BOOKS and AUTHORS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XV, Issue VIII, 24 August 1895, Page 230

BOOKS and AUTHORS.

A LITERARY CAUSERIE for COLONIAL BOOKBUYERS and BORROWERS. BOOKS marked thus (*) have arrived in the colony, and could at the time of writing be purchased in the principal colonial bookshops, and borrowed at the libraries. For the convenience of country cousins who find difficulty in procuring the latest books ana new editions, the ‘BOOKMAN’ will send to any New Zealand address any book which can be obtained. No notice will, of course, be taken of requests unaccompanied by remittance to cover postage as well as published price of book. It is requested that only those who find it impossible to procure books through the ordinary channels, should take advantage of this offer. The labour involved will be heavy and entirety unremunerative, no *ees or commission being taken. Queries and Correspondence on Literary Matters Invited. AU Communications and Commissions must be addressed THE BOOKMAN,’ Graphic Office, Auckland. J Everyone who has followed the recent • The Windsor career of that adventurous firm of pubMagazlne,' . lishers, Messrs Ward, Lock, and Bowden, Vol. No. I. w m deposed t o congratulate them on the completion of the first half-yearly volume of The Windsor Magazine, and to hope with myself that their venture has proved entirely successful. If it be otherwise, it is certainly not from lack of enterprise, or from any failure to act generously by the magazine reading public. Among the literary contributors to the first volume are many well-known and some rather expensive names, whilst the artistic department is equally well represented. The most interesting article in the sixth number deals with the Bank of England, and traces the history of that institution from its origin on the 27th ofjuly, 1794. Itis

interesting to learn that the bank buildings cover a space of four acres, and that fifteen hundred persons are employed in conducting its enormous business. Fiction is represented by the continuation of serials by Guy Booth

by and Henry Seton Merriman, and one or two short stories, one of which, ‘ The Phonographic Watch,’being, however, so incredibly foolish, that one wonders at its introduction in an otherwise readable number. Guy Boothby’s story, ‘ A Bid for Fortune,’ promises remarkably well, and should prove a success in volume form. It has the advantage of being illustrated by that most brilliantly imaginative of illustrators, Stanley L. Wood. The ‘Unknown London’ series deals brightly and briefly with Model and other Laundries. A number of other articles go to complete a capital number, not the least interesting being a profusely illustrated interview with the portrait painter, H. S. Tuke. * Ward Lock's anotller colonial library. This time the publishers are Messrs Ward, Lock, New Colonial and Bowden, who, as we have remarked Library. above in speaking of the Windsor, have made really gigantic strides forward. The new library is, to take it all round, the best yet issued for circulation in the colonies. The cloth edition (3s 6d) is an exceedingly handsome and tasteful affair in a reddish buckram, or something of the same nature. Print and paper are of the most luxurious type, and unless the library takes enormously the venture will cost the publishers a pretty penny. The first volume in the new library is ‘Martin Hewitt, Investigator.’ It is a book I have the misfortune not to care for particularly, as probably will be recollected, for it is only a week or so ago that I reviewed the English (6s) edition of the same work. I say misfortune advisedly, for I cannot but regret that such keen delight and excitement as the book affords my friends should, through a freak of taste, be denied me. Detective stories —the delight of thousands of far more able and intellectual men than myself—bore me, and I cannot pretend to anything else.

There are some big names on the list of future issues of the Ward Colonial Library. 1 notice with anticipation of pleasure that there are to be books by Meredith and the author of ‘ Mean Streets ’ amongst others.

. Mr William Waldrof Astor unquestionThe Richest B k ably occupies this position, and has also won fame as the first American millionaire

the World. to surren der his nationality. I did not know much about Mr Astor a few weeks ago, but an article in one of his own country magazines has enlightened me. ‘ All that the Astors have they got in America. Their common ancestor, John Jacob Astor, was a peasant’s son, born in Germany, near Heidelberg, in 1763, and in his sixteenth year he went to London and worked with his brother, a maker of musical instruments. In 1783 he came to America and engaged in the fur trade. Within six years he had acquired a fortune of $250,000. He founded the American Fur Company, and in time his ships were to be found on every sea. When he died in 1848 he owned property worth something like $20,000,000. His son William inherited the bulk of this vast fortune, and it is said that at the time of his death he had increased it to $50,000,000. In his will he added $200,000 to the $350,000 bequeathed by his father for the founding of a public library. William Astor was commonly known as “ the landlord of New York.” The life of these founders of the Astor family was full of toil. They earned their money by industry and intelligence. They were men of grit and character. Their influence was purely commercial, but they displayed a proper public spirit and were well liked. The manner in which they invested their wealth indicates that they were eager to root the family name deeply in America. They were simple and unpretentious in their manners, living generously but not extravagantly. The first Astor was really picturesque in the plainness of his surroundings. He coulddrive the hardest bargain in the market, and yet his word was as good as his written contract. The second Astor began a policy that has been carried on in the family ever since. He bought land, but never sold if he could help it. The history of these two men is a part of the history of New York. ‘ Ever since then the Astors have flourished. Their wealth has consisted mainly of houses and lands in New York, and they have kept themselves apart from speculative enterprises. They became, in a sense, the social leaders of the American metropolis. As aTule the Astors have led quiet lives and have ignored politics, but, then, what encouragement is there for a multimillionaire to take up a political career in any part of the United States ? He is sure to be bitterly attacked, either on the ground that he is trying to establish an aristocracy based on wealth, or that his patriotism is merely a cloak for some hidden design to advance his financial interests. However that may be, the Astors have shown a good deal of reticence in their careers and have, on the whole, held the respect of their neighbours and their community.

‘ Mr Astor was not without the hope of an attractive career in his native country. He occupied a high social position. He had already been honoured with the post of Minister to Italy. Yet he saw no future in American citizenship. It cannot be that his desire to connect himself with literature and journalism led him to London, for in no other country does the daily press wield more power than in America ; and where in the British Empire are magazines comparable with those in America to be found ? Nature does not wear a more gracious aspect in London, with its fogs and rains. Nor are men and women more generous in the old land than the new. Indeed, the Englishman’s is a harsher manner ; he is stiff-necked, hide-bound.

‘ Observe Mr Astor's steps. When he went over to London he bought the Pall Mall Gazette, the Pall Mall Budget, and the Pall Mall Magazine, a daily, a weekly, and a monthly publication. He also went to live in Landsdowne House, one of the old palaces of the British metropolis. Then he hired Sir Douglass Straight and Lord Frederick Hamilton—both amateurs —to edit his magazine, after which he put the heir to an earldom in control of his daily and weekly paper. He took an attitude of great reserve, surrounding himself with titled advisers and withdrawing himself completely from contact with the vulgar world His newspaper attached itself to the party of the aristocracy. “We British take this and that view of things, “ we British feel that our sovereign stands for society ” —this sort of thing indicated the trend of Mr Astor’s mind. Recently he bought a splendid residence in Carlton House Terrace, London, and also purchased the almost royal estate of Cliveden, on the Thames, from the Duke of Westminster. To Americans he became cold and indifferent. He flushed with pleasure at the sight of a lord. At the same time it is only fair to say that Mr Astor is a hard worker, and that he has a virtuous ambition to be known as a writer of short essays and stories. His style is not bad, and in a sketch entitled “ The Romance of Cliveden,” he displayed some ability in the handling of English dialect. But the whole tone of his work is ultra British. There is no note of America in it. England has completely absorbed his interest and his sentiment.

• A good deal has been said about the tendency of rich men in New York and other large American cities to imitate the manners and customs of the English aristocracy, but practical observers have attributed this weakness to a desire to polish up the too crude and prosaic social forms of a young nation. The apostasy of Mr Astor, however, puts a new colour in the situation. His example is sure to be followed by others. The license of the press is particularly dreaded by the new genera tion 01' millionaires. The love of titles and the glitter of royal pomps are powerful magnets.’

The Windsor Magazine: Want, Lock, and Bowden. 9d monthly; postage 2d. * Ward-Ixiok's New Colonial Library : No. 1, ‘Martin Hewitt' 3s 6d cloth; 2s 6d paper. Postage 4d.