The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 11, 1897, Page 23

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL SUNDAY, JULY 11, 1897 [} (TR A REMARKABLE NOVEL. 1HE GADFLY—By E. L. Vovnich. . Henry Hoit & Co. For sale in this Cit i liam Doxey, Pasace Hotel. Price $1 50. The summer output of books this chr! has been a disappointing one for the re- viewer. Works of real merit issued so far can be counted on the fingers of one hard, and the majority of notable ones, like Maban’s “Life of Nelson” and Nansen’s ‘arthest North,” were t issued in England. In fiction the results have been even more disappointing. The novel, in 1ts variety, which is the standby of the | American publ been mediocre. An exceptior ter statement | must, howeve tein the case of a work of fiction issued several weeks ago by Messrs. Henry Holt & Co. of New York. Itiscalied *The Gaafly,” and it is in many respects the most powerful novel New Yor! by W the book is E Voy has failed to es- v who E. L. Voynich unable to ymic of a ad no trace 1thor of Diligent inqui tablish with certain is. We confess we e whether it is man or a woman. We can of earlier products of his pen. His book red in a modest dress. Plain red h covers, bearing the imprint of a torch. are even the patrc res, siating that the author is much in- certain friends of his in Italy sistance in getting out the work. I. With this brief introduction tec iched upon the market. “The Gadfly” is a temi-political novel, | dealing with the attempted revolt of nger Italy which took place des since. Interwoven with this gen- eral theme, we have a tsle of love and ad- | has been branded and maimed. . | circus riders. 1 whose ideals have been shattered and | | whose faith in humankind has been solved has been evolved a man to whom the most sacred beliefsand treasured asso- ciations are merely so many matters cf mock. He is set to work at the congenlal task of impaling Montanelli, now a cardi- nal, at theend of his pen. He hassuf- fered in South Ameri he has been com- pelled to servitude with Lascars and Chinese, to be beaten with coolies; he Hence he feels little compunction in applying the | lex talionis to the man whom he considers | 10 be the origin of his misfortunes. To none does he tell his sad story, and | only hints of his sufferin.s to Gemma, bis old love. She isstiil of the revolu- | tionists, but he can never forgive her the slap of thirteen years before. While in the Argentine Rivarez had been forced to serve ar zany in a traveling troupe of One night he visits a variety show in company with Gemma. | Before them is a hunchback acting as | clown. The sight calls up bitter recol- lections. To Gemma he says: Has it ever occurred to you that that mis- erable clown may have a soul—a living, | struggling, human soul—tied down in that | crooked hulk of & body and forced to slave for | C i | You, thatare so tender-hearted to every- | There is a short preface of ball a Gozen | y0. cou (hat pity the body in its fool’s | it? | dress and bells, have you mever tnought of | the wretched soul that has not even motley to cover its horrible rakedness? Think o: it shivering with cold, stifled with shame and | misery, before all these people; fceling their jeers, that cut like a whip; their laughter, | that burns like red-hot iron on the bare flesh! Think of it looking round, so haipless before six | them al, for the mountain that will not fall | | on it, for the rocks that have not the heart to { cover it, envying the rats that can creep Int | some hole in the earth and hide; and remem. venture, ol cruel wrong done to the inno- B | | ber that a soul is dumb; it has no voice to cry cent, of the shattering of the ideals of | > ; itm o dure and endure. a young: life by the act of a holy man, |out; 1t mustendure and endure and @ | We are stown how, through a priest vio- | Turn we now to the third and last sec- lating his obligations, two lives were | tion of the book under review. 1he Gadfly ruined, and bLow from a believer was | has become a power umong the revolution- | | | | evolved an atheist, and from a human |ists and a reward has been placed upon | | bis head. He is captured, but with the aid of his friends escapes. A second cap- ture is eaually inefficacious in keeping bim inacell. The tbird time, wounded | and il as he is, he is placed in a cell with a strong guard and is strapped to the bed. Cardinal Montanelli with the prisoner and cu | insulted for his pains. to know wheremn he has ever wronged Kivarez. ‘Lo thisthe prisoner replies only in mocking and by recalling one partica- being a cynical monstrosity. The keynote of ‘“‘Lhe Gadfly” is aptly expressed in the quotation from the New Testament which appears on the title page of the book: “What have to do with Thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth?”’ and in every chapter is this, the doctrine of those who sit in the seat of the scornful, promulgated. Tue author's manner of tell his story 1s in accord with the theme — s austic, bitter — yet in places not | | of touch. Some of the situations are remintscent of Eugene Sue in his best | 1 Others again recall “‘Les Misera- | would make a play worthy the atten- | tion of Victorien Sardou. | The book opens showing Arthur Rivers, the hero of the tale, and his l\rece;rlur.i elli, seated at their work in | Canon Monta the theological seminary at Pisa. | e, as he is affectionately called by his | il, is preparing a sermon, assisted by the boy, who is thus described : e wasa slender little creature, more like | xteenth century portraitthan a middle cless En lad of the thirties, >m the long eyebrow and sensitive mouth to tne small hands and feet everything about | Of the least of these.” It’s not very compli- | was too much chiseled, ove he might have been tak rl masquerading 1n male at moved his lithe agility sugge: er without the ciaws. delicate. | for & re; | ed but wher & tame pau To his patron Arthur reveals that he is | secretly engaged in the prosecution of a | revolution among the younger Italian e, ment. Montaneili is uneasy, fearful. And | in the silence of his study be meditates: I \ Itis the v ce of God that hasfallen upon me, & upon David. I that have n the body of | ted hands—he with me, and now it is come. itsecretly, but I will do this Israel and before the sun; the to thee shall surely die.” Arthur is arrested for complicity in the revolutionary plots, but despite the fact that he is toriured he refuses to disclose the names of his associates. The Italian police make many more arrests, inform- ing the victims that one of their leaders has confessed. This w the object of se- curing more information. Gemma, a Angle-Italian girl, beloved of Ar: hears of bis supposed treachery, and | has been “For thou did thi child that is bor upon meeting him b-stows upon him a vigorous slap in the face. Humiliated al- most beyond endurance Arthur goes ome, only to be received by his stepsise who throws up to him that he the offspring of “a Popish priest's mourettes.” Crushed beneath the double load of infamy Arthur ships as a sailor »on a vessel bound from Leghorn to nos Ayres. These incidents form the logue of the book. The scene of 1he sccond part is again in Italy, the time thirteen years later. The | revolutionary movement is still abroad, but the conspirators have decided to ngthen their cause by importing a| clever pamphleteer who writes under tho | pseudonym of The Gadfly. As a satirist in his particular line, reputation extends throughout urope, and his writings justify the pen-name he has adopted. KEspecially bitter is he when | referring to churchmen. To use his own expre-sion, “The sight of a cassock makes my teeth ache.” Inaddition to bistalents as a pamphleteer, The Gadfly, who calls himself Rivarez, is a very duredevil in all | work of a dangerous character. He has | siucceeded in landing arms for the in- surgents, and bhis name is known to the police of more than one European coun- try. Here is his description as noted by Gemma, who, unconscious of his identity, meets him at a party: His whole personality was oddly suggestive of a black jagusr. The forehead and left cheek were terribly disfigured vy the long crooked scar of an old saber cut; and she had already noticed that when he began to stam- mer iu speaking, that side of his face was affected with a nervous twitch. “The asiute reader will doubtless have guessed that Arthur Rivers and Signor Rivarez are one and the same person. But what a change is there from the simple confiding theological student of thirteen years before! From tae youth 2 ! cking of a certain tenderness | | returns for a his bonds, but is larly heartless trick played upon his Eminence, which ‘reminds me of a vari- ety ow,” and Montanelli, patiently while the whole, were it dramatized, | Cbristia: as he has been throughout the | Nevertheless he The interview, gives it up. second conversation. | authorities have been informed that an at- | temptat arising will be made the Thursday tollowing on Corpus Christi day and they The | 8Te anXious to execute Rivarez immedi- | ately after trial by court-martial to pre- | vent his rescue. T he Gadfly again greets him with gibes: It is very kind of your Eminence to call here; but perhaps that was done from the Christian standpoint. Visiting prisoners—ah, Iforgot: “Inasmuch as ye did it unto one ¥ mentary, but one of the least is duly grateful. And then, all a moment, the stony heart of the atheist is touched and he re- veals himself to his father. Rarely have we read a more touching scene than this, where the wronged man, steeled to suffer- ng, rever(s to the time when Montanelli was his beloved padre. To him Arthur appeals to forsake his cassock, to choose between his religion and his love. But the priest’s faith stands the onslaught, Hae remains true to the church. To his God he looks for direction. Montanelli turned to the crucifix. *God! listen to this—" His voice died away into the empty stiliness without response. Oniy the mocking devil awoke ngain in the Gadfly. all him louder; perchance he s'eepeth.” ‘We shall nut mar the beauty of the last chapters of tuis really remarkable book by digesting them here. Suffice it to re- peat that in our opinion they are worthy of Hugo. In the hands of a first-class seeks an interview | The padre desires | | | | 1 | | | | notably into this latest bit. that he could write. from the same pen the more admirable. tant factor in the letters of our times. JEROME K. JEROME. Some very strong pas A collection of the latest tales which Mr. Jerome has written has just been published by Henry Holt & Co. in a book | entitled ‘“Sketches in Lavender, Blue and Green.”” They are fully as crisp as any of his earlier sketches, somewhat less roariously humorous and a good deal more artistic. the Jerome pen heretofore has not been scrupulously addicted, have been creeping into some of this writer’s later work, and One is tempted to quote a line or two of it here and there, but when one turns the leaves ten- tatively in search of a special morsel he falls to reading “on and on and on,” and becomes confused as to his original in- tention—the lines all seem especially good and none more quotable than the others. Mr. Jerome is hardly more than 30 to-day. ges from even a literary standpoint, whereto It took him a considerably fewer number of years than that to discover His early work was nearly all humorous, with rarely a touch of that pathos which makes humor Lately the pathos and occasionally even the tragic has come as a tone here and Indeed, he may soon be taken seriousiy as there over his general style—a leavening element which seems to make him a fuller, 2 more wholesome and a more impor- a part of the literary world and be dis- cussed without a smile among the heavy-weights who writz much less entertainingly and far more needlessly than he does. | MORE JULY MAGAZINES. Ladies’ Home Journal. In spirit and sentiment the July Ladies’ Home Journal is in accord with that of our Nationsl birth-month. An article on “The Greatest Nation on Earth,”” by William George and by simple comparisons and illustrations contrasts every phase of our greatness with that of otner | nations. Allied in patriotic sentiment is Cofford Howard’s article, “When Dolly Madison Saved the Declaration of Inde- States, telling | pendence.” This tells the story of the nero- | Jordan, pictures the vastness of the United | 1 popular expositor. This series of articles has been specially written by Prolessor | Cornfll for the Open Court, and will not be published in Germsn until after tncir appearance in English. The first article | treats of the geograpiy and original inhabi- | tants of Palestine, oz the race migrations of | the Orient in_ancient times, of the early his- | tory of Babylon, Egypt, ett. In the second article, illustrated from classical paintings and engravings, Dr. Paul Carus discusses “Eschatology in Christian Art,” revi-wing | the doctrines of thede-tiny ot the world and | of man from their beginnings to the vresent | day. Professor G. Fiamingo of Rome, Italy, gives a sketch of *Cathoiicism in Italy,” playwright much might be done with the | j .y of president Madison’s wife, who saved | seeking to analyz: the fundamental reiigious Gadfly, and we venture to say 1t will be a loss to the stage if its possibilities fail of recognition. As a novel it is absorbing. One will read it from the first page to the last without putting it down. As a play it would peach the thousands who do not read, and who would otherwise never make the acquaintance of a first-class transeription from life itsetf. ExanveL Ernzas. CLEVER SHORT STORIES. | BOBBO, AND OTHER FANCIES—By Thomas Whartom New York: Harper & Brothers. Forsale in this City by A. M. Roberison, Post street. Price $1 50. These snort sketches have seen the light in leading periodicals, but they thoroughly de- serve reprinting in book form and to hold a favored piace on the sheives of libraries of choice collections of fiction. The story of ““Bobbo,” which is the best Wharton wrote, was published shortly before his death, and that occurred justas his taients became rei ognized by the publishers. “Bobbo” is a dream of the clerk oi a maglistrate’s court in Parls,and describes how a troupe of actors and actresses are up belore the court to explain their quarrel of the night b efore. The at tempt to make matters plain leads tosome superb acting before the judge. ‘‘Bobbo” is an exquisitely veautiful fancy, and every one who reeds it will wish the author had lived to give us more creations of the seme sparkle and originality, AN APPEAL. THE REAL CONDITION OF CUBA TO-DAY— By stephen lonsul. New York: Harper & Bros. Forsalein this City by A. M. Kobertson, Post sireet. Price 60 cents. The nuthor of this book was the special cor- respondent of the New York Herald in Cuba. and writes from the standpoint of an eye- witness. He pubiisnes this book in response to the appeal of the suffering people of the island to make their wretched condition kuown to the people of the United States. The writer believes firmly that the policy of Spain is ene of deliberate extermination. Perhaps the condition of the pacificos, whe ate by wholesale becoming victims of disease and starvation, pleads the most strongly ior our sympathy. | the most precious document in America from | falling into the hands of the British when Washington was in flames. “The Women’s Patriotic Societies” gives the aimsacd pur- poses of these organizations and the requi- sites for membership. “Flity Years of Postage Stamps” brings to mind that just & half century ago our Government made and sold its first s amps for letter postage. George W. Smalley’s article on‘‘The Personal Side of the Prince of Wales” 1s timely, as it is interesting, in presenting a close view of the heir apparent in his every-day life. Edward W. Bok eaitorinlly addresses girl graduates, and discusses “Going Away in Summer.” In his series of Bible lessons, Evange.ist Moody takes ‘“Love” for the text, and Droch writes on the timely theme of ‘‘Outaoor | Books.” *The Bright Side of Disagreeable Things” reveals Kobert J. Burdette's cleverest vein. Lovers of fiction will share with “Cup’n Bi1l” the joys of his wedding invitation, and enter heartily into the tender wooing of “‘Her ‘Lad.’ ” Along more practical lines are Mrs. | Rorer’s lesson on making salads and saled dressing, and the care of the house in hot weatner; Ruth Ashmore’s “What ‘Empty Stock- ing Clubs’ Can Do,” giving anoveiidea for new clubs, and showing how the chi:dren of the poor can be aided and their Christmas made bright. The first article in & new series, “The Ladies’ Home Journal’'s Moderate Cost Houses,” by its own architect, gives most minute detail and practical suggestion for a model suburban house. The Gpen Court. The July Open Court opens with the first of an exiremely important series of articles on the “History of the People of Israel,” by Pro- fessor C. H. Cornill of the University of Konigs- berg, Germany. It is Professor Cornill's aim 10 depict che hisiory oi Israel from the be- ginning to the destruction of Jerusalem in the light of all that modern criticism and research have done to retonstruct this most momen- tous epoch 1n the history of the world. Pro- fessor Cornill treats his subject as a historian and scholar, yet, as an orthodox Christian, he does not omit to emphasize the spiritual significance of his theme. Professor Corniil’s w“Propnets of Israel” attracted, on their publi- cation last year, much attention and com- mendation for their charm of style and power of graphic' portrayal, showing him to be not only au origiual investigator, but also a rare sentiment and motives of the Italians. “The Cogitations of & Smoking Philosopher,” by Canon G. J. Low of Canada, are concluded. The handsome frontisplece, which fs a por- trait of Lessing, is intended to actompany a discussion of the famous eighteenth century controversy between Goeze and the great Ger- man liberal, thus affording @ picture of the religious thought of the: times which has its lesson even for our own country. Corre- 8 ondence, poems, book reviews and not follow. [The Open Court Publishing Com- pany, Chicago.] Harper’s. Among the more important features of Har- per’s Magazine for Junesare “Sheridan’s Ride,” by General George A. Forsyth, U. 8. A.; “‘The Modern American Mood,”” by W. D. Howells; “The Celebrities of the House of Commous,” part II, by T. P. O'Connor, M. P.; “White Man’s Africa,” part IX, Natal, a colonial paradise, by Poultney Bigelow; ‘*The Cent- ury’s Progress in Fhysics,” part I, the “Im- pondersbles,”” by Henry Smith Williams, M.D.; “Tae Military Academy as an Element in the System of National Defense,” by Cap- tain James Parker, U. 8. A, Outing. Outing for July devotes much space to cycling matters. Photography for cyclers, {cyeting clubs and their spheres of action, wheeling along tne Riviera and across the Alleghauie; yachting partment contains “The New Twenty-footers,” by R. B. Burchard, and “The Yachting Circult of Lake Erne,” by C. F. Fianuery, both firely illustrated. Ea W. Sandys contributes an article on ““Muskoks,” aud asecond on “Camps and Camping,” with iliustrations by the author., An excellent complete story, “Her Highness,”” by Caroline Shelley, opens the number, The Forum. Following is the contents page of the July Forum: *“The Powers and the Greco-Turkish War,” by Theodore 8. Woolsey, professor of internationsl law at Yale University: “The Rights of Foreigners in Turkey,” by Professor A. D. F. Ham:in; “Non-Partisanship in Muni cipal Government: Is Non-Partisanship Fees- ible?” by ex-Governor Roswell P. Flower; “Mayor Strong’s Experiment in New York,” by Senator Frank D. Pavey; “The McKinley 2 afford a pleasing variety. The | | Administration and Prosperity,” by J. | Lawrenco Laughlin, professor of politi- | cal ecomomy in Chicago University; { “Why Spain Has Failed in Cubas,” Thomas | Gold Alford Jr.; “Johannes Brahms,” Gustav Koube; “A Radical Defect in Our Civil Service | Law,” Duncan Veazey, chairman execuiive committee National Civil Service Associ- auon; ‘“Sugar Bounties and Their In- fluence,” Dr. Harvey W. Wiley; “The Evolution of the Educational Ideal.—L” Dr. Friedrich Paulsen, professor of philoso- phy in Berlin University; “Have Americans Any Social Standards?” Frances M. Abbott; “William Wordsworth,” A. P. Peabody; ‘*Vie- torian Greater Britain and Its Future,” Pro- fessor Thomas Davidson. Review of Reviews. The great international questions- of the hour, and American questions of a political or economic character, are discussed in the edi- torial depertment of the American Mouthly Review of Reviewsfor July. The project of Hawaiian annexation ciaims precedeace in the review of current topics, entitled “The Prog- ress of the World.” The editor also comments on the present status of the Cuban question, on the situation fu Spanish polities, and on our | trade retations with the {South American re- | publics. Thisdepartment deals, 1o, with the | problems resulting from the Turco-Grecian | war and other grave complications in the Orient. In domestic maiters, the proposed currency commission and the labor conditions of the country receive special attention. The Philistine. In sympathy with the weather the Philis. tine for July is a hot number. It coniains thirty-two pa.es of reading matter, twenty- seven pages of which are given up to “Side Taiks.” As explanativn or apology for the | robust quality of the “Talks” Editor Elvert Hubbard says; ‘‘Here are \Various Things the Pastor has long desired to | teeling they shou!d be said for the good of the flock ana mankind at large. Up to this point modesty has restrained him from expressing these things, but he!now trusis they will be taken in that spiritof meekness so becoming to the true Philistine. Let each for himsell | prick toe magazine for 8 message.” An additional volume of *“The Modern Read- er's Bible” entitled “'Select Masterpieces of Biblical Literature’” is announced for early pubiication by the Macmillan Company. This will not be a book of extracts. It will contain onlv comple:e and independent literary com- positions, or integral and separable parts of the longer compositions arranged in the form in which they have sppeared in the various volumes of “The Modern Reader’s Bible.” The selection has been made, not only on the basis of Iiterary beauty, but also with the view of lliustrating the several varieties of literary form, meny of them unfamiliar, in which the books of Seripture are cast. Ex- planatory notes are added. The volume is desigued for the use of schools, or of reading circles desiring an introduction to the Bible on its literary sides | edition will be gotten ready for issue. HERE AND THERE. It is said that J. Barrie is dramatizing “The Little Minister. Le Queux is writing a series of African stories for The Idler under the title of “The Veiled Man.” READING. Just dropping off the harnesi from our over- wearied thought, And resting in the beanty tbhat another's braln liss wrought. —Carrie 1luke Morgan In Ju'y Lippincott's. The copyright of “John Halifax, Genile- man” will expire nextyear,and in anticipa- tion of this event 100,000 copies of & sixpenny It is said that the circulation of the novel has reached 250,000. It is so frequently and wrongly staied that Miss Kingsiey, the traveler, is a daughter of the late Charles Kingsley that this lady’s true parentage may as well be recorded again. Miss Kingsley is not the daughter but the niecs of the late Charles Kingsley. She is the daughter of George Kingsley. It was necessary to put the Appleton presses at work again on Edward Bellamy's “Equal- ity” within three days after publication. It was supposed that the cxceptional first edition would prove sufficient for a time, but the de- mand has made it necessiry torusha very inrge second edition tnrough as rapidly as possible. Bookmen will be glad to know that for- malin will destroy the croton bugs responsible tor the ruin of so many fine bindings. Dr. John 8. Billings, director of the New York Public Library, has made & number of succe ful experiments with formalin in destroying bacter.a germs in books and papers as well as in getting rid of other book-pests. For many years copies of Tauchnitz editlons have been introduced wholesale into England, but within the last tew weeks a special order has been issued to all customs officers at Do- ver, Folkestone, Queensborough and Harwich to search carefully for any concealed books, with the result that hundreds ot copies are daily confiscated. At Dover a whole portman- teau full of new Tauchnitz editions was seized by the cusioms officers, and five minutes later a lady was discovered with no fewer than eighteen of the neat little volumes carefully packed at the bottom of her trunks. In fact in almost every person’s baggage there are one or two of the books. Frank A. Munsey, editor and publisher of Munsey’s Magazine, The Argosy and The Puritan, on toe 9Oth ult. entered the field of | book publishers by bringing out a first edition | of 10,000 coples of a story entitled ‘A Prin- cess and & Woman,” written by Robert Me- Donald. The venture isremarkable for the fact that his first book, while weil printed on fine heavy paper and bouna in clotn, will be sold to the reader for 25 cents. This revolu- tion in prices of books is an outgrowth of the reduction in the cost of magazines, which was brought about, we believe, by Mr. Munsey, and has been followed successtully by several periodicals other than his. The mext book from the Munsey préss will be “The Affair at Isiington,” by Matthew White Jr. According to German chemists, writing ink, whether it be black, blue or red, is dangerous, it being the home of disease-breeding bac- teria, micrococei and saprophytes. This con- clusion has been reached afier an examina- tion of German school inks, a bacillus from which was cultivated and proved fatal to mice in four days. Writine ink and its cousin, printing ink, have always been considered | somewhat dangerous materials, and both of ihem have been known to lead to fatal results, especially in che South and West. This dis- covery, however, according to the American Stationer, “demonstrates that there 1s a new use to which the former can be put. For in- stance, instead of returning tender missives they can be used to cleanse a house of mice, while creditors’ bills and dunning letters can be substituted for rat poisons.” M. Paul Bourget is about to lecture at Ox- ford on the subject of French novels, which he proposes to defend against the strictures of Eoglish critics. The lecture would, perhaps, be anticipated with a livelier inteiest if the lecturer had not announcea his intention of | going back to Flaubert as the shining example of French romantic genius. Every serious | English eritic admits the greatnessof Flau- bert as cheerfully as he admits the greatness of Balzac and of Zola in the days when he wrote novels instead of treatises on the toples of the day. The real stumbling-block is the French novel of the hour—the novel as written by the more daring spirits of the present day. Against their work the British reader kicks, finding it either ponderously dull or distin- guished only by en ingenious and elaborate indelicacy; and this is the sort of thing which M. Bourge: ought. as a patriotic Frenchman, to defend. If he draws the line at the defense of Flaubert he will only have proved something as obvious as an elemeuntary proposition of Euclid. The art of secret writing, or writing in cipher, was, according to Polybius, invented by Eneas, author of a treat'se on tactics and other works. He produced twenty methods of writing in cipher, which no person could unfold; but we doubt much whecher they would preserve this quality at the present day. Iiis no less strange than true that this ari, so important in d.plomacy, as long as couriers are liable to be intercepted, was held in abhorrence by the Elector Frederic the Sec- ond, who considered it asa diabolical inven- tion. Trithemius, Abbot of Spanheim, had composed several works to revive this branch of knowledge; and Boviile, an ignorant mathematician, being unable to comprenend the extraordinary terms he made use of to ex- plain his method, published that the work was full of diaboiical mysteries. Poissévin re- peated the ossertion; and Frederic, in holy zeal, ordered the original work of Trithemius, which he had in his library, to be burned, as the invention of the devil. Mark Twain really ought to come home ana collect his life insurance. The newspapers have had him sick and then dead—latterly they have modified 1t to dead broke. Brer Twain, he jes’ iies low in London and gets his new book out. As a matter of fact, our genfal veteran is living in substantial luxury in the literary capital of the world, where he can most advantageously launch his new 'round- the-world story-book, and where, if he likes, he can enjoy that distinguished personal con- sideration which is danied prophets in their own country. His daughter is compleing her riusical education on the Continent. Mr. Clemens has not taken a mansion on Carleton terrace for the jubilee scason, as most of the other distingnis: ed Americans in London are doing, but he gets along somehow. An auto- graphic statement of his, lately in circulation, is: “Be good and you will be lonesome.” His humoristic predecessor, Artemus Ward, who aied from despair and over-exertion in trying to be funny in the heavy night air of British clubdom, had a similar idea when he said: “Be good and you will be happy—but you won't have any fun.” LITERARY NOTES. Rudyard Kipling’s American novel Captain Courageous,” will be published by the Century Company in October. “A Colonial Free-Lance’” will be the title of & stirring American historical romance by C. C. Hotchkiss, author of “In Defiance of the King,” which will be published in August in Appletons’ popular Town and Country Li- brary. Charles Seribner’s Sons have just ready the second and thira volumesof “Oliver Crom- well’s Letters and Speeches,” in the Centenary edition of Carlyle’s works, and the second edition of W. J. Hardy’s volume on *Book= Plates.” The official Jubilee portrait of Queen Vie- toria appears in the Messrs. Appletons’ fasci nating ook, *‘The Private Life of the Queen,” | by a member of the royal household, which will form & most valuable permanent souvenir of the great celebration. Book News 15 & monthly magazine, now in its fifteenth year, that gives a hopeful, un- biased word of new books as they appear. | More than 3000 books are told about each year. Book News is brightened with pictures from | the books and each number has as frontisplece | the portrait of an author—the July number | that of Dr. Peck, author of ‘‘Pap’s Mules.” The Century Company will soon issue John 1a Farge’s “An Artist’s Letters from Japan,’’ ilfustrated by himse!f. The same company have in preparation ‘Impressions of South Africa,” by the Hon. James Bryce, M. P., which was announced for issue several months ago, but has been kept back by the author during the changes that have been taking place so rapidly in that country. Some ot Mr, Bryce’s chapters were published in the Cen- tury, but these have been rewritten, and about twenty new chapters have been added. Elizabeth Robins Pennell has written a series of papers for the Century on “Play in London.”” The first one appears in the July number of the magazine, and is devoted to Eail's Court, the famous place of exhibitino where the American Wild West gave Englishe men & picture of frontier life. The many illustrations by Joseph Pennell, the husband of the author, show the influence that was ex« erted by Chicago’s “White City.” Mr. Pen nellis an American artist who has long re- sided in England. Several of the popular serials which have been eppearing in Si. Nicholas during the past year will be issued by the Century Company in book form 1n the eutumn. They include “Master Skylark,” the story of the time of | Shakespeare by John Bennett; “The Last Three Soldieis,” by William H. Shelton; “Fighting a Fire,” by Charles T. Hill, and “Miss Nina Bar- row,” by Francis Courtenay Taylor. Mr. Hill's articles on “Fighting a Fire” have ate tracted a great deal of interest in St. Nicholas. He writes and illustrates them as well, and as he has made a study of fires In New York for a number of years, knowing the subject thors oughly and from the fireman’s side, ne has mude a distinct contribution 10 the literature of the subject. Mrs. Ruth McEnery Stuart is about to pube lish through Harper & Brothers a new collec- tion of short stories, which, it is said, will abundantly display what is perhaps the most dellghtfu! quality in her work, its genuine and spontaneous humor. In this particular few living writers can be compared with Mrs, Stuart. Her humor, moreover, is always a part of the structure of the story, developing both the characterization and tne narrative. Thia collection includes the remarkable history of “The Unlived Life of Little Mary Ellen,” which, on 1its publication in Harper's Maga« zine last year, created a sensation. Mrs. Stu- art has done nothing that more finely displays her originality, the delicate pathos that so ofe ten accompanies her humor and her skill in treating & difficult situation. The Funk & Wagnalis Company, New York, have recently become the sole pvblishers of the three most widely known books relating to Mr. Blaine's career. They are everywhere recognized as being of extraordinary political and historical importance. Foremost in the groupis Mr. Blaine’s now famous “Twenty Years in Congress.” This scholarly volume must be ranked among the most accurate and euthoritative reviews of American history for the period it ¢overs, whicn is from the events that led up to the Civil War to the assassina< tion of President Garfield. It is truly, as President Porter of Yale has said, “‘one of the - most interesting and valuable works extant upon our political history.” A necessary companion to “Twenty Years of Congress” is a compact volume entitled *“‘Po« litfeal Discussions,” and containing Mr. Blaine’s most important arguments, addresses and diplomatic papers. Their keen insight into the momentous issues of the Nation's Jife, with which Mr. Blaine was so intimately connected, their chaste and elegant diction, their compass of thought, and their dignity and patriotism, contribute to make them a singuiarly important contribution to historie cal literature. Anuother highly yaluable work is the bioge raphy of Mr. Blaine from Gail Hamilton's skillful pen. Mr. Blaine left all his personal papers and notes, both public and private, with the talented author, and appointed her his political executrix. The book contains a complete and well-told story of the great statesman’s life. Its value is enbanced by copious eungravings and half-tone iliustra- tions. The beginning of & new volume of the Re- view of Reviews is signalized b+ an expansion of the name of that very suceessful ana widely read periodical. It has now become the American Monthly Review of Reviews, with particular emphasis on the first two words. It seems likely enough that the public will speedtly fall into the way of ea/ling this maga- zine the American Monthly, for short. It is announced, however, by the editor that the full and formal title will retain the words Review of Reviews. The muagazine is espe- cially devoted to publie affairs and toples of the time, and its presentation of all such matters is conspicuous from the American point of view. Iits reviews ana condensa tions from American and foreign pe- riodical lterature form & very accepte ablie part of its monthly bill of fare; but inesmuch as this work of reviewing the periodicals occupies very much less than half of the space of the magsazine, it is obvious thau the- title Review of Reviews comes far short of expressing the full scope of the peri- odical. As an ordinary designation, the words American Monthly will better fit the facts of the case. Nevertheless a great prestige and reputation have been built up by years uf hard work under the title Review of Raviews, and itis not intended that the expansion of the name shall result in the sacrifice of any purt of the recognition and credit that hawe ac- crued to the name as it has stood hitherto, Tne magazine continues under the editorship of Albert Shuw, and the public is distinetly in- formed that the cxpanded title, appearing on the cover for July, “implies not the slightest degree of change in the plans, methods, aims, scope, editorship, management or control of the magazine.”