The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 28, 1897, Page 21

THE SAN FRAN ISCO CALL, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1897, 1e when were first in- i there has been uvject that has ved the attention ary styiists and vente sts toa greater ex- than the the has tha employment best mode of at it may be hensible to the Yet it is not to00 cre exists pone less rs and readers. rmerly la:d upona c of the princinles ¢ langunge appears to I relaxed, until to-da turned o notions of tent a simole The ng the phrasing of ness communicati reflected upon th : in per. In the office of re daily received appearance at the woeful shortcom: Ask the average to parse ion no less aper there whose ¢ asimple E o can perform 1on rather than e this lamentable co: s to be attributed it i ble t engazed in e ucati rk 10 on of the problem must who occuy ng of youih and to th ame the curricul the task will be impos: to > these srs. Hou bear the titles: ton, L of an apt opos, or an better serve its e 1a smi s are conveyed in the autlior continues: sound more simple; icult of achieve- 0 v ideas, but to sure tie, at their destination in goo Impressions and ideas are delicate »s and are most liable to be injured There are writers whose n attempt to get eges gz them from a can- arrive, it is true, but dition ? e means must be that with which one is deal- 7 to attempt to.carry soap- %, or leaden bailets hief. The student of has to learn 10 suit his eans to the ena sougit. He must train mself to judge what manner of ex- on, of style or treatment will best sfer ideas from his own mind the reader. He must study the and of combinations of > e of estions and of 1} the emotional effects possible in writ- He must train himself to be as a skillful swords- ould Bre IoOF ard t sy convi e be arrive r to that of The | itence | To | ion of | themselves | | man uses his ravier, adapting it to every emergency, master of it always; he must learn to be dexterous, adroit and full of resources.”’ Primarily intended for young writers, Proiessor Bates' book contains a deal of information regarding authors who have gone before, and whose flichts into literature may often be imitated by the rising newspaper man. The great point 1o be acquired is originality, and unier this head the leciurer has a notable para- grapin: The novelty which is within the reach of all is that of originality. It seems at first | ten one or two novels that are certainly entitied to be classed as literature. Her later novels, however, manifest an effem- inate striving for effeet thatis luaicrous. Here s what our author has ing it: e writing’’ is a fault so gross that it is essary to waste many words on it. It aly be said that there is mo more cer- indication of a hopelessly diseased li to say tase, or of a hopelessly depraved composition than this absurdly |antiquated verbal vice. Of course, no writer who preduces literatu'e is guilty of it, but I somewhere have picked up Numberless boo! of them, howe Man’s Afr Pouitney nd he pro: studi’s of men and af chapters in the book i s in that part of the author seems to have great admiratic details of the Pres ’s early and later | one of the stories he heard ‘‘indicates truthful.” Kruger * finds in the Bible a strength suited the book is as much a part of his life as s have been written on South er, have wielded so facile a pen as has the author of ‘ White Bigelow went to the Cape at the request of ced a sinzularly interesting, if not very profound, set of Atrica. The writers of few pub- the world. One of the most readable devoted to President Kruger of the Transvaal, for whom He has pi_ksd up many personal nd in Mr. Bigelow’s opinion not n. t he is cruel, or vindictive, or un- i1 to his daily needs, and ? The President’s hi daily meals character, as summed up by Mr. Bigelow, is flattering enough to please his warmest admirers. O progress in South Afri for a more miserable be difficult to conceive. state of aff. The conclusion of the most striking studies in the book is that devoted to * Portuguese The word “* progress ” is, of course, used sati ically, rs than that existing at Delagoa Bay it would drawn by Mr. Bigelow is that after 300 years the Portuguese in South Africa have given proof of their inability to colo- nize. But where, guese are concerned ? Il the world over, has it ever been different where the Portu- startling to speak of ori as within v common reach whe e take upevery day books wherein the writers show o absointe a lack of all originality that v shuke one’s very belief in original sin. Yet remember what Flaubers said to De Maupassant, “The | smallest thing has it something known. | Discover it. * * * Thatis the way to bec | original.” Life can never appes: same to any two human beings, because no two look | tit with the same eyes or with the same mind. The original writer is he who sets down his own thoughis, who shows 10 others what is exactly in bis own brain and heert. Itis not within the power of every author thus to create profonndly fresh and inspiring works; but it is within the reach of ail to say | something which shatl be at once new and - | dividual and vital. And there are authors whom it is well | not to follow in the matter of style, au- thors whose books are examples of what is called “fine writing.” Tnere 13 Miss | | that coud b2 an example which so happilly illustrates idon the subject that I cannot forbeer to quote it. Itisfrom a novel called Barabbas,” by Miss Marie Corelli, and is part of the description of the appearance of Christ before Ponuus Pllate. Water having been brought e, according to Miss Corelli, thus procecded : “Slowly lowering his hands, he dipped them in the shining bowl, rinsing them over and over again in the clear, cold element, which sparkled in its polished receptacle like an opal against the fire.”’ “The Bible finds it possible to say all of this that is necessary in the words: “‘Pilate took water and washed his hands."" Professor Bates’ book can be recom- | mended with confidence to the general student of English and to the embryo jour- Jist. It contains valuable matter which we do not remember having seen else- where so accurately and explicitly stated. This book will form a valuable addi- tion to the library’’ is a sentence oiten ap- plied to works that are not literature and to reference books of more than que-tion- able value, but it can with entire tiuth be used as descriptive of “Talks on Writing { Englisn.” Lis scope is wide, and it is eminently practical, with an absence of dryness in dealine with those questions of literary technique wkose very nature would tempt an author into didactical verbosity. Schooiteachers will doubtless accord ihe volume a hearty welcome as ffording light on questions affecting the syntax and construction of our language. PRt Professor Bates’ second book, to which passing reierence has been made, is enti- tled “Talks on the Study of Literature,” and is an extension of huis previous work. This volume, like the other, is made up from a course of lectures delivered at the Lowell lnstitute. These have been re- vised and to some extent rewritten. Here again are noticeab'e those valua- ble characteristics which make the collec- tion of immense utility, uot only as a reader’s handbook, but as a guide to those | engazed in writing for the press. The | voiume opens with a discussion of “What Literature Is”; that is to say, how the| word “literature” as descriptive of one of | the fine arts may be defined. *To be lit- erature,”” says Professor Bates, “‘a work must express sincere emotion; but how is feeling which is genuine to be aistin- wuished from that which 18 affected? All that has been said must be regarded as simply theoretical and of very liitle prac- tical interest unless there be some crite- rion by which this question msay be set- tled. Maniiestly we cannot so far enter into the consciousuess of the writer as to tell whether he does or does not feel what Le expresse-; it can be only from oatward | sizns that we judge whether his imagina- | tion has first made real to him what he | unertakes to make real f r others.” For the novelist of “The Dachess” class, the writer of “‘Talks on ihe Study of Lit- | erature” has a good-natured conlempLE He describes processes by which | writers of tuis kind compose their novels, | and terms them as mechanical as those of | making paper He compares | what be calls “The P.easant Pot-Buiters” | | of Wiliiam Black and W. Clark Russell | with standard romances as “The Scarlt Lotter” and the *Newcomes,” and | | rightly asks if there is any one who could | fail to feel that 10 Hawthorne, the crea- | ture of &js imagination was a living be- | ingand to Thuckeray Coionel Newcome was a creature alive with a Vigorous hu- | manity. In a chapter headed Methods of | Study,” Professor Bates stut>s it as a fun- damental princip'e in the select.on of bocks thatitisidle to read what isnct | enjoved. We do not remember having met tbis statement bfore, but it is one | that will aff.rd much consolation to those who have feared that to derive benefit trom the study of literature one must bind himself as with iron bands to emi- nent and bishly respectablg but dry and | prosy authoss. As Macaulay says, there have been writers whose works it is fash- ionabie to call *‘Classic but whose books look down upon us from the topmost shelves of our libraries and remain there with yearly accumuiations of dust. Oi course, thinks Professor Bates, *it is possible to rouse the m na to interest. The bocks which are really worth atten- tion will surely atiract and kold if they are once properly approached and apore- hended. Ifamindisindolent,if it is able to enjoy only the marshmailows ana chocolate caramels of literature, it is not to be fed solely on literary sweetmeats. Whatever i« read should bs enjoyed, but it by no mens follows that watever can | be enjoyed should be read. It is possible | to cultivate the babit of enjoying what 1s | good, what is vital. as it iy easy to snk | into the stupid and slipshod way of caring | for nothing which calls for mental e " ertion.” | Other chapters in Profes-or Bates' book are devoted to ‘*‘Literary Expression, “Why We Study Literature,” *False Methods,” *“The Classics,” *“Contempo- rary Literature’” and “Poetry,” and in each are found the same lucidity, care for detail and experi information that we | have mentioned as present in the previous book. A strict attention to Professor Baies’ rules boih for reading ana writing | on the part of newspaper writers and authors would tend to cleaner and clearer Iup:-ession in contemporary books and the flowers. such newspapers, bringing them nearer to the standard of literature that was set up in years before perfecting printing presses and the low price of paper had multiplied books and magazines to a number almost incomputable. ExanveL ELzas. A GREAT BATTLE DESCRIBED. | THE CAMPATGN OF MARENGO-By Herbert H. Sargent. Cbicago: A. C. McClurg & Co. For sale in this city by A. M. Robertson, Price $150. This is the story of a great battle graphically told. By bis victory at Marengo Napoleon completed his campaign in Northern Italy and was able to vacate that portion of the country after having completely conquered it. Mr. Sargent has made an exhaustive study of his subject and this book is likely to be as much sought after as *Napoleon Bonaparte's First Campaign.” The batt.e was hotly con- tested. Its issue was long in doubt, for Mclas had the advantage over the French in the first half, occuvying some seven hours. Had not Dessaix arrived with re-enforcements and Kel- lermann’s cavalry been so effzctive, the distri- bution of the European states might have been altered. The mups accompanying the volume are well executed and will be usetul to the student. THREE WORKS OF INSTRUCTIO! MERIC. Pat.ee. Pric \ TER- 5 cents READING COU ATURE—By Fred Lev 1 REVOLT Or THE TARTARS—By De Quincey. ELEMENTS OF CONSTRUCTIVE GEOM- ETRY—By Will am Ngelting. Price 36 cents New York and Boston: =ilver, Burdet & Co. The first of these little volumes will be ap- preciated by students of American literature. It outlines a systematic course of reading in the American classics which will enable of this new birth is a charming American girl with “great dark eyes” and “a tremulous mouth. Incidentally her father 1s & million- aire and the hero falls in love with her. Like- wise he falls over an eight-foot cliff with re- markable results. He is transiated to man- sions in the skies, and there meets with strange and uncanny adventures. Spirits in flowing nightrobes come and minister to him and read him long sermons on reincarnation. In this part of the story Mr. Tyner involves himself in many difficulties by describing men-women, father-mothers and various un- holy sex relationships. It finally turns out that the hero and his American lady-love were, in other lives, Mikalos and Lucilla, Cbarmion and Cleopatra, Francis and Diane, Napoleon and Josephine, and many other per- sonages of greater or lesser notoriety. But in the end they are married by a portly French Justice of the Peace and matrimony makes the hero sane agai. AN INVIGORATING NOVEL. HER PLAC N THE WORLD—By Amania M. Dougles. Foston: Lee & Shepard. For sale by Whiiaker & Ray Company, ~an kFrancisco. Price $1 50. Miss Douglas’ work hss attracted consider- able atiention for some time past, and her writings sppeal to both sexes. This latest book of roes and hezoines are people of good instinets. Itcan be recommended to young and old, and all will enjoy ir. FOR LOVERS OF THE FUNNY. TE JEWELS—By John Kendrick Bangs. New Yo Harper & Bros For sale in this city by A. M. Robertson. Price $1. These seven shortsketches containa humor- ous version of the housekeeping experiences of a young couple durfrg the first few years of PRESIDENT ELIOT OF HARVARD. A volume from the pen of the presid. furnish intellectual food worthy of careful ent of Harvard University is certain to digestion. Professor Eliot is not merely an academician writing on subjects of interest to professors and college men, but one who finds pleasure in dealing with questions of potitical and economical importance, the solution of conditions can in ahy way be bettered. nineteen add and n which must be ventured before present The book in question consists of some azine articles written by Harvard’s president during the last twenty-five years, covering taxation, the tariff, the Civil War, inter- national arbitration, education and the class question. ous for its breadth and the clearness v Each paper is conspicu- h which the author expresses his views. Whether the reader will agree with him entirely cn all things—on his tariff conclusions, for stance—is questionabl: e, but every one will find him to be a dispassionate and conscientious advocate for what he considers to be the truth. The paper on “One Remedy for Municipal Misgovernment” is especially timely to-day, when every one is shouting for reform without knowinz how to bring it about. Mr. Eliot attacks the class of men elected to public office, and opines that until better citizens are- elected little reform can be expected. ““Before municipal government can be set right in the United States,”” he says, “munic- ipal service must be made a life career for intelligent and self-respecting young Americans ; that is, it must be made attractive to well-trained young men to enter it—as they enter any other profession or businéss—meaning to stay in it, learn it thoroughly and win advancemen t in it by fidelity and ability.” beglnner to acquire a satisfactory knowledge | of all that is b st in the letters of our own country. (Cioth.) Tha second volume is one of the world’s choicest classics, printed in a handy form and with copious nctes. Lt is espectally suitable | for students. (Paper.) The third volume cousists of a translation from an excellent work prepared by K. H. S:oecker, an eminent German mathematician. The matter is purely elementary and aims at teaching children in the low grammar grades o rudimentary knowledge of geometrs. (Cloth.) N OLD STORY ODDLY TOLD. THROUGIH THr INVISIBLE—~By Paul Tyner. New York: The Con.inenta. Publishing Com- pany. Judging by this book, Mr. Tyner isan ama- teur Theosophist of the crudest order. His hero is a young man who has gone the pace in Paris and is finally “born again.” The cause | problem, the servant girl, wils their married iife. People who have lived in flats or who have wrestled with that modern appreciate the trouble that came to an otherwise happy pair. Mr. Bangs has a fund of humor, and always sees the fuauy side of things. The book is printed on good, thick paper, and is in & handsomely ornamented cloth cover. TWO STORIES OF LOVE AND WAR. A SOLDIER OF MANHATTAN—By Josepn A. Alisheler; “Fortune’s Football—By G. B. Burgin. New Yorc: D. Appleton & Co. For sale by Willlam Doxey. Price 5J cents each. These are two stirring stories by authors who have already won their spurs in the literary field. In the second instead of spend- ing their lives in a leper colony two lovers nre brought togetner and live “happily ever aftor- ward.” In the first a gellant soldier who loses his battle wins his sweetheart as recom pense. The books will be enjoyed by those having an idie hour to while away. hers is clean and fresh, and her he- | The man who writes for Town Topics fur nishes this choice bit of gossip: The wisdom of our Police Justices is pro- verblally phenomenal. From an Oaklana court there reaches me a most delightful story, that, I think, might as easily have hap- | penea in the borough of Manhattan. A dis- tinguished literary men stood Up to A swer to the usual charge of vagramcy. * object, your Honor,” he said with aignity, “to this persecution of gentlemen who fol- low the profession of letters, and—" *I understand,” interrupted the Judge, “that you were found sleeping on a doorstep, that you have no visible means of support and that you have been seen under the in- fluence of liquor?”” “Wnat of 112" cried the orisoner. “Though Iamas poor as Richard Savege when he made his bed in the ashes of & glass factory; as drunken as Dick Steele, who was full nine-tenths of his time; as rag- | 8ed s Goldsmith when ne was on his fiddling | tour; as immoral as Byron; as dirty as Sam | Johinson: as — There! there!” cried his | Honor, impatiently,* T have no doubt your as- suclates are a disreputable lot, and I shail deal with you in such a manner as to cause them to give Oakland & wide berth. Sixty daysat hard labor. Mr. Cierk, furnish the Constuble with the names of the vagabonds mentioned by the prisoner.” Hamiiton W. Mabis and George Wharton Edwards intend to make us their debtors for still another delightiul volnme ot old verse. Some time ago the same editor and artist | col.aborated in a very beautifully illustrated | and well-chosen selection of “Old Eng.sh Ballads.” To ihose whose imaginations will carry them back to the days of the virginals and the spinet, and in addition who bave caught the priceless outlook over the range of Elizabethan and Jucobin literature, this new book of “Old English Love songs” is a more than welcome arrival. Even though we | be 100 busy to read the verses, it does us good “in these costermonger days,” mereiy by & look within the covers, to know that the world once was “forever panting and forever young.” A volume from the hand of the Hon. Mrs. Maxweil Scott of Abbotsiord is announced by the Macmilian Compary. “Tha Making of Abbotsford and Incidents in Scottish History” is its title. The Hon. Mrs. Maxwell Scotiis a great-granddaughter of Sir Walter und has in- berited his love for the later medieval history of his native land. It is herd to imagine the time when Edinburgh was a hotbed of ine trigue between the Scottish people and the French against England. L. a series of chap- ters, however, the author throws a light on some of the darkest spots in the history of the two couniries. The cloud that in more senses than one has so often obscured the Highlands is lifted, and many a romantic episode and ourtly scene breaks in upon the gloom. The | book is in no sense & romance, except in the sense that Scotch history in itself was in those days romantic to the last degree. Among the many new editions of the wu- tumn, especiaily notable is that of the Spec- tator, in eight volumes, each with a frontis- piece in photogravure. This edition 1s an ex- | ect reprint from the best text, and the | original spelling, punctuation snd capitals | are preserved. If onewere to rum over the names of men best suited to write a sympa- thetic introduction to sych a new edition the first choice must inevitably fall on Austin Dobson, and the fact that he does stand as chorus for the work will add fo the familiar charm even of those unmatched essays. The edition is printed with scrupulous care by Messrs. J. M. Dent & Co. of London, who pab- | lish the works conjointly with Messrs. Charles | scribner’s Sons. | Messrs. Putnam announce “A Notebook in Nerthern Spain,” by Archer M. Huntington, with upward of 100 illustrations. In this volume of travel the author describes & trip through the provinces of Galicia to Astorga, Oviedo, Yuste and many other places of his toric interest. A brief sketch of the rise and gevclopment of the bull ring is also given. Mr. Huntington, by the wav, is the adopted | eon of C. P. Huntington. Alihough still a | young men, he has spent many years in studving Spain and her people, both in books and in life. Alphonse Daudet has decided to keep back a realistic novel arawn from life, which he has just finished, until the original ot the hero gies, “The Story of Gladstone’s Life” is about to be pubiished by the Macmillan Company, and is one of a somewnat remarkable group of biographies which forms a notabie feature of their season’s output. It is seldom that the story of a man’s life is at the same time practi- cally the political history of his country, as is the case here, soclosely has Mr. Gladstone been associated with almost every cvent of im- poriance in English politics during the past few decades. Tne book is freely illustrated and can be reli=d upon for accuraey, since 1s author, Justin McCarthv, has not only held a seat in the House of Commons for many years, but also situdied this period of English history with spevial care, His “History of Our Own Tim:s” is sufficient evidence of this, if any were needed. The life of the late Archbishop of Cantere bury is to be written by his gon, A. C. Benson, one of the masters at Eton, and published by the Macmillaos. It is said that the highest price per word ever paxd o an author was paid by Messrs. Scribner to Rudyard Kipling for his raiiroad story, “No.007,” published in the August num- ber of Scribner’s Magazine. The story num- bers over 7000 words, and the price paid was about $1500. A monument is to be erected in Paris, in the Place Malesherbes, to Dumas the younger. In the same square there s a statue to the elder Dumas, and the name of the little park will be changed to “Dumas.” ‘We have receivod from the publishers a copy of the *“Pacific Jewish Aunnual,” edited by Rabbt Voorsanger. The book is well printed and bound, and contains, in addition to the usual alm-nac, much that is of interest to the Hebrews ot tnis coast. Undov y the king of metrical pi nart Calve im merely adumbrated to him; ail who have come led from him and refl et him. was infinitely more than ame sand rhythins. He was & true p of the most gracefu! scholars tnat ¢ ever jroduced, and all his exub: . fun wes based on & broad and strong ndation of Greek, Latin and English litera- His “Verses and Translations” was a g man’s book, although its author has 1y established his reputation as & humor- nimitable examinntion " and being & young mau’s book & book of unequal merit. The transl e on one side, 8s lying outside an purview, only remacking us I p there isa fi er rendering than thai of Ido not know whe:e it is to My business is with the parodies. until ten years after the pub.ica- ¢ “Verses and Translations’ that in his L-aves” Calverly asserted his supremacy art; buteven in “Verses and Transla- ? he gave good promise of what was to Of all poems in the world, I suppose, tins® been most irequently and patodied. Every public school contains at least one parody of it ar. Inmy Oxford days there was cur- dmirabie version of it (attributed o W. W, Merry, now rector of Lincoln rich began: s Cha 01 course imitato: nt that if stus Smalls of Boniface, ¥ all the powers be swore though be had been ploughed three times, He would be p oughed no more! and traced with curious fidelity the successive steps in the process o! preparation till the dreadful day of examination arrived: They sald he made strange quantities, vaper on | odists | | undergraduate life CHARLES STEWART CA Which none might ma<e but he: AnA tuat strange (hings wers 10 his prose, 4 Pieree they calied his ~Viva Voc ihey sald bis “Books’ would do: 1 cheek, where fa were weak, { bt him (z.umphant throush. i And ine cb Oxford College | In the dim November days, ! When undergraduates fresh from ball Are gatherinz round the bisze: When thie ‘oid dry wines” are sparkliog, | And o Mouerator’s lit. And the weed glows in the freshman’s mouth, Ana makes him turn to spit. 1 laughing and with chafling Ihe story they renew, How ~ma Is of Boniface went in And actually got throngh. ’ fair, | Somuch for the Oxford rendering of Ma lay’s classic Iy, Calverly thus adapted it to Cambriage and to a different aspect of nacled St. Mary's Lingers the settiug sun: Into the street the biackzuards Are sku.king one by one; Buteher and hoots a-d b rgeman Lay pipe and pew. er down, And witn wiid shout come tumbling out To join the Town and Gown. IR G ey 'Twere long to teil how Boxer W a8 ¢ uniered on the cheek And knoc.ed Into the middle Of the ensuing week: How Larnacies the fieshman | Was asked his name and college; 4nd how he did the fatal fac's ! Keluctanuy acknow edge. Quite different, but better because more difficulr, is this essay in ‘“‘Proverbial Philos- ophy”': Art toon beautiful, O my dacghter, as tne bud- | ding rose of Apri? Are all thy motlons music, and is poetry throned . . in thine eye? Then hearken unto me, and I will make the bud o fair flower; I will plant it upon the bank of Elegance, and water with the water of Cologne. . . . . . . B T heard the wild notes of the lark floating far over the blue sky And my foo ish heart went after him, and lo! [ blessed Lim &y he rose; shi! for far better is the tralned boudoir bull- finen fch pipeth the semblance of a tune and me- chanically drawsth up water. For verily, O my daughter, the world is a mas- querade, And God male thee one thing that thou mightest make thyself another. A maiden’s heart Is as champague, ever aspiring and struggling upwards And it needed tha iis motions be checked by the s'Ivered cork of propriety: ¥ooli W | He that can afford the price, his ve the precious treasure, Leth m drink deeply of its sweetness, nor grum- bie if it tasteth of the cork. In the yeur 1885 there appeared a little hook of rhymes cuailed “Pnantasmagoria.’” It chiefly related to Oxford. Partly because of its titie, party because it was anonymous, partly because it was mainly topical, the book had no success. But it contaiued two or three parodies which deserve to rank with the best in the lapguage. Unluckily, I have not the book at haud, and if I give samples it must be f.om memory and therefore with some risk of slips. One that I remember is an imitation of a ballad in black letter. It runs something like this: 1 have a horse, a right good horse; Nedo I envy those ‘Who vr.e their hehdy course along Till sodsyae on their nose They .i-ht with unexpected force. 1t is a Horse of Clothes, Then again there is excellent metaphysical fooling in “The Three Voices' : Ihere came & breeze scross the.flat, Fanning his foreheud us he sa , It lightly bore away his bat, All 10 the feet of one who stcod, | Like maid enchant d ina w Frowning as durkly as she could. With huge umbrella. lank and brown, Unerriigly she pinued it down Right turoush the center of the crown. Then, with uspect cold and grim, Regardl 83 of its batiered brim, She 1005 it up and gave It hix Awhile like me in dreams he stoad, Then faitered forth bLis gratliude 1n words just short of being rude. For it had 10st its shape and shine, And it kad cos: him six-and-nine, And he was going out 10 dixe. Fixing ber gaze upon the beach, With grave indiffcrence to his syesch, £hesaid, K ach gives 1o more than each,” “If that te so,’" he sraight replied, Lach heart with each doth coincide, What beots 112 For the worid is wide,” But when she asked him, “Wherefore sop” He felt his very whissers glow, And frenkly owned, I do not know. Pitying bis obvious dis' ress, Yet with a iinge of bittern She said, “The more exceeds the less.” A wruth of such undoubted weig; He ur ed. “and $0 ex.reme 10 date, It were supertiuous to state,” Koused into sudden passion, she, 1n tone of cold m lignity, 0 others yes, but not (0 thee.” But far the best parody inthe book—and the most richly deserved by the cleverness of its original—is “Hiawatha’s Photographing.” | It has the doubie merit of avsolute similarity in cadeuce and life-like realism. Here, sgein, 1 rely on memory, and the limits of space for- bids complete citation: From his shou'ders Hiawatha Took the camera of rosswood, Made of folding, stiding rosewood. In its case it lay com pacted, Folded into next to nothing. But be pulled the joints and hinges Tite 1t lookea all squares and oblongs, Like a complicated figure 1n the Second Book of Euclld. “Tis he perched upon a tripod And the famiiy in order Sate before it for their portraits. Mystic, awful was the process. Every one as he was taken Volunteered his own suggestions, His invaluable suggestions. First the governor—the father. He sug:ested velvet curtains And the corner of a table— 01 a rosewood dining-fale. He wouid hoid a scroil of something; Hold it firmly in his left hand; 116 would have his right hand buried (Like Napoleon) In his waistcoat; He would contemplate the distance ‘With a look of pensive meanin As of ducks that die in thunder. Grand. beroic, was the notion, Yet the picture falled complecely, Fuiled, because he moved a littie— Moved, because he could not heip it. Who does not know that father 1n the flesh, and who has not seen him—velvet curtains, dining-table, scroll and all—on the most con- | spicuous wall of the local picture gallery? The father being disposed of— Next his better half took courage. She would have her portrait taken. But her restlessness and questionings again proved fatal to the result; Next the son, the stunning masher. He suggestea curves-of beauty, Curves pervading all the tigure, Which the eye mizht fcliow onward Tl they centered in the breastpla— Centered in the goldeu breastpin, He had learned it all from Kuskin, Author of the *Stones of Venice." But, in spite of such culture, the portrait was a failure, and the elder sister fared no bet- ter. Then the younger brother followed, and his portrait was so awful that— By comparison, the others Might te thought to hav- succeeded— To have partially succeeded. Undaunted by these repeated failures, Hia- watha, by a great final effort, ““tumbied all the tribe together” in the manner of a family group, and— Dia at last obtain a piciure’ Where the faces all succeeded, Euch cuwe out a perfect likeness. ‘Ihen they jolued and all abused it, Unres raivealy abused it, As the worst and ugliest picture They could possibl; hav: dreamed of: Giving one such strange expressions, Sulkiness, conceit «nd meanness. Really, any one would take us (Any one who didu'L know us) For the most unpleasant people. Hiawatha seemed 0 think s0, Seemed to think It not unilkely. How true to life is this final touch of indig- nation at the unflattering truth! But time and spec: forbid me: further to pursue the photographic song of Hiawatha. The book which contained it, as I said before, feil flat, ‘Who does not remember the excelient paro- dies which appeared in ‘“Alice in Wounder. land” ? “You are old, rather Wililam,” the yonng man cried, And your hair is becoming quite white: LVERLY, THE KING OF PARODISTS But yet you incessantly scratch your noor head; Do you think, at your age, it {8 right " “In my youth,” Father William replied to his son, “Ithougnt ft m ght injure my brain; But now that I'm pe:fectly sure I have none 1scrateh It again and again.” The author was “Lewis Carroll,” who is really the Rev. C. L. Dodgson, mathematical tutor of Christ Chnreh, Oxiord. “Phantasmagoria’ filled the aching void in the hearts of the lovers of parody during the | time which elapsed between the appearance of i “Verses and Translations” and that of “Flv Leaves.” The latter book is small, only 124 peges in all, including the Pickwick Exami- nation Paper, but what marvels of mirth and | psetry and satire it contains! How secure its place inithe affections of all who love the gentle art of parody! My rule 1s not to quote extensively from books which are widely known. I forbear, therefore, to do more than indicate the “Ballad,” with its re- frain of Butter and eggs and a pound of cheese. So teuchingly reminiscent of James Rhoades’ white apple blossoms blown on the orchard floor. Or And oh! hersafter and herebefore. Before Ilay down my “Fly Leaves” Imust give myself the pleasure of quoting just six lines,which even appreciative eritics generally overlook. They relate to the conversation of the traveling tinke; Thus on he prattled like a babbling brook. Ther 1, “The sun bath slipt bebind the Lill, And my Aunt Vivian diues at half-past 6.” So in all love we parted: I to the hall, He to the village. It was noised next noon ‘That chickens had been mizsed at Syllabub farm. Will any one stake bis literary reputation on the assertion that these lines are not really Tennyson’s?