LIONISED WOMEN NOVELISTS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12933, 12 October 1907, Page 7

LIONISED WOMEN NOVELISTS.

Tho "Bonk Monthly' , prints a wail from a woman-novelist under tho title "Splendid Paupers"; in a sonse it is an instructive wail, and worth, at any rate, a passing comment. The anonymous lady in question tells us that though she is not in tho very first flight of popular novelists, she is not very far behind; she. gets well paid for her work, both serially ami in volume form, end altogether, to the world at large, would appear to be a eingularry prosperous and fortunate woman. Tlion conies the disconcerting statement that though "we more or less popular novelists are thought to he so well off and all tho .rest of it .it is often a struggle to pay the butcher's bill." • The reason for this melancholy condition of the butcher's book is that the successful author—if he or she happens to be weak enough to fall into the trap—is lionised. Mrs Ho-antl-So, in the well-known manner or her kind, says:—"You must com« and lurch with us next week; just a quiet little gathering at the."' Then she calls for you in her motor-car, and you lunoh at the , and in return you invite her to "a quiet little gathering ,, of your own at the same expensive hotel. "You dream of motors and a country house, and goodnee* knows what else; for here, suddenly, you are in the midst of all those aids to existence." But when that luncli comes off, you are miserable while you cat it, "for what doee it mean, coupled with tho twenty-guinea costume needed for it? Why, that long before your new book is finished you'll have to be asking an advance on the publisner's advance payable when the MS. is de"Tcontributor to "T.P/s WeeHV' point* out very sensibly that the difficulties experienced by this particular writer are clearly due to temperament, and hare nothing to do with literature at all—a temperament eren more highly developed in ma-ny women who never wrote a wrd in their live*. It is not in the least necessmry for the wonun-novelfct to allow j herself to become an entertained and an entertaining "rionese"; if she does she goej into the danger cone with h«r evea wide open, «nd frankly, deserves little eympithy. Pride is all very well, but one suspects that it w vanity »nd not pride that gives the «peneiTe luncheone at . In * word, literature i* not to blame, but the individual.

NEW BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS. Mr and Mrs C. N. Williamson, whose delightful motor stories have given so much enjoyment, have now enlisted the motor boat in their service, and, under the title of ''The Botor Chaperone." have issued a charming book of travel and ronmnce, havinj its mise-en-ecene in the waterways and quiint old cities of Holland. Whether they have incidentally added c convenient, if somewhat barbarous, word to the English language, remains to be seen. The plot hinges on the fact that Nelly Van Buren, en American girl, end her English step-sister Phyllis Rivere, became possessed of a motor-boat in Holland, together with two or three hundred pounds, as » legacy from an old friend. They determined to take ft tour through Hol-lun-J, and, by oaa of't*oee providential wuich c..*i .Ure Willioim*v>u coulj invest with an air of probability, to bay nothing of propriety, they ,:ro accompanied by Romud t*. titurr. an accomplished American -tit ist, and two handsome young Dutchmen, with c supposititious aunt to redeem tho tour from its utter tincouventKiiiility. Of course, the usuil matriu.onial complications ensue, oven th<? "tMint," who turns out to be u.n_ American lady journalist in disguise. be.nii£ happily provided for. The pictures or Dutch liio and character «ro very brightly drawn, and we shall : l>r> surprised if the book does not lc.d to a. fircat influx of touri&te to the land of Yv'illia.m the Silent next sra.son. Tliat the gifted authors have not entirely deserted their first- love is fchenn by the- fact that the paafcly. desert tno ""ootor' for the motor ait various stage.? of their journey. (Lonuoii: .Uetmieu and Co Christ church: Fountain Barber, Sβ 6d -Mid 2s 6d.) "Mr Poskitt," by J. S. Fletcher, is a book to delijrht the hearts of all J those avlio like to believe that the old virtues oi rustic humour, benevolence, ami hospitality, have not died out of rurai The hero is a delightful j old Yorkshire farmer, who has retired from his farm with a competence, and tekee his pleasure in keeping alive old i .sports and customs, and in doing good j and keeping up the spirits of ell nround him. in aJI of which laudable endeavours he is ably seconded by his equally delightful old wife. They are a pair almcet worthy of Charles Dickene, amd we do not think we could give tho author higher praise. • Very interesting are the pictures of oW Yorkshire customs to be found in these pages. (Londom: George Bell and Sons. Christchurch: Whitcombe and Tombs, 2s 6d.) "Poison Island," by "Q." (A. T. Quiller Couch) is a "treasure island story" constructed on somewhat original lines. The date is in the early part of last century. _ The secret, with the inevitable chart, is left by a somevhat disreputable old sea captain, named Captain Coffin, to a Cornish boy, named Harry Brooks, to whom he has taken a fancy. The expedition which sets out for the treasure is I rather oddly assorted, consisting of I Captain Brahsoome, Mr Jack Rogers, i the boy hero, his maiden aunt, anothei spinster lady, and the village carpenter. On arriving at the island, instead of its being uninhabited, as they imagined, they find it is in possession of a certain Dr. Beaureguard, who has been annoyed by prevous expeditions of the kind, and has conceived the amiable idea of ridding himself of the annoyance by inviting the members to dinner and poisoning them with the liqueurs. The story is told with ail Mr Couch's usual verve, and the reader forgete 'to be critical m regard to the probability or otherwise of the situations created. (London: George Bell and Sons. GhrietchuTch; Whiteombe and Tombs, 2s 6d). In "Th* Privateers" Mr Marriott Wateon has given us a clever romance of adventure, carried into a somewhat new field.; Two astute :but unscrupulous Americans are anxious to get the controlling interest in an American company, Known as "The A.K.TJ." The President is in a state of infirmity, noaring his end, and the key to the position ie his niece, living with her mother in England, both of whom are ignorant that the moribund President has, by his "will, made the girl his heiress. It is a case of "diamond cut diamond." One American makes love fo tho nioce, the other forcibly abducts her. A young Englishman is drawn into the etory, falls in love with tihe heroine, who returns hie affection, and in the end the unscrupulous Yankees are foiled, nnd n true love match takes place on orthodox lines. Meanwhile there is much exciting plotting nnd counterplotting, and Irrcethless adventures of various kinds keep the reader's interest fully engaged. (London; Metheum and Co. Christchurch: Whitconibe and Tombs, 2s 6d). The following new sixpenny editions are to hand from Mr Fountain Barber: —"I Know a Maiden," by E: Maria Albanesi (London: Mcthuen and Co.); "An Artist's Model," by Mrs Coulson Kcrnahan (London: F. V. White and C:>., Ltd.); "Playing the Knave," by Florence • Warden (London: Everett and 'Co., 42 Essex . street,, Strand); "Lady Grevillc's Error," by Mrs Watt (Dublin: Briars, and Walkden); "-The One Who -Looked On," by F. F. MontrC'sor (London: Hutchinson and Co.); "The House of the Wicked," by William Le Queux (London: Plurst and Blackett); ' The Man of Property," by John Galsworthy (London: William Heinemann); "Under the Ardi ol Life," by Lady Henry Somerset (London: Hurat and Blackott, Ltd.); "The House, in Spring Gardens. ,; by Major Arthur Griffith (London: Evcleign Xash).