The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 20, 1896, Page 25

- and sparkle, in this work of George Knight's - by many is & literary treat which can be en- FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1896. BAR ING-GOULD AND HIS WORKS “Richard Gable” Is the Only Book He En- joyed Writing---Says It is His Best. SOME ENJOYABLE REMINISCENCES OF THE AUTHOR The Novel That Won Him Fame Brought Him Only Fifty Pounds. How His Knack of Hymn-Writing Gost Him a “Living” as a Gleric. E. D. Baring-Gould, son of the popular Enelish author, 8. Baring-Gould of Dey- onshire, is full of reminiscences of his | famous father, all of which are interesting and some amusing. He says his father, who was a minister, had a rough time in literature before he made it go. The | manuscript of the book that won him fame, and which had an enormous sale, | he had to hawk about from publisher to | publisher, all refusing to take it. “Said Mr. Baring-Gould: ally he sold the copyright for £50, or $250. This was for “Mehalah,” the book by which he achievea his success. It had a tremendous circulation, running through several editions. Since then he has refused to seli the copyright of any of his books. Sut the book that my father thinksis the best, and the only one he says he en- joyed writing, is “Richard Cable.” He enjoys the religious and antiguarian, and Dot novel writing. Hisnovels pay exceed- ingly well. He zeneraily writes a history for his own pleasure, and a novel for the pleasure of his purse. “The work I enjoy most of all he has written is ‘The Tragedy of the Cmsars.’ | Before writing it he studied chronologi- | cally the great men around whom the | story clings. He went to Rome and stud- iea the busts and read the history of the men. Studying them thus he has brought out how they were likely to act, and in many cases bas represented the characters in » light contrary to Gibbon. “For instance, he took Tiberius, a man | supposed to be almost infamous, but he has shown him to be really an excellent man, only a little too weak for the circum- | stances which surrounded him. In the | same way he bas taken up others of the Ceesars. | *My father is now writing a ‘Life of St. Paul’, and also a ‘Life of Christ.” This is | quite a departure from novel writing. He | will visit Palestine in the spring and get | the local color. He will only need to stay | a few weeks at most. “‘He is now living at our place in Devon- shire. Itis an old place that we have had | in our family for about 500 years. “He writes hymns, too, as well as his- tories and novels. He wrote the bymn, | *‘Onward, Christian Soldiers,’ and in con- | nection with that I will tell you & story. | Av the time he was curate of a small | church. He had intended to useit as a | processional hymn, but the"Bishop would | not allow it. | “The Bishop was low church and m}'1 ther was high charch, and the Bishop | opposed the signof the cross that was to | be used. My father told him that it was | pretty late to change the hymn now, or to write a new one, but if he insisted on it | he would do the best he could. Well, the | Bishop said there was no use talking | about it. He couldn’t have the hymn in- | troduced as originally intended. It was | contrary to his idea of what the church | would stand. | “The first verse of the hymn reads, as you no doubt remember: Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching on to war, ‘With the cross of Jesus Golng on before. “But my father changed the last line, | ‘Going on before,” to ‘Left behind the | door,” so that when the choir walked for- ward they got no farther than the door with the cross, and chanted as they came | forward in processio: Unward, Christian scldiers, Z Marching on to war, With the cross of Jesus Lett behind the door. “This made the Bistop very mad and he dismissed my father from that living. But as some friends of my father wrote soon after, they guessed he could stand it very well, for Mr. Gladstone gave him a very much better living in Essex. “And strange to say in less than a month from that time the song was putin the Episcopal hymnbook. My father still acts as clergyman at Lew Trenchard in | Devonshire. That is where his place is. ‘“He has never been in America. He is too poor a sailor. The only long sea trip he ever took was to Iceland, but it was so hard on him that he has felt very loth to trust himself to the waves again.” The first book the elder Baring-Gould wrote was callea “Iceland.” He next wrote ‘“The Book of Werewolves”; ‘Past Medieval Preachers” followed, and then | he wrote **The Origin and Development of Religious Belief.” “Lives of the | Saints’ and “Some Modern Difficulties’ | led down to ‘‘Mehalah,” the book which | achieved such phenomenal success, and | the copyright of which, according to the son, was sold for a song. FINELY FINISEED. DUST IN THE BALANCE-By George Knight. R. F. Fenne & Co., New York. Price $1 25. Nineteen sketches in one volume, all finely polished by a literary iapidary who knows well when he has found a gem of an ides how to cut it down to symmetry and make 1t flash give the reader ample variety of pathos, humor and wit. Short stories are now having their day, and they are said to be more diffi- cult to write than long ones. What is wanted joyed in fifteen minutes, or half an hour, and then let them back to work again without too much reluctance. When a long story is really good it is difficult to find within it stopping- places where one can feel satisfied to pass from its delights to pull up against the collar of the duties we sre hitched to, From the tempta- tion to stay with a book too long the shart story saves us, and this collection can be rec- ommended to those who love a good story but whose leisure is tov brief for a long one. The story of Sir Folly, the King’s fool, is & good one to ssmple the book with, snd those who read it will want some more from the same mind. The jester leads off in this tragedy by stabbing the profligate son of the King with his keen wit. The Prince’s revenge is to ruin a peasant girl and then moekingly say to the noble jester, “You said all women were your sisters’” The mnext stab of the jester is dome with steel, and on the haft of the knife as it remains in the breast so lle; 2 poem is impsled by 8ir Folly ere he flees. The motto used for this tale is the well-known sen- tence which we are told in the Old Testament the brothers of Dinah uttered in explana- tion of their revenge. Most of the mottoes are taken from the Bible and are very apt. Oue of the cleverest in the book is the ap- propristely named “Tentalus.” It telis of &} successful bachelor novelist who, after having created a number of heroines from the finest fancies of his brain and fallen in love with | them, flings his pen down in disgust one day when the thought comes to him of how futile it is to be making these glorious women, for other fellows to marry. Then being weary he sleeps and dreams. The vision of & sweet little woman enters and declares she is his ideal. “And shall I never meet you as & reality?” asks the noveli “It I were real I would not be mys says the lady, and when the novelist sought ‘to kiss her on the mouth the ideal woman was gone. FATE'S FREAKS. SOME WHIMS OF FATE—By Menle Muriel Dowie. John Lane: The Bodley Head, London and New York. Price $1. For sale by Willlam Doxey, Palace Hotel. City. Of the five short stories here published to- gether two have been printed in the Yellow Book and one in Chambers’ Journal. Perhaps the best of the collection is “Wladislaw’'s Ad- vent.” This is an odd story of & Polish stu- dent of painting. His face had a strong re- semblance to the ideals of the old masters as shown in their representations of Christ. A famous artist in Paris employed him as a model to be used in a great painting he had planned of the Temptation of Christ. This artst had made his fame asa portraitist of the “filiesde jole,” and it was a surprise to his brother art- ists that he chould conceive it possible to add to his reputation by painting the Man of Sor- rows. The would-be painter of the Nazarene secms to have been & man much given to yield- ing to temptation, and his studio was fre- quented by the frail beauties who have formed the subjects of his famous canvases. After taking & number of preliminary sketches of the Poie’s face the artist engaged him to come at.a certain hour the next Sun- dey night to pose for the picture whichis to be the great cffort of his life. At the sp- pointed hour Wiadislaw went to the studio, but before seeing the painter he entered the dressing-room to don the simple white wool garment in which he was to pose. He heard sounds of wild revelry, but supposed they | came from the adjoining studio of s sculptor. He supposed the artist, Dufour, who had en- gaged him, was busy on his great picture. As he drew the curtain back at the entrance to Dufour’s room he beheld a crowd of « half- drunk men and women at their revels. Du- four raises a wavering arm, and with a drunken smile of intelligence exclaimed, ““Ah, it is my Jesus Christ!” The sudden shock of the words and the sight of the strange figure in white garment sent a thrill of terror through the crowd. The apparition was soon understood, but never after could therevelers “forget the stun of that terrible moment | when, at the jarring scrape of the curtain- rings upon their rod, the white figure of the Christ hed interrupted them—when it had seemed, indeed, that the last day had come, that judgment and retribution had overtaken them.” TOLD BY A NAVAL COMMANDER. THE SHIP’S COMPANY, and Other Sea People. #y J. D. Jerrold Kelly, U.S. N, New York: Harver & Bros. Price $150. For sale by A, M. Robertson, Post strees, City. The fascination of the sea is increased and curiosity about it gratified by these eight ex- cellently wriiten sketches of life aboard ship. There are graphic descriptions of what life is like on board of & man-of-war, & costly pleas- ure-yacht and the great, swift passenger steamer, from the lookout in the foretop down to the stifling stokehole. Lientenant-Com- mander Kelly is thoroughly familiar with his subject, and has a breezy and saity way of telling things relating to travel over the briny deep. The book is profusely illustrated with | full-page pictures, one of which, representing | a young boy “Going Aloft,” is especially fine. In these pages we getacquainted with the ship’s company, and among them are taught tosincerely admire the type of purser ana doc- | tor, who are highly commended for the un- failing courtesy with which, in spite of being hourly harried with the hundred little miser- ies of other people, they go cheerily about their business. About the superstitions of the sailors we read with wonder, and there is «hrilling interest in the “*Spirit of Limbogen,” which is a tale of ocean heroism and disaster | and final rescue by the operation of some oc- cult sgency. Boys who wish to join the navy and their friends who take an interest in their career will here find much about midshipmen, old and new. The “Rigor of the Game” tells of the stern discipline of the sailor's life and how bravely he bears it; but the hardship is shown to be & mere trifle compared to the brutalities which haa to be borne in former days when flogging was common for minor faults and for great ones the horrible kee.nauling was in- flicted. Best of all, perhaps, is the amusing deserip- tion of the “Queer Pets of Sailor Jack.” Over the portrayal of the pet pig, Dennis O'Kerry, who was so well beloved by the sailors that they coula not possibly eat him, the reader may laugh till he grows as fat as Dennis got on the rum and other good things the sailors shared with him. His name was Dennis, but fortune smiled upon him. NEGRO TYPES. SOLOMON CROW’S CHRISTMAS POCK CTS, and other tales—By Ruih McEnery Stuart. Harper Bros, New Yoik. Price $125. For saie by A. M. Roberts, Post street, City. New Orleans and its vicinity is the scene of these ten short stories which deal mainly with negro types. The first one relates how a kind lady developed the nobleness in a little negro boy so that from a rogue he became trust- worthy. He had been forbidden the use of pockets by his employer ana he felt the degra- dation keenly. When Christmas came and his lady benefactress asked what he would like for his gilt, he eagerly begged for pockets. A whole outfit of them were given him In a fine suit of clothes and the black boy ever after considered pockels a great tiust and never again purloined anything. In tne story called “Blink,” which tellsofa young girl’s struggle to support her infirm father, there isa criticism made by her old black “mammy”’ which is worth noting. The girl is trying to’ write stories and the old woman is very anxious to help her, saying she had never craved edueation before. *Look ter me, baby,” mammy suggested another night, after listening to a highly imaginative story— “look ter me like ef—et—ef you's des write down some truly truth what 18 ac—chilly happened, an’ glorify it wid education, hit’ad des nachelly stan’ in a book.” The next story was written under the old woman’s directions and it was & success. The story called “Quackalina’’ is very pa- thetic. Quackalina was & duck. Thz farm- er’s boy took the eggs out of her nest and put a lot of guinea eggs under hey, which she hatched out, but when she looked at their feet and saw that they would never swim *it was a great shock to her.” The book ends with & pretty poem calied ““May Be So.” . IN QUEST OF EXPERIENCES. TOMALYN'S QUEST—By G. B. Burgin. Harper & Brothers. New York. Frice 81 25. For sale by A. M. Robertson, Post street, City. Tomalyn Crane is a young man who goes to Constantinople in search of experiences and finds them. Ou the steamer with him is a beau- tiful woman who 18 & secret agent of the Rus. sian Government and he falls in love with her. As Crane is going out to become the secretary of Tompkins Pasha, an English officer in the Sultan’s service, this woman, Mrs, Bragwin, thinks it worth while to fascinate the youth. Although she does not love the handsome boy she loves love, and the fresh ardor of this lover pleases her. While fired with admira- tion for this fair and wily woman the hot- headed youth hears her criticized adversely by an army officer. He boldlyinsults the officer and forces him to fight a duel. The descrip- tion of this duel and the boy’s headstrong courage is one of the best passages in the book. There is an amusing sccount of a pompous character calied Hawtry Bey, who endeavors to 1mpress his grandeur upon the recognition of the new secretary. Crane nar- rowly escapes several attempts to assassinate him and one magnificent final effort to over- power him with the voluptuousness of her bteauty. Bnt all the snares set for him fail, and the story ends with his happy marriage to a lovely English girl. . STRANGE STORIES. THE DESIRE OF THE EYES—Bv Grant Allen. R. F. Fenne & (0, New York. Price 81 25. “The Desire of the Eyes” is the firstof a collection of thirteen rather commonplace siories, and is 8o much better than some of the others it probably deserves the honor of giving its name to the whole bunch. hero displays & noble log loved him, but offers to give him up be cause she had become disfigured by smallpox. The general heading through the book is § Stories, and some of them will make strangely disagrecable reading to any Southern white man who might attempt their dull pages, however much they might please mulatioes and such whites as can contemplate mis- cegenation without disgust. As tastes differ it may be fairest 1o give an extract of the style in one of the stories in which he tells of a fine handsome Engiish girl falling in love with and marrying a full-blooded negro from Africa: “To say the truth, John Creely, in spite of his black face, dazzled poor Ethel, for bhe was more of a scholar and a gentieman than anybody with whom she had ever before Initthe | ty to a girl who | | | | | story to fasten | again. spirited in order that she mightdo justice to her subject. The book is aided with numerous quotations, culled with much taste, and is very far from having the solemn dullness usually expected in religious writings. # RELIGIOUS. THE REV. JOHN HENRY = By Percival R. Benson. A.S. Barnes & Co, New York. For sale by A, M. rovertson, Post street, City. There is a great deal of religious discussion 1n this little book, with the barest thread of a it together. The Rev. John Henry is brought up by his Puritan parents very strictly in the orthodox faith, but after an ex- perience asa pastor of awealthy congrega- tion in a large city his faith is shaken. He explains to a friend what a void that loss has made in his life. He says he has been forced to confess that his faith is but a sham, a mass of legends and fables Which profess to have miraculous power to cleanse the heart and thereby supply a mask for sin. He passes tnrough his skeptic mood back to Christ Hesays: “The current of Jesus' life was altruisticin its nature, and it must induce in all lives near it currentsof altruism, By the intervention of faith the life of Jesusis brought near to the life 6f him who believes. Faith is a creative power.” - GOOD RE&DING FOR BOYS HARPER’S ROUND TA BLE FOR 1896. Bound volume. Iarper & Bros. New York. Price $350. In this volume there are 1276 pages of fine reading for voung people. There are a large number ot illustrations, and it contains three complete books for boys. One of these is a fine historical story of the boyhvod of George Washington, by Mollie Elliot Seawell. There is a story specially for girls called “The Mid- dle Daughter,” by Margaret E. Sangster. There are scores of short stories, and about 150 pages on athletic games. Mrs. Lew Wallace con- tributes “The Tower of Many Stories,” which teaches interesting history about the famous Tower of London. “The American Night's REV. S. BARING-GOULD. had the chance of conversing.” “And after all, John Creely was in all essentials an educated English gentleman, with the same chivalrous feelings toward a pretty and attractive girl that every Englishman ought to have.” “And Ethel really did to some extent love him already.” There is another tale almost as dis- agreeable of a love affair between a white girl and a heathen Chinee, but this one was miti- gated somewhat by having the love strictly platonic. Itis well to recognize that goodness and greatness and heroism can dwell beneath skins of all colors, but when it comes to tell- ing of love between the sexes, where English ana American girls feel the tender passion for negroes and Chinese, the subject is too dfs- gusting for fiction founded on it to be coms mended. FOR SWEET CHARITY'S SAKE GRANDMA'S STORIES; TOLD AT TW ILIGHT. By Margaret Deane. San Franclsco News Company. Price, cloth 75 cents: paper, 50 cents. For sale by all bookstores. For the benefit of the Catholic Aid Society this handsome gift book for children has been got up, and inasmuch as the proceeds of the sale of itwill go to carefully discriminating charitable uses, every one who buys a copy of it 10 present to some little friend on Chrismas day will be doing a doubie kindness. He/will know of one life in some bright home that the book will make more happy, and there will be some other life, he knows not where, which his gift will gladden in a home less bright where it will be expected and seem heaven sent. The volume is printed on fine paper and is prettily bound, with a basket full of merry youngsters on the front lid, called “a hamper of love,” while on the back lid there is a little girl encased in glass and labeled “bot- tled sauce.”” One of the stories is a fairy tale of the power of perseverance. A little boy keeys on striving so hard to do whatever task isset him until he acquires such strength that he can pull up forest trees by the roots, whereat the rabbits of the wood are greatly astonished, and the artist, Solly Walter, has so represented the expression of this surprise in qne of them as to make a most amusing plcture. LEVOUT FICTION. SIC VITA EST—By Sue Freeman Matthews. G. W. Dillingham & Co., New York. Price $1 50. For sale by the San Francisco News Company, Market street. This is a good story. Itis religious and it is entertaining. It opens with a deseription of a number of interesting young women at col- lege together, and thence continues their his- tory out into society and through love, mar- riage and varied miseries, misuuderstandings and happinesses; weaving through it all thoughts of God's watchiul care over human events, and showing the beauty of faith in the women'’s characters. Part of the first chapter is devoted to an account of the proceedings of & prayer-meeting conducted by the young 1adies, which is quite a model for plety and cleverness combined. In the portrayal of the nature of Lucille Romayne there is displayed the power of making life happy from sources within the heart under both good and evil happenings. In a conversation which Marguer- ite, who hasa practical turn, is carrying on with her prospective sister-in-law, Claire, who is that sort of a religious being Mrs. Humphry Ward would call & mystic, Marguerite says: “You are spiritual and I am human; you live with Christ and I with his people, and may not our united lives link them close to- gethar?” . In a conversation between these two in their college days Claire links playfulness with plety in her explanation of the kindness of Providence in sending her sorrow becauseof a blunder in her lesson and its reprimand. She said the teacher set her to write an essay on melancholy, and it was found necessary to bring about something to make her lovr-l Entertainments,” by Mrs. Emma J. Gray, is & series of twelve articles on the subject of get- ting up amusements for young people. Each article tells of some recreation suitable for one month in the year. There is information about how to periorm magic, and one of the most interesting features is “Out of the Cen- ter of Africa,” by Cyrus C. Adams, telling ot recent explorations on the Dark Continent. MARRIED A LUKE THE AMERICAN DUCHESS—By the Princess de Bourg. New York: G. W. Dillingham Com- pany. For sale by the San Francisco News Com- pany, Post street. Fiction in this case differs from fact very much in that the heroine of the story, Kitty Fauntleroy, marries the English Duke from a sense of duty—she cou'd not bear to break his heart, and the Duke did not want her because of her money, but was in love with her in fine romantic style. . The novel is & very ordinary one, but is to some extent redeemed by the sweetness of Kitty’s character. Sheisnotin love with the Duke and makes a very unhappy bride, and her unhappiness is deeply shared by & young American who is in love with her. Tke story ends rather abruptly for those who take any kindly interestin Kitty’s life, for she only gets to be & Duchess on the last page. A note informs the reader that a sequel will shortly be published under the title of “An International Marriege.” CHARMS OF RURAL LIFE. A BOOK OF COUNTRY CLOUDS AND SUN- SHINE—By Clifton Johnson. Lee & Shepard, Boston. Price $2 50. For saie by the Whiiaker & Ray Company, Market street, City. This book has many illustrations of scenes photographed by the author in his travels through New Englaud. The clouds and sun- shine are those of life rather than those of the sky. The aim of the author has been to tell of farm and village life and character. He has tried to make us understand what are the charms of country life, and has drawn its shadows without exaggeration. He thinks that a New England village, not too far re- moved from & railroad, is the pleasantest place to live in the world. But the finer pleasures of rural living he explains cannot be had by merely moving to the country. “You must yourselt be simple, must love a home of hum- ble comforts. Pride or styie or artificiality will never get at the heart of the life, and will miss much ot the country sweetness.” FOR GOOD GUESSERS. THE COLUMBIAN PRIZE CHARADES—By Herbert Ingalls. Lee & Shepard, publishers, Boston. Price $1. Forsale by the Whitaker & Ray Company, Market street, S8an Francisco. A whole book full of charades for people to sharpen their wits in efforts to guess is here furnished on nice paper and in neat binding. The best guesser by sending in the solutions promptly to the pubiishers will win a prize of $10. It is said that this is a sort of intel- lectual exercise of which Tennyson and Ma- eaulay were fond, and that is certain evidence that it is proper pastime for fine brains, and probable evidence that it helps to brighten brains. There is both entertainment and in- struction in the rhyme puzzles, and those who try but fail to get the prize will probably have succeeded in making their minds more alert and ready to grasp some other of life’s chances. DUDES AND CU éID. HER MASH LETTERS—Published by G. W. Dillingham Company, New York. For sale by the San Francisco News Company, Post street. This purports to be a cotlection of letters re- cetved by an actress from admirers of many kinds, but mostly fools. Each epistle isac- companied by an illustration intended to satirize the sender. Oae of these picturesan actress in seant skirts standing before the footlights with a toy man tied to a string, which she holds in her hand and pulls to make the puppet dance to suit her. Distorted cupids are scattered profusely through the peges, and these symbolize well the condition of the minds and hearts of the silly senders of the mash letters if we grant them genuine. The book is dedicated “to & stagestruck girl.” A PRIZE STORY. UNDER THREE FLAGS—By B. L. Taylor and A. T, Theits. Rand, McNally & Co., Chicago and New Y ork. Stories of mystery seem to be now very much in vogue, and among the prizes offered this class usually has the biggest incentive held out for their production. “Under Three Flags” is the winner of the third prize in the Chicago Record’s *$30,000 to Authors” com petition. The desire to guess the solution of the mystery keeps the reader’s attention alert to every detail, and adds greatly to the interest. Noone in perusing this book should permit a reckless curiosity to spoil the pleasure of speculating on how, and by whom, the crime in it was perpetrated, with the reprehensible actof turning prematurely to the lastchapters. It would be very much the same thing as eating green fruit from the great impatience 10 let it ripen. For such reason it would not be proper here to give any brief outline of the story. To get the benefit of the mystery the reader must pass slowly through his wonder- ment of how the puzzling affair can ever be fully explained. That the scene of the story is to a large ex- tent laid in Cuba will add to its attractiveness at this particular time, when the Queen of the Antilies is a place of so much interest. JUVENILE BOOKS. THE MERRY FIVE—By Penn Shirley. Lee & Shepard, Boston. Price 75 cents. For sale by 1p Whitaker &, Ray Company, Market street, The merry five are children who are having a general good time on the Pacific Coast. They g0 10 beaches and learn to swim. They visit mines and bee ranches. They learn to enjoy camp-life and are bent on getting fun and new experiences. The story is wholesome and the author is good at telling droll inci- dents. FOUR YOUNG EXPLORERS—By Oliver Optic. Tce & Shepard, Boston. . Price §1 26, For saié by the Whitaker & Ray Company, Market strect, City. This is quite a thick volume from the pen of that ,prolific and instructive writer for young people. It is the third book of the third series of the “All-Over-the-World Li- brary,” It tells of sightseeing in the tropics and of hunting alligators and gorillas in Borneo; of steamboating through a great forest: of visiting an earthquake city; about the Philippine Islands and the big and curious cities of China. It will teach much of geography and natural history to young read- ers, besides being very entertaining. RELIGIOUS FICTION. THE NEW MINISTER—By Paul Kenneth. A. 8. Barnes & Co.,, New York. Price 50 cents. For sale by A. M. Robertson, Post street, City. The subject of the trials and refléctions of & young minister is here treated in such a way as to make a quite interesting story. Young Clayton, the new minister, is called direct from college to take charge of a large and im- portant church, and his difficulties in filling his arduous position are told in a way to deepen the sympathies of congregations for earnest young men in such severe tests. The characters with whom the new minister’s life is thrown in contact are described as by one who has comprehensively studied human nature. Young men and women who wish a college education will be interested in & series of illustrated articles on “American Universities and Colleges,’” now running in Frank Leslie’s Popular Monthly. A paper on Yale was given in the November number, and one on Cornell appears in that for December. Captain Mahan's new work, upon which he has been engaged for several years, “The Life of Nelson.” is now in the printers’ hands, ana will be published in the spring by Little, Brown & Co., Boston. It will be in two vol- umes, uniform with the distinguished author's | works on the “Influence ot Sea Power Upon History,” and will be illustrated with about twenty photogravure portraits. NEW LITERARY PHENOMENON Archaic Mannerisms of the Old “Tatler” and “Spectator” Revived in the West. JOURNAL CALLED “PHYLLIDA OR THE MIBKMAID” CGalifornia Is Determined to Further Gonvince the Eastern Gities of Its Artistic and Literary Discrimination, and “Phyllida” Is Intended to Help Along the Good Work. PHYLLIDA, OR THE MILKMAID, is the novel titie of the latest literary phenomenon— a small, four-page journal which in make-up and typography defies the latter-day comven- tionalities. San Francisco is the home of this +Bi-weekly Review, devoted to Literary Topicks and Reflections on the Doings of the Town,” and its purpose is to revive the short sub- jective essay and prove California’s claims to literary notice, The typography of this newest venture into journalism will effectually discount its inter- est to many readers who cannot read through golumns of long *s’s” without lisping or re- garding them as “f's” and the free use of italics and small capitals will bewilder those who are not versed in the vogue of the early days of the eighteenth century. Phyllida is a very accurate and consistent revival of the archaic mannerisms of the old Tatler, Spectator and Idler, and her spelling would seem more familiar to Addison and Steele than to present-day readers. Such words as “shew,” “preferr'd,” “critick” and “honour” appear frequently upon the pages of the Milkmaid and aad to the quaintold- time aspect. Phyllida is published and edited by Gelett Burgess and Porter Garnett, both of the Lark, and they have besides, as contributors to the initial number, Bruce Porter, C. 8. Aiken, Mary Very and Geraldine Bonner. Several other writers of local prominence are inter- ested in the venture, including members of the faculties of both universities. If the en- terprise is mot hurt at its inception by the freakish aspect of its get-up there is no doubt that it may do & good work in bringing to- gether California writers for the good of the whole community, which has had such work in convineing Eastern cities of its artistic and literary discrimination. DER LEHRER. *Der Lehrer” is the title of a book pub- lished in German and intended for beginners who desire to learn the language. It is con- versational, leading up from simple phrases to those that will enable the student to un- derstand what is said and to be able to make himself understood. The method is on the principle of a mother teaching a- chila her native tongue. [Published by G. A.Mosher, Syracuse, N. Y. On sale by Professor W. L Golby, Oakland, Cal.] LITERARY NOTES. The Macmillan Company sannounces the forthconing issue of ““A First Beok in Writing English,” which is worthy of special note. The author, Edwin Herbert Lewis, Ph.D., is a writer of experience, a teacher on the faculty of the University of Chicago, and also in Lewis Institute, a private secondary school. The manual anticipates a demand which every far- seeing student of education knows that the colleges must soon make for a much higher degree of facility in the writing of good English as a qualification for entrance. “The National Movement in the Reign of Henry 111, and its Culmination in the Barons’ War,” by Oliver H. Richardson, professor of history in Drury College, is the title of & book to be issued by the Macmillan Company. This brief history, based upon careful research, and abounding in citations from original authori- ties, is designed for a student’s book of refer- ence, but will interest the reading public, by broad treatment and popular literary style. Craik’s English Prose, published by the Mac~ millan Company, is completed with the issua of volume V. The serles now contains: Vol- ume I, The Fourteenth to the Sixteenth Cen tury; volume II, The Sixteenth Century to the Restoration; volume III, The Seventeenth Century; volume 1V, The Eighteenth Cen- tury; volume V, The Nineteenth Century. Each volume contains selections from the prose literature of the period named, with critical introductions by various writersand geuneral introductions to each period. The Macmillan Company of New York is publishing & new edition of Thackeray's works. The first volume that reaches our re- view desk is Henry Esmond. To this an intro- duction is contributed by Joseph Jacobs, who has undertaken the work of editing the series. The edition is a beautiful one, typographically and pictorially, and serves to sustain the repu- tation of Messrs. Macmillan as publishers of high-class literature, done up in the most at- tractive style. The price per volume is $2, and the work as completed will be for sale by William Doxey. Scribner’s for 1897 will be strong in Ameri- can enterprises. Eoth the serials are by Ameri- can writers—Richard Harding Davis and W. D. Howells. The series on “The Conduct of Great Businesses’” wili describe American achievements of the first importance. C. D. Gibson, the artist whose reputation was made by his American girl in Lite, will adapt his pen and pencil to a deseription of London. Undergraduate life at Anierican colleges will be described in another series and the conditions and problems confronting American women be discussed by Mrs. Helen Watterson Moody under the title, “The Unquiet Sex.” Two historical novels, one relating to the period of Cromwell, the other to the Arab conquest of Egypt, are announced by Messrs, Blackwood. “Miriam Cromwell, Royalist,” is the title of the flist of these volumes, and the writer is Miss Dora McChesney. The other oneis called “Armenoso of Egypt,” and the author is Dean Butcher of Cairo. The dean is chaplain at Cairo ana isa popular figure with English visitors who go tnere. He is well versed in Egyptology, ana now he makes one of the most interesting threads of it the basis of a romance. The handsomely {llustrated editions of De- Amieis’ ““Holiand” and “Spain,’” published by Henry T. Coates & Co., Philadelphia, will this year be foilowed by the same author’s “Con- stantinople,” in two small octavo volumes. In this work De Amicis’ wonderful descriptive powers appear at their best. Its publication is opportune, in view of the interest taken in Turkish and Armenian affairs. The book con- taims an excellent des~viption of Constanti- nople and its famous locelities, and gives one a picture of the life and types 0 be seen there. The volumes will be illusirated with fifty hotogravures reproduced irom views taken ¥ & leading Turkish photographer. FINAL MENT ANNOUNCE- NEW TO-DAY. PrPrdded vice. plete. ERE AT ONCE A DICTIONARY AND AN ENCYCLGPAEDIA. ‘our massive volumes. Weight about 40 ,000 Encyclopedie Topics. about 3,000 Royal Quarto P How to Secure This incloth, will be forwarded. ing you WHAT THE ENCYCLOPZDIC DICTIONARY 1S. Gireat Bargain o bound The firat payment foF either binding is only #1. 1 se ‘bind! dest: fop—ahoat an equal quantity of each. Order at once, yndicate th:;i:h‘ ‘work: be the hlylagzdflg‘. wiil ed for 25, ad e Mol R e il e Rled ror soc. ad it e i S — unds. 50,000 words defined. ages. e om0 o T Bansome Street, San Francisco, and entire set of four superb 1s to be paid at rate of §1 moxthiy for one year. your firat payment. designate the ou wish the the half- T by ‘Wach & valuable sot of only of only §1. We refer to any Itional meonth, 50c. additional )':: th. Home Testimony volumes of the Encyclopaedic Dictionary on my shelves for several months, and during that time have used them considerably. a very satisfactory way this test of practical ser- So far as I have had occasion to consult it, I find the work wonderfully clear, full and com= It is certainly a mine of information and a marvel of cheapness at the price. WILLIAM HENRY HUDSON, WHAT THE ABLEST CRITICS SAY. tains 000 defined rds—nearly twice as many as 2 Encyelo) Dictonary is a library condensed into four thoteogest 'ifi%'fm‘mg ‘the ‘history, derivation, - spelling, volumes; a ton of diffusiveness reduoed to forty pounds of quintessence.” e e medbingaof cach logithbate Buglsh word. 16 Rev. Dr. Chas, H. Parkhurst, March 9, 1896. Do accepted as AN UNQUESTIONED AUTH Wherever the English e R il RS e - : e RO e o Beat, of all Encyel. PRA smbitons {0 advance himaell n’fin,m Jine, o the svudeat of dpprentice ust_ CALLY USEFULL. as well as the Jatest and most schol 15 50,000 encyelo- making a beginning. American, August - 3 subjects; the Britannics has about 27,000, JUST T INK OF IT! The «For generai use it has no superior. Of great professional value to ‘whcle range of human knowledge condenzed for your A clergymon, physiciansand 14wy ere. —Ex-udge Noah Davis, March 13,1896, S ators of haraly leas ranown! 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Nov. 28, 1896. “‘I have had the four They have stood in Professor English Literature, Leland Stanford Jr. University. our recent_Introducto In magng an inventoryatthe closeof 6 ing 1A S0k & (oW SCEBOE enough to v sufticient to prevent their shipment as fect Ol pricesof $42 10 §70 a set. There being onli a limited number of these sets. we not go to (dha‘lmlghlo%gbinmnk ther, but v; st e v, e S e B for—a little more than half our m w_introduc price. BY PRO] CrION O, the erefore, & number of ambitious and deserving readers, who desire an up-to-date reference library, may munkt.‘h;e:c special sets at about cost of making. WHILE THEY LAST $1 B‘(’);ll and 7 $1 a Month. WE GUARANTEE thatthese volumes,except forslightTubs orabrasionsonthe arep: e e ind our 1088 shail bo Your fain. 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