THE NEWEST NOVELS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13835, 23 February 1907, Page 4

THE NEWEST NOVELS.

Among Mr Murrity's spring novels will «™' Hpr fson '" ,jy Mr H " A - Vachell, and "lie Lonely Lady of (•Jrosvenor Square," bv Mrs Henry de la Pasture.

Mary E. Wilkins's next volume will he a full-length novel of about 500 pa< r es entitled "By the Light of the Soul." "it will be issued by Messrs Harper and Brothers. It is a typical study of New England life, but the plot has a fulness and intensity new to readers who only know Miss Wilkins's shorter stories.

Mr Werner Laurie is publishing shortly "The Last Miracle," by Mr M. P. Sbiei. It is tbo tln'rd of the trilogy of novels •vyhich commenced with the "Lord of the Sea," and \vas continued by the muchtranslated "Purple Cloud," all the three purporting to be the words dropped from the lips of a clairvoyant in her swooms, as memarandumed in the notebooks of her doctor.

Mr John Long commences the year with the following additional novels:—"The World and Delia," by Curtis Yorko; "The Dust of Conflict," hy ,Harold Bindloss; "Tiie Luck of the Laura." by Mrs Campbell Praed: "The Yoke,"' bv Hubert Wales (author of "Mr and Mis Villiers"); "Selma," by Lucas Cleevc; •"The Hotiso in the Crescent," ]iy Adeline Sergeant; ''Amazement,'' bv James Blyth: "Tlio Duke's Dilemma," bv Sir William Magnay, JJart.: "Tho Pennikgs Mjllioiiairc," % David Christie Murray; "Tho Mistress of •Avion," bv R. H. Porster (illustrated); "The Duclicss of Pontifei; Square," by ft. W. Applet on; " The Second Evil," by Sa<li Grant; " Tlie Two Forces," by K. Way Klkington; '' Izpjle of the Dunes," by C. Guise Mitfnrd; "Two Women and a Ma|iaiuja|i," by Mrs C. K. Philliiuore. THE CHILDREN'S HEROES. "The Story of Robert Bruce," bv Jennie L'ajig, iji the fourteenth volume of Messrs Jack's admirable "Children's Heroes" serifs. We can bear t<»stiujoiiy to the great delight with which these stories of Raleigh, Drake, Nelson, itokrt the Bruce, and the rest, are read by New s!ealani) boys. Dl<| English historians xaroly agreed with Scottish arcounts of English policy and action in connection with Scotland —e.g., M'Jicn Edivai'd I decided in favour of " Ballyoll" instead of Bruce, the Scottish account says that the Earl of Gloucester readihe King a pretty sharp

lesson for not selecting the rightful lioir llruee, trUing liim lie would have to answer for it "ut the drcadfull day of nniversall judgement." The comment of our chroniclcr is that Edward 1 was "no man so to lie delt with "—nor was lie. .leanie Lang is rightly patriotic and proud of tin! liruce, find boys will devour her story of his deeds, for' Wnll.ice and Bruce are among their "chiefest favourite hero?G," as one of them said.

Nolhi'.K' of the kind so good as this little "Children's Heroes" (series, edited by John Lang and published by Messrs T. C. and 14. C. Jack, has ever been done. They deserve the great success they are. enjoying, and so do Messrs Jack's new series called "Shown to the Children," three similar volumes, one with 18 pictures of animals, ono with as many of birds, and ono with ISO British wild flowers. All these pictures arc will drawn and well printed in colours;' the type used in all these children's series is just perfection for young eyes.

THE BOOK PRODUCTION KOR 1906.

The total number of new books reported during 1906 (says tho Publishers' Circular) ,is 6985—0n1y 168 more than in lf)05. Theological books, in spite of an increase of 50 in November, show a decrease of 8 on the year. Educational works are over 100 more, as also are political and commercial books and reprinted novels. New novels and juvenile works show an increase of 375. Law books, books on the arts anil sciences, and new biographical and historical works, have not been quite so numerous as in 1905. In Belles-Lettres our 1905 table showed an inc-rcnsc of more than 100; this one shows a decrease of 74. A light decrease is shown in books on travel and geopraphy, also in poetical and dramatical works. The following comparative analytical table of the Literary Output for last year will bo found interesting:—

THE NEWEST JOURNALISM. The Contemporary Review contains an admirable paper by Mr Albert I£. Cave, entitled "The Newest Journalism." It is necessary that every now and then the popular papers should bo subjected to a very strict examination. They go on and sell, and are not read by many intelligent persons, and in this way much evil is wrought. Mr Cave lias, perhaps, not dono everything, but ho lias done much. Ho begins by saying that every now and then we suffer from an epidemic of journalistic hooliganism. Prize systems are taken up, advertised, and boomed till tho nuisance attains great proportions. There was the " Hidden Treasure " system, which became tin intolerable nuisance; the giving money for tramway and omnibus tickets, which lias in turn become a nuisance, and the latter was adopted not only' in the snippet papers, but by the more sensational daily press. Mr Cave gives .a close and damaging criticism of boys' papers, circulating prehaps no fewer than two million a week, and most powerfully affecting the minds of the younger generation. Judging from what Mr Cave says, their influence must be as bad as possible. Mr Cave thinks, however, that, bad as they are, they really reached a lower depth a few years ago, when they were issued at a'halfpenny instead of a penny. A third class of papers includes Comic Cuts, Fiipny Cuts, the Joker, etc. Then there are the women's papers and the novelettes. Mr Cave does not go thoroughly into the novelettes. Many of the penny novelettes now published are of the most demoralising kind. They are not all demoralising; that is, they will publish two perfectly respectable numbers, then there will be an obscene story. Mr Cave gives high praise to Mr T, P. O'Connor's papers, and says that what is now badly wanted is i T.IVs Weekly for the young. Ho says that in order to help the upward tendency and the young from the debauchery of sensationalism we need a reform of the gambling laws.

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