Life — December 13, 1906 — page 3: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

WW. E. RUSSELL was known as the best living collector of anecdotes long be- fore he acknowledged openly his book of “‘Col- lections and Recollections.” And he has kept pretty well to this function. Thus, his principal work in biography is the “Life of Sydney Smith,” the raconteur and story-teller par excellence. Thus, too, his latest work, ‘Social Silhouettes” (E. P. Dutton and Company), while it is primarily a series of character sketches in the good old style that is so seldom cultivated to-day, is also a collection of anecdotes real and fictitious. Perhaps the spirit of the book, says the Post, can best be gathered from the opening and closing para- graphs of the last chapter: Let us part good friends ; “never forgetting” {as Thackeray said in closing his most pungent satire) “that, if Fun is good, Truth is still better, and Love best of all.” Fun, Truth, Love. These three of the best things in the world; and now, since the conclusion of even the humblest “work invites to retrospect, perhaps it is permissible to inquire whether the foregoing pages have made any contribution to the causes of Fun, of Truth, or Love... . ‘A hypersensitive author wrote lately a to critic, “1 never can make out whether you are chafling or in nest about my books."” The critic replied, “I am always both, My seriousness naturally ex- presses itself in chaff nd that is an attitude which teal intimacy never resents. It is a defect almost inherent in an album of Social Silhouettes, that the kss admirable types tend to be the more numerous. rtainls a Picture Gallery exclusively composed of the good and great would be a rather uninteresting collection. We must find room on our walls for the villains and the adventuresses who have made so urge a part of history; and it need not be inferred that the numerical proportion between good and lad in our gallery corresponds to the proportion in actual life, [8 THE. opinion of Henry James, says the Louisville Courier-Journal, literature makes the world go round. Unquestionably the James brand does compel the common people to proceed spirally toward the high-perched gem of thought, rather than to lunge straight at it. HAT can be more mirth-provoking than the naive simplicity with which a pompous critic, who prides himself on his lynx-eyed acute- ness, will sometimes walk into a trap that has been set for him. When Alexander Pope was translating Homer, he read, by request, several books of the “Iliad”? to Lord Halifax—whom he asa literary coxcomb—at his house. During the reading his lordship several times Stopped the poet and suggested that certain pas- sages might be improved. Perplexed and irritated by the advice, the poct withdrew with Garth, who laughed heartily at the incident, and told him to keave the verses just as they were—to call on Hali fax a month later, thank him for his criticisms, and then read again the verses to him unaltered. Pope followed this advice, saying to Halifax that he hoped his lordship would now find his objec- tions removed—upon which Halifax, delighted, (ned out: “Ay, now they are perfectly right; nothing can be better."—Success. on the Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul Ry. It is thoughtful discrimination by travelers who recognize the best that makes this luxurious train the one chosen route To California No train surpasses it in comfort and safety— no traveling convenience ever conceived that is not found here at its highest development. With its electric lighting throughout, its com- * modious cbse vation parlor; its perfect sleeping and dining service, The Overland Limited offers every requisite to ideal travel. From Union Station, Chicago, 8 P. M. daily. Tourist sleepers at 10.25 P. M.\ For in- formation and literature address F. A. MILLER, G. P. A., Chicago. “It sparkles throughout with wholesome fun... . Not since Anthony Hope's ‘Dolly Dia- logues’ has a book appeared that will tickle the fancy of the critical readers of the light novel 80 much.""—Newark Adveritser. GEORGIE By DOROTHEA DEAKIN Georgie, “such a dear bey/* chronically and constantly in love—in the space of eight chapters falls under the spell, in swift succession, of he sweetest Httle thing oa God's earth.” plajo little thing, but chock full of od goodness, primmest and most delicious of ritans,”” “Thoroughly amusing."—The Outluok, Llustrated by Underwood and Ralph. A charming gift, THE CENTURY CO, £1.50 comicbooks.com