest things he ever did. But such youth such high spirits, such joy in life—at the city’s expense—were theirs at the time, Morris was one of this band, though he does not seem to have taken any active part in the decora tion. But all together they discussed art, and life, and great plans for the future over mid- night pipes. It was during this time that they first saw, in & theater, the lady who afterward became Mrs. William Morris. She posed for Rossetti 1a0re than once, and her face can be recalled by &ll who are familiar with his “Day- dream.” Morris about this time was greatly interested in the Oxford and Cambridge Magazine. This ‘was & sort of successor to the Germ, and, like that journal, fated toan early death. Morris contributed to its support with pen and purse for something more than g year, when it be- came defunct. He wrote delightfully archaic tales, which found few readers outside of his own particular circle. The stories are chiefiy interesting to-day because they indicate Morris’ preferencs even then for strong and simple Saxon words, and his delight in the ‘more picturesque and romantic aspect of past ages. Morris loved the world when it was young. His earliest yolume of poems, “The Defense of Guinevere,” deals with medieval legends and tales. In many cases the subjects are the same as Tennyson's in his “Idyls of the King.” Yetwhata difference isshownin the Instead, | THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, EATH PREVENTED wis THE CONCLUSION OF GEORGE T. CURTIS’ CON- akin to the temper of the middle ages. This|ple at Merton Abbey. This place, originally abllity to project himself into the spirit of & long pastege is one of Morris’ most striking characteristics. It holds true of his next work, “The Life and Death of Jasou,” which was published early in the sixties. This poem relates the mythical search of the Argonauts for the golden fleece, and is solong that few people have cared to read it through. “The Earthly Paradise,” which came next, is longer still, being usually published in three vol- umes. Reading it is, however, less of a task because it consists of twenty-four different tales, any one of which may properly be read apart from the rest. In construction it suggests the “Canterbury Tales,” “Certain gentlemen and mariners” of Norway set sail to find theearthly paradise, of which they had heard reports. After passing through many trials and after the lapse of vears they come, as old men, o & Western land, where they settie and till their death. For the spaceofa year they come together twice a month at fes- tivals and at each of these some tale is told. Many of these stories are extremely beautiful. The subjects of all are either Greek or Scandi- nevian. Many are infused with the true spirit of Hellenism with i1s beauty worship and splendor of narrat Morr's was several years 1n writing the “Earthly Paradise,” but his greatest gift to the mental life of his fel- lows is his presentation in the English tongue of thatgreat northern myth which is the in- heritance of all English-speaking people. Morris accomplished this in his great “Story of Sigurd, the Voisung. It is taken not from the “Nipelungen Lay,” as is so often supoosed, but directly from the Norse Sagas, which are also the source of the German epic. Noone in reading both could fail to be impressed by the more heroic mold in which Morris’ ver- sion is cast. In the “Nibelungen Lay,” written early in the thirteenth century, the strength of the pagan myth is vitiated by the necessity of conforming to medjeval Chrnistian sentiment. The result is artificial. The poem is as ornate as & Gothic cathedral. We have prancing steeds and wav- ing plumes and jangling swords and gayly at- tired knights avd ladies. It is ail very fine and very pretty, but beside it “The Story of sigurd, the Volsung,” looms in strong snd sthuple grandeur, like a god overtowering & foppish courtier. Beside Morris’ “Sigurd™ and “Brynhild” and “Gudrun.” the German “Sicog- friea” and “Brunhiid” and “Krienhild” seem mere puppets, created to ““adorn a tale.” The English poem shows us the mighty forces of & primitive world at work. Those heroic beings who occupied a place half way between gods and mortals move forward to & doom as 8pien- did and as resistless as thatof & Greek tragedy. There is a majesty in the movement which compels a sort of awe. In all great myths the beliefs and the hores of apeople ere personified, and because be- liefs and hopes are forever essentially the same, changing only in oulward aspect as the life of man changes. Sothe mighty feeling which creates tbe legend is still a living force in our consciousness to-day. We see in Sigurd an ideal of a mighty race, & dim forecasting of the Christ who was to come. In his first pure brightness and invincible strength and vow of eternal faithfulness to Brynbild, followed by his draught from the cup of forgetfulness, we read the perpetual story of the human heart turned aside from and losing even the memory of its earlier ideals, What life has not felt its own uxnfaithfulness and yearned dimly, like Bigurd, for an unremembered good ? The story of the Volsung was the last great poem that Morris wrote. From this time his pen was mostly devoted to his socialist propa- ganda. He wrote “Tne Dream of John Ball,” and “News From Nowhere,” and ‘‘Hopes and Fears for Art,” and some stirring verses and some delightful tales, but he did nothing really great. Like Tolstoi, he in a measure sank the artist in the apostle. Soon after leaving Oxford Morris began his artistic manufscturing. He was one of the most fervent of those who believed that the English needed an enlightening gospel in mat- ters of taste. His hope was to stimulate in the people themselves an artistic sense which should revolt from overdecoration, or shoddi- ness. “Simplicity” was his watchword. He said: “If you cannot learn to love real art learn to hate sham art and reject it. Learn to do without.” In all his fabrics he would Lave no imitation. Linen was not made to look like silk nor cotton like wool. He recognized the value and the beauty of pure cotton stuffs that were cottony as well as of pure siiks that were silky. This in itself was no inadequate way of preaching the gospel of sincerity. Side by side with his love'for art there was growing up in his soul the love for humanity. The temper of hismind had become agnos- tic. He wasamong tnose who said “Ican- not believe, because Ido not know.” And this attitude acting upon a naturally noble mind induced a passionate desire to make the life, here and now, of his fellow-men less hard. “This sorry scheme of things,” he longed, like the old Persian, to “shatter it to bits,” and then ‘“remold it nearer to the heart’s de- sire.” And so this “idle singerof an empty treatment. Tennyson gives us nineteenth century problems and ideals in the beautiful guise of these old tales, while Morris gives us the real flavor of medievalism. In reading him one is transported (it is not too strong a Wor@® to & long past age. One feels the freshness, the childlike joy, or terror or superstition of & simpler time. To fully perceive this difference one kas only to read Morris’ “Sir Galahad” and then Teuny- ton’s. The treatment of the former is largely objective. In his despondency at his failure \n the (literal) finding of the Holy Grail, the actuel presence of the Savior appears to Sir Galahad and speaks words of consolation. Tennyson's conception is entirely subjective. An exalted state of spirit alone sustains his knignt whose ‘strength is as the strength of ten because his heart is pure, We must admit that Morris’ method 18 nearer day" devoted all the powers of his great heart and brain to that divine business of shatter- ing and remolding. He said: “I do not want art for s few. I would rather see it swept away from the face of the earth than li uch a poor, thin life, with its apostles despising those beneath them for an ignorance and bru- tality for which they are themselves respon- sible.”” The unigue feature of Morris’ socialism was the fact that he embreced the cause, not for the sake of bettering his own condition, for he was among the rich and prosperous of earth, but for the sake of bettering the condition of others. Though he could not keep the first, who shall say that he did mnot observe in spirit the second of those two great command- ments upon which hang al! the lawand the prophets? He. tried to beautify and. make st~ tractive she surzoundings of his working peo- an old Norman abbey, became the famous Morris ractory, where beautiful fabrics were made and where handwork superseded the use of machinery as much as possible. In his “Dream of John Ball” he painted a return to medieval methods of workman- ship. There is a rare charm in these plctures of tnepast he has given us. They arefilled with a large serenity,a freedom from petty and artificial demands upon the indi- vidual, a sense of breathing space grateful to the imagination of a fevered age. His great desire was to bring back this spirit into niod- ern life. In his“News From Nowhere'’ he drew a return in the twentieth century of this primitive simplicity of life, never remember- ing that The moving finger writes, and, having writ, Moveson .. .! He had an inextinguishable hopefulness. Ah, poor Morris; he was so sure he would live 10 have his great “cause” triumph and to see a1l the present forms of government and all socisl and economic evils swept away in Eng- land, and in their stesd a simple, healthlul, happy life for all his fellows, such as he had sketched in his “News From Nowhere.” It is only in—“Nowhere,” alas! that such dreams come true. GRACE P. MUSSER. THE DAY IS COMING. WILLIAM MORRIS. Come hither, laas, and hearken, For a tale there 13 to teil Of the wonderful days a-coming, when all Shall be better than well. e T e g e For then, laugh not, but listen, To this strange tale of mine, All folk that are in England Shall be better lodged than swine. . . Then & man shall work and bethink him, And rejoice in the deeds of his hand, Nor yet come home In the even Too faint and too weary to stand. Men in that time a-coming Shall work and have uo fear - For to-morrow’s lack of earning And the hunger wolf anear. 1 tell you this for & wonder, That no man then shall be glad Of his fellow’s fall and mishap To snatch at the work be had. For that which the worker winneth Shall then b his fudeed Nor shall half be reaped for nothing By him that sowed no seed. 0, strange new wonderful justice! Bot for whom shall we gather the gain? For ourselves and for each of our fellows, And no hand shall labor in vain. Then all mine and all thine shall be ours, And %o more shall any man crave For riches that serve for nothing But to fetter a friend for a slave. e THE EARTHLY PARADISE. WILLIAM MORRIS. Of Heaven or Hell I have no power to sing! I cannot ease the burden of your fears, Or make quick coming death a little thing, * Or bring again the pleasure of past yea: Nor, for my words shall you forget your tears Or hope agaln for aught that I shall say— The Idle singer of an empty day. But rather, when aweary of your mirth, ¥rom full hearts s:ill unsatisfied ye sigh, And feeling kindly unto all the earth, Grudge every minute as It passes by, Made the more mindful that the sweet days dle— Remember me & little then, I pray, The idle singer of an empiy day. The heavy trouble, the bewildering care, That weighs us down, who live and earn our bread, These 1dle verses have no power to bear, So let me sing of names remember.d Because they, lIVIng not, can ne'er be dead Or long time take their memory quite away From us poor singers of an empty day. Dreamer of dreams, born out of my due time, ‘Why should I try to set the crooked straight? Let it sufficeme that my murmuring rhyme Beats with light wing against the ivory gate, Teiling a taie =0t to0 fmporiuuate, To these who In the sleepy.region stay, Lulled by the singer of au idle day. Folk say a wizard to a Northern King At Christmas time such wondrous things ald show, That through one window men beheld the spring, And through another saw the summer glow, ‘And througn & third the fruited vines arow, While still unheard, but in fis wonted way, Piped the drear wind of that becember day. S0 with this Earthly Paradise it 1s, 1t ye will read aright, and paraon me, Who strive to bulid a shadowy isle of bliss Midmost the beating of the sieely sea, Where tossed about all hearts of men must be, Whose ravening mons.ers mighty men shall slay, Not the poor singer of an empty day. —_— THE VOICE OF TOIL. WILLIAM MORRIS. 1 heard men saying, leave hope and praying, All days shall be as all have been; To-dey and to-morrow bring fear and sorrow, The never-ending toll between. * . = = * . . ‘Where fast ana faster our iron master, The thing we made, forever drives, Bids us grind treasure and fashion pleasure For other hopes and o:her lives. Where home is a hovel and dull we grovel, Forgetting that the world 18 fair; Where no babe we cherish, lest 1ts very soul perish, Where mirth Is crime, and 1ove a snare, Who now shall lead us, what God shall heed us As we lle In the heli our hands have won? For us are no rulers, but foois and bsfoolers, The great are fallen, the Wise men gone. e s LITERARY NOTES. In Appleton’s Popular Science Monthly for October Charles Howard Shinn has a very en- tertaining as well as instrucuve article on “Nevada Silver.” Itishandsomelyillustrated, and contains much valuable information and soma very well told incidents and anecdotes that are new to the types. The writer has caught the spirit of the times when “‘On to Washoe” was the cry. There are also some cholce bits of deseriptive work in the article, whieh is largely historical and entirely fascin- ating to readers old and young alike. Two more of the neat little Temple edition volumes of Shakespeare are out, ‘‘Cymbeline” and ‘‘Pericles.” They are in uniform bind- ing, of course, with all the preceding volumes of this edition, which is got up in the very height of the bookbinder’s and typographer’s art by Macmillan & Co., the New York and Lon- don publishers. Each volume contains an entire play, and each volume will fit very nicely in one’s coat pocket. For sale by Wil- liam Doxey; price 45 cents, bound in eloth. A. C. McClurg & Co. have in the press “A Short History of Italy,” by Miss Kirkland, and «Itely in the Nineweenth Century,” by Mrs. Latimer, uniform with that suthor’s series of popular nineteenth-century histories. An English edition of the letters of Victor Hugo will be published by Messrs. Methuen at the same time as the French one. The trans- lation is being made by F. Clarke, and the first volume may be looked for within the next few It contains letters to Hugo's father, young wife, to his confessor, Lamennais, an important set to Sainte-Beuve, and letters about his early books and plays. The com- plete correspondence ranges from Hugo's boy- hood 1o his deatt, and nothing has been pub- lished of it before. . A volume of British “Songs for Soldiers and Bailors” is being edited by Johm Farmer for Messrs, Cassell of London. It is meant to be a representative and comprehensive collection of all the best English national, naval and military songs. That means thatit will in- clude “Tom Bowling,” “Yé Marinersof Eng- land” and “Black-Eyed Susan.” Other songs which will be given are “Lovely Nan,” “Sweet Poll of Plymouth” and ““The Topsails Shiver in the Wind.” The military songs will include «Primis in Indis,” “The Union Brigade” and “Captain Burnaby.” A story of the time of Shakespeare, written by John Bennett, will be the leading serial for the new volume of St. Nicholas. It is calied “Master Skylark,” and wiil deal with the ro- mantic events of the Elizabethan age. The great dramatist figures as one of the leading characters, although the fiero and heroine are a boy and a- girl. Another serial, “The Last Three Soldiers,” by William H. Shelton, has & novel piot. It telis of three Union soldiers who became veritable castaways in the Com- federacy. Both stories will begin in the No- vember St. Nicholas. The selections presented in the ““Library of the World’s Best Literature” have not only been approved by such discriminating editors as Charies Dudley Warner, Professor Mabie, editor of the Outlook, and other critical judges, but they have also been passed upon by an advisory board from the leading Ameri can universities. This would seem to argue that the selections are thoroughly 1epresenta- tive of different nations and periods. Besides this the extracts are accompanied and ex- plained by numerous critical and biographical essays contributed by over 300 distinguished writers in this country and Europe. The work is in thirty volumes, the first two of which will be ready for subscribers October 1. Mrs. L. T. Meade and “Clifford Halifax, M.D.” the authors of “The Diary of a Doctor, ” have written & novel entitled “Dr. Rumsey’s Patient.” It will be published at tne begin- ning of September by Messrs. Chatto and Win- dus of London, who promise about the same time Robert Barr’s group of stories, “Revenge’’ —that word representing the motive on which all the tales turn, / NEW YORK, N. Y., Oct. 13.—Just when we were beginning to think we had a great jolly crowd of Californians in Gotham who would remain until winter, perhaps, we find that, like the beautiful song- birds of the wildwood, they Hutter awayv from us, on, on, over the great low- lands, up, up, over the majestic Rockies and Sierras, down, down imto the beauti- ful, peaceful, fertile valleys of California, where cozy nests and thumping, loving hearts are waiting for them. The trans- planted Californians heave a little sigh of envy and sadness as we sit here by the gray Atlantic and watch our more fortu- nate brethren leave tor the sunny slopes of the blue Pacific. J. B. Haggin will most likely return home this week. His health is very poor and the summer at Narragansett Pier did not prove beneficial. During the past two weeks he has been up at Hot Springs. C. 8. Whipple and wife of Los Angeles have started homeward, but will be some weeks on the way, as it is their intention to stop ouver at a number of the large cities to visit the principal points of interest. H. M. Hagerman of Milligan & Hager- man, Mills building, has been in the City during the past week. He will run down to Philadelphia for a couple of weeks and then come back to New York for at least ten days. He says he expects to return fo San Francisco the first week of November, Just before the BSan Jose bay, Otto Zeigter, leit New York for Trenton, Pa., he was bragging to a group of friends that during the whole season he had not received one iall, a very extraordinary thing for a bicycle-rider of his varied ex- perienca Then he went to Trenton to fill an engagement, the last of the season. During one of the races there was a ¢spill,” and Goodman, Mosher, Acker, Hadfield, Jackson and Zeigler went down in a bunch. They all escaped injury but poor Otto Zeigler, whose arm was broken in the crush. John C. Coleman is at the Fifth-avenue Hotel. N. F. Vandeveer of San Francisco is at the hotel. John A. Lamb of Los Angeles is In town on business. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur M. Plato arrived Tuesday and are stopping at the Metro- politan. Mr. Stubbs of the Sounthern Pacific Raiiroad has come and gone again. g Frank C. Hatch, well kuown on the coast, bas lately returned from Costa Rica, after & two years’ absence. He has de- veloped some very rich mining properties down there and is enthusiastic over Cen- tral America. There is a little story told on Mr. Hatch which has gone the rounds, but is always amusing. Several years ago Mr. Hatch was president-of a little ten-mile railroad down in South Carolina, somewhere, and wishing to pay a flying visit to California he bethought him of the long and wind- ing railroads in that State and of the pos- sibilities of traveling over them as a rail- road magnate should. An inspiration seized him. and filling out an annual pass over his little old ten- mile road, he called on the powerful and mighty C. P. Huntington, and proffered him the courtesies of bis road in Soutn 1896. s CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATE~. By George Ticknor Curtis. Vol. IL. Xaited by Toseph Cuibertson Clayton. New York: Harper & Brothers, publishers.” For sale by A. M. Robertson; price $3. ‘We are pleased to acknowledge the receipt of the second volume of Mr. Curtis’ monumental work. It is greatly tb be regretted thataeath should have removed this distinguished histo- rian of the constitution while still this closing volume remained unfinished. The first vol- ume of the work, which was duly reviewed in THE CALL, contains the whole of Mr. Curtis’ “History of the Origin, Formation and Adop- tion of the Constitution of the United States, With Notices of Its Principal Framers,” as carefully revised by the author, The second volume takes up the history of opinion con- cerning the nature of the constitution, and about one-quarter of the entire text proper is devoted to this subject, The author then dis- cusses the events which preceded the inaugura- tion of the constitution, and cites the vindica- tion of its framers against the charge of incon- sistency. Of particular interest just at present is the chapter ‘on the first revenue law of the United States and the discussion of the tariff question, which was such a living issue at the time of the pirth of the Republic. We find, for instance, that in the first revenue legislation after the constitution was adopted it was deemed proper to make the en- couragement and protection of our own manu- factures one of the principal objects to be effected by the legislation. *“This was but the continuation of & policy previously acted upon by the separate States, but ineffectual because the States could only lay duties on foreign products brought into their own dominions. The situation of the country was virtually the same in 1789 as it has been since in its rela- tions with other nations, the difference be- tween that and any subsequent period being in respect to the quantity of importations and the quantity and kind of our own products. There were the same questions then &s now in regard to the encouragement and protection of manufactures existing among us, aud those which might be introduced and established luter.” Among the conclusions drawn from the first revenue law and the debate which preceded i1s enactment are these: “First—The entire freedom of trade, how- ever theoretically right,is inexpedient and impracticable for & country of diversified pur- suitsin which capitel and industry are em- ployed in agriculture, in navigation, in manu- factures, in fisheries and in mining. The situ- ation of the country atany given time, rela- tively to other countries, however that situs- tion may have been produced, whether by its own legislation or bf the action of other coun- tries, must determine what foreign commodi- ties shell be free and what shall be subjected to imposts and duties. This situation will vary_at different times and the legislation must, therefore, vary from time to time; but when, for & long course of years, the capital ana industry of the country or of considerable parts of it have been employed in particular products and pursuits sudden changes for whatever reasons cannot be made without causing great disturbance and loss of national wealth. “Second—That the power conferred on Con- gress by the constitution to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, subject only to the condition that they shall be uni- form throughout the United States, taken in connection with the circhmstances existing at the time of its establishment, warrants the deduction that when the National Govern- ment needs, as it mus: at all times need, revenue it may resort to direct or indireet taxation or as it 1s now called to an internal or externat revenue or to both; that the latter isalways to be preferred to the former, be- cause it is more easily collected and more easily paid, the burden falling upon those who consume the articles, the price of which is en- hanced by the duty, thus enabling the legis- lative power to distinguish between the lux- urfes and the necessaries of life, and that when the revenue is raised by indirect taxa- tion or by imposts on foreign commodities Congress is empowered and is under an obli- gation to so regulate the duties as to encour- age and protect domestic capital and domestic industry.” Thus was the solid groundwork laid for the cause that to-day is being so ably championed by William McKirley and Republican leaders throughout the Nation. It is further shown that, at the very birth of the Republic, when- ever comparisons were instituted between the interests of Jabor as distinguished from the interests of the capitalists who employ the labor, it was considered that the Ameriean 1aborer would enjoy a higher rate of pay than the same labor enjoyed in other countries, as an incident to the encouragement and protec- tion of the capitalist who employed him. In other words, 1t was considered that the inter- ests of capital and labor, so far as they are capable of distinct appreciation, would both be promoted by legisiation which tended to exclude foreign competition in our own market becausejthat legislation would enable the em- ployerfo pay the employed higher wages than were paid 1n other countries. In this second volume, also of great interest, 1s the history of the “Territorial clause” of the constitution and an explanation of its purpose. The Missouri compromise is treated ably and clearly, and much of the general misunder- standing on many points is cleared away. The Dred Scott case receives its share of attention in connection with the discussion of the anti- slaveryagitation, and is tollowed by a treatise on Lincoln's constitutional policy and an analysis of the reconstruction period. Mr. Curtis proposed to write chapters for this volume under the following titles, but diea Carolina. Of course he naively suggested that a like favor from Mr, Huntington would be appreciated, etc., etc. Hunting- ton, who had never heard of Mr. Hatch’s road, leaned back in his big revolving chair and asked quietly, “This road of yours, Mr. Hatch, how long is it any- way?”’ Without hesitating, he replied: “It is ten miles long, sir; but by George, it’s just as wide as your own.” R. P. Schwerin and H. P, Frear are at the Gilsey. 8. Goodfriend, who used to live in San Francisco and was very well known by all the newspaper fraternity, is editinga newsy little sheet called Playsand Players. Howard P. Taylor is gnother old-time Californian who has been meeting with success in New York. Mr. Taylor will have at least four plays out this season from his own pen. He does not manage the companies hirselt. Frank Bethel Cross, who came on from San Jose last week, has entered the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he will finish, preparatory to a pro- {fessional career. The five little Barrisons are in town, and all the bad “cute clubmen” have been planning all sorts of suppers and drives and “meets” for the naughty, naughty little Barrisons. They are five little sisters and one litile understudy, and they all look alike. Really the only thing which makes them all seem alike is that they are all small and of the same height. s Oh, T forget! They all have wads of yellow peroxide hair, and they all wear -the funniest little hats you've ever seen. 4 met them the other afternoon at the STITUTIONAL HISTORY. without accomplishing that purpose: (1) “Im- peachment of President Johnson,” (2) “Ju- dicial Construction of Amendments XIII, XIV and XV,” (3) *'Linccln’s Proclamation of Emancipation Not Authorized by the Consti- tution, Unless as a War Measure,” (4) “The Suspension of Habeas Corpus,” (5) “Conelu- sions.” The second volume contains 780 pages, and fully one-third of it is given up toa fuil, important and explicit appendix giving copies of important state papers concerning constitu- tional questions and citations to decisions on such matters. The volume is certainly a wel- come aadition to the lterature of our Federal constitution. CLEVER BUT HARMFUL. YOGA PHILOSOPHY; LECTURES OF THE SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON RAJA YOGA. Published by Longmans, Green & Co., London, New York and Bombay. Students of Oriental philosophies know that there are two systems of Yoga taught in India —one the Hatha Yoga, the other Raja Yoga. Itisentirely of the latter system that these lectures purport to treat, and though Patan- jali’s aphorisms are quoted and annotated in the volume, but few will agree that the learned Swami has given his book the correct title. There is more of Hatha Yoga in these lectures than of anything else, Many physical prac- tices are recommended and many physical ‘benefits to be derived from their employment held out as inducements to the student. This Yoga philosophy, it might be explained to the lay reader, comprehends tho control of the mind by the power of the will, either for seli- ish or for altruistic purposes, and either by concentration of the thinking principle upon lofty metaphysical abstractions, or by the use of certain very dangerous and hermiul physi- cal practices or self-torture. Vivekananda— who, by the way, is & very intellectual East Inaian, who handles the English language very gracefully and with some degree of art in composition—does not advise physical tor- ture, it is true, but his book is, npon the whole, a harmful one and calculated to de- grade and materialize & system of philosophy that in many quarters is revered as the spir- itual wisdom of great sages. A BOOK ON SWEET PEAS. SWEET PEA REVIEW. By James Sproule. San Francisco: The Murdock Press. For sale at all the bookstores; price 25 cents. James Sproule has proved himself not only & successful and studious horticuiturist, but a man with literary leanings and of mere than the average ability in handling the Queen’s English, His “Sweet Pea Review” is a very neat and well-written little volume that was needed, for the sweet-pea fad is a healthy one and lasting. All the different varieties of these delicate, sweet-scented blossoms of beauty are, in the Review, arranged in color groups and classified according to type. There are also many valuable, eritical notes and much in- formation of a practical and scientific charac- ter. To quote the words of Mr. Sproule’s pre- face: “A brief, definitely worded ‘Review of Sweet Peas’ must prove interesting to the horticultural world. Accuracy has been aimed at, and our conclusions, derived from the broad plane of practical experience gained in our own seed-growing domain, are trust- worthy. Copious notes and endless compari- sons in our fieids are here condensed into con- venient and practicel form, and while not per- haps perfect in every respect they will be found peculiarly convenient. It is our effort, by co-operation, to still further ennoble the charming sweet pea, and in pursuance of that end the present little publication, the fruit of recreative moments snatched from a busy lifs, is respectfully tendered to flower-lovers.” A STORY OF SECOND LOVES. THE VIOLET. By Julia Magruder. New York: Longmans, Green & Co. Publishers. For sale by William Doxey; cloth; price, $1 25, An interesting novel, this, of life and love in the upper social circles. The story hasa good moral tone. Its chief concern is with the affairs of a peautiful woman, who has (in a past that she is struggling to forget) been the victim of a rash and most mistaken marriage, and who has been employed to chaperon an heiress, the latter having a guardian whose experience in matrimony had been happy, though of short duration. As chaperom, in pleasant surroundings, in & place of safety and peace and rest, the beautiful woman comes again to believe in the goodness of human beirgs ana the possibility of peace. The guardian in question entertains peculiar be- liefs sbout marriage, which had once led him to the resolution never to wed again, Guar- dian and chaperon become Jove’s philoso- phers. The reader will find :nuch to be ad- mirzsd about the story. One of the lessons is that wisdom, born of experience, may be re- lied on to banish false notions of living and loving. The book is illustrated by Charles Dana Gibson and. needless to say, the draw- ings are fine specimens of the illustrator’s art. FOR THOUGHTFUL INVALIDS, CHEERFUL PHILOSOPHY. By Willlam Ho- ratio Clarke. Readlng, Mass.: E. T. Clarke & Co., publishers; price, in limp cloth, 50 cents. The thoughts in this little book are inscribed, “with sympathy and hope,” to the afilicted who have been compelled to retire from the activities of their healthy fellow-beings, and who are willing to make effort to render their lives less burdensome to themselves and work useful to others. “True sympathy for a poor men,” saysthe author, “instead of lamenting over his condition of poverty, seeks to provide him with such employment as will alleviate his wants; and the motive for presenting ALIFORNIANS WHO ARE IN NEW YORK Gilsey Cafe, and it was a jolly sight and interesting to contemplate. It wasn’t necessary for the head waiter to whisper, ~“Them are the Barrison Sisters!” becanse “The Little Barrisons” was simply writ- ten ail over their very presence. Don’t be sorry, but they don’t look a bit neughty or saucy or wicked. M. Fleron, thewr manager, should be ashamed for allowing such dreadful things to be said. The idea that men—royal men, men of “the nobility’’—have suicided for the sake of the different little sisters is preposter- ous. They would ery their ten blue eyes out if 2 man should even fall ill for their sakes. That is the way they look, and looks are seldom deceptive, after all. Another thing which stands to their credit: Orders are left at the hotel office that “‘no cards are to Be sent to their rooms, because they do not wish to receive callers.”” Looking at them calmly one is sure to belieye what the eldest sister said the day after they arrived on the steamer from Europe: “We bad? Why, weare not bad even a little bit.”’ Seabury Cone Mastick and Miss Warner were married October 1. On October 17 Dr. and Mrs. Lucien C. Warner, parents of the bride, will give a reception at their beautiful home, Osborne Terrace, on the Hudson. Mr. and Mrs. Mastick have issued cards that they will be ““at home'’ Fridays, from December 4 until Lent, afternoon and evening. Their home will be at 35 Mount Morris Park, West. ' TrenzA Foutz ToLAND. 21 these thoughts emanates from the desire te provide mrourishing food for those who are faint, weary and discouraged.” The author preaches the gospel of patience, and for the sick and suffering, he prescribes some un. patented medicine, “which is freely at hand for all who are willing to meke a trial of its efficacy,” and which is contained largely in the following rules, “helpful in the restoration of health”: “L. A trustin the Divine Providence. «II. The habitusl practice of deep volune tary breathing of pure air, with such exercise as is possille. “IIL The temperate use of nutritious food, and the ‘observance of general hygienic laws.” “IV. The cultivation of a chéerful spirit and thoughtfulness for the welfare of others.” A NOVEL OF HIGH MERIT. KING NOANETT. By F. J. Stimson (J. S of Date.) Boston and ~ew York: . Lumson, Wolfe & Co., publishers. For sale by A. M. itobertson; price $2. In the realm of fiction this novel is en‘itied toa high place. Itissupposed to be the story of Bampfylde Carew, one of the earliest settlers on the Upper Charles River, in Massachusetts. As it relates to the Cromwellian period, it is told ulso in the style in vogue atabout that time. __*‘He speaks without fear or favor,” remarks the author regarding his creaticn, Carew, “and Ihave printed it as written, altering only the spelling; and although ocessionally he uses words only suited to the robuster stomachs ot his time, I have let them stand; partly that the sweet and noble temper of his story atones for them, partly that our own stomachs are a tnifla over-queasy (as to words alone).” Views are expressed on a number of subjects, notably Cromwell and the later Puritans, which, the author remarks, “would have ren- dered their publication inopportune n New England at a time much before the present.” But if he sets forth those matters in a some- what novel light ne is severer still upon cer- tain phases of early life in Virginia. Mailes Courtenay will, beyond doubt, be considered one of the very best drawn Irish characters of the highest type in ail literature. The sur- prising events which sccompany the meeting of Carew with Kfng Noanett make a strong, dramatic close to a book that fascinates the reader from the beginuning. The love tale that runs through tie story is as pure and sweet as any that ever was told. The author dedicates “to the memory of John Boyle O'Reilly this book, so often planned together and now exe- cuted alone.” The illustrations, by Henry Sandham, R.C.A., are superb. A GIFT BOOE. LITTLE BELLES AND BEAUX. By Frances Brundage and Elizabetr S. Tucker. Published by the Frederick A. Stokes Company, New York. Price, $1 5. For sale by William Doxey, Palace Hotel. This makes a very attractive volume for the children—a good birthday present. It con- tains sgveral full-page water-color illustrations that are very handsome. They are rich in col- oring, and yet in very good taste. They will appeal to the children, and be rather an aid to their artistic education. As much can hardly be said for the letter-press. It isnot bad or harmful, perhaps, like the letter-press of many children’s books, but it is rather colorless and tame and scarcely interesting for the wides awake, bright babies of our day. However, the pictures more than make up for this fault, and no child will fail to be delighted with the gift. TIMELY LESSON IN FINANCE FIAT MONEY INFLATION IN FRANCE. By Andrew D. White, LL.D. New York: D, Appleton & Co., publishers. For sale by Doxey; paper, price 26 cents. This able, authoritative paper by the well« known college professor has been reprinted in response to & demand, in order that it may be of use during the present campaign in show- ing to what folly, cruelty, wrong and ruin the passion for fiat money may lead. A special reason for issuing this new edition liesin the fact that the principle involved in the pro- posed unlimited coinage of silver in the United States is, at bottom, identical with the idea which led to that fearful wreck of public and private property in France. An added reason is that the utterancesof the Chicago nominee and of the Populist platform point clearly and unmistakably to unlimited issues of paper money hereafter. The author de- clares that Bryan’s Populist supporters are logical enough to see that it would be incon- sistent to stop at the unlimited issue of silver dollars, which really cost something, when they can issue unlimited paper dollars, which virtually cost nothing. Professor White says that it is but just to acknowledge that the French proposal wis vastly more ssne than that now made in our own country. The French issues of paper rested not merely “on the will of a free peo- ple,” but on more than one-third of the entire landed property of France: on the very choicest real es'ate in city and country—the confiscated estates of the church and the fugi- tive aristocracy—with power to use the paper thus issued in purchasing this real property at very moderate prices. “Qur proposed unlimited issue of silver,” says the author, “rests on we know not what: and the proposed issue of paper rests solely on the judgment, the will and the schemes for political success or personal gain of those Populist financiers who shall be put in control at Washington, and who will doubtless be astute enough to see and to use the enormous possibilities for stock-jobbing and gembling in values which will acerue to-those who, by controlling the issues of the circulating me- dium, can raise or depress the price of every share of stock, every bond, every yard of every fabric, every ounce of every commodity within the United States.” Voters who are still wavering in doubt on the financial question should read this cone vineing paper on ‘*Fiat Money in France; How It Came, What It Brought and How it Ended.” FOR LOVERS OF MYSTERY. A COURT INTRIGUE. By Basil Thompson. New York: D. Appleton & Co,, publishers. For sale by Doxey: paper, price 50 cents. This book is & queer mixture of the grotesque and serious and the reader is fora while in doubt wnother the author is in jest or earnest. The king, the court and the country are all mysterious. The characters are neariy all mis- fits in their stations. The gardener, for in- stance, made an excellent librarian, but knew nothing of gardening. Thecoachman arew all his ideas from & book on the horse. The keep- er of the poultry had been a solicitor in a pros- perous ‘practice and was quite prepared to change places with the lord president of the council when that dignitary was dismissed from office. Side by side with this tomfoolery runs a vein of seriousness, but in the solution the author entirely justifies the juxtaposition of the two elements. It is a good bock for lovers of mystery. SOME ENLIVENING YARNS. AROUND THE CAMPFIRE. By Charles G. D, Roberts, M.A. New York and Boston: T. Y. Crowell & Co., publishers; cloth, price $1 59. Among the new books for young people this volume should get a good reception, for much plessure is to be found in 1s pages. Six cheer. ful sportsmen start on a canoeing-trip in the New Brunswick wilderness, and every evening as they sit eround the campfire each in turn is called upon to spin an enlivening yarn. The scheme is carried out with great success; tales of adventure, of exciting escapes, of intimate acquaintance with wildcats and bears, moose and other denizens of the woods are strung on the stmple but delightful thread of the expedi. tion. Professor Roberts hes a personal knowl- ege of the region to which he introduces his readers, and he hes succeeded in telling a se- ries of delightful stores in a style which would of itself make him famous. The sixteen illus- trations by Charles Copeland are true to the life, and add to the charm of the book. NOW FOR THE YULETIDE. AIR-CASTLE DON. By B. Freeman Ashley. Cbicago: & Lee, publishers. Holliston linen, gilt top; price 81" Xor sale at bookstores. Juvyenile literature seems to be monopolizing the attention of publishers everywhere at this season. There will certainly be no dearth of good books for the Christmas tree. In “Air- custle Don; or, From Dreamland to Hardpan,” there is nothing of the blood-curdling, wild Indian kind of sensationalism. Its plot, as well as its style, makes healthy reading throughout. It lacks neither humor norsenti- ment, and has a vein of originality thatap- peals even to grown-up people. It forms the fourth volume of Laird & Lee’s dainty *“Young America 3