It is with surprise and regret that we see standing uncalled for on our shelves a book which has met with the recognition that it deserves in our eastern cities, and which has made its author one of the literary lions of London. We refer to Mr. Kenneth Grahame's Golden Age, which should appeal to all lovers of quiet humor and delicate fancy, and to all who care to leave behind the dull limitations of every-day life and dwell again for an hour in the boundless fields of Arcadia, where all things are possible if not probable. If any grown person can see things through the child's imagination, Mr. Grahame can. man he is a newcomer in the ranks of authors, His serious occupation in life is being assistant cashier in the Bank of England. Although a middle-aged The Library Journal says of Harper's dictionary of classical literature and antiquities: "The purpose of the book is to give the student, in a concise and intelligent form, the essential facts concerning those questions that oftenest arise in the study of the life, the literature, the religion and the art of classical antiquity." Helen Campbell's Household Economics is a book to make housekeepers and homemakers reflect. Although not going into detail she treats of the house in every department, from the foundation of the cellar walls to cleaning the lamps, and always with great good sense. She hails the dawn of a new era in housekeeping, when cooking and cleaning and washing will be regarded as sciences, and women will learn to do more work with their brains and, consequently, less with their hands. She speaks with fine scorn of "even the intelligent housekeeper, who still talks about 'luck with her sponge cake.' Luck! There is no such word in science, and to make sponge cake is a scientific process." A COLLECTION of books of the late Gen. W. T. Sherman was sold in St. Louis last week for $30. It consisted of about fifty. volumes of army records, regimental histories, court-martial records, and a general assortment of war literature. The sale was made by Thomas Dooley, a carpenter, who did work for Gen. Sherman while the latter had his headquarters in St. Louis as the Commander of the United States Army. According to Mr. Dooley, Mr. Sherman gave him the books just before he left St. Louis. The carpenter kept them until a short time ago, when he packed the library in four large boxes. He then sold the outfit to a book-dealer for $30. On examination the book-dealer found a number of valuable pieces of literature, and a large proportion of the books contained the autographs of men of renown. There were testimonials from U. S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, Phil. Sheridan, and others, besides any number of books presented to Gen. Sherman by the authors. Many books otherwise worthless were made valuable by the autograph of the General himself. A large number of persons have examined the collection, and negotiations have been opened with several G. A R. posts and similar organizations looking to the sale of the collection or a part of it.-Publ. Weekly. The Publishers' Weekly says: "An item of interest relates to Parkman's The Conspiracy of Pontiac and the Indian War after the Conquest of Canada.' This work, which was pronounced by Prof. John Fiske one of the most brilliant and fascinating books that has ever been written by any historian since the days of Herodotus,' has had the great honor paid to it of being printed in quarto volumes. for the use of the blind. The printing of large volumes in raised letters is a matter entailing great care and expense. Only a few works are considered of sufficient value to warrant the expenditure." The Library has just added a new edition of this interesting book to its collection. HOW TO USE THE LIBRARY. The following is a concise summary of the most important rules and directions that should be understood by those who wish to use the Library. A copy of "Rules and Reader's Guide" may be had on application. LIBRARY HOURS. June to August, 9 a. m. to 9 p. m. September to May, 10 a. m. to 10 p. m. Sundays, 2 to 9 p. m. THE LIBRARY IS FREE: To all residents of St. Louis. To all property holders in the city. To all persons permanently employed in the city. (1.) HOW TO GET A TICKET. Each person wishing a membership in the Library must apply at the registration desk. Every one who is not a property holder or a life member in the Public School Library must have the signature of a property holder or a business man as guaranty. Guarantor's blanks may be obtained at the registration desk or at the delivery stations. (2.) HOW TO GET BOOKS. Give your reader's card with a LIST OF BOOKS WANTED to the receiving clerk. In a few minutes your name will be called at the ISSUE DESK and your book handed to you. For further information see "INFORMATION DESK" or "ASSISTANT IN CHARGE.” (3.) HOW TO RENEW BOOKS. Your (a) Give your book to the receiving clerk and TELL HIM YOU WISH IT RENEWED. book will be handed to you in a short time at the issue desk, or, (b) give your card and the author and title of the book to be renewed, and the date it will be due, to the clerk. Your card will be returned to you at the issue desk. (c) If you wish to renew by mail, send your card with the name of author, title of the book and when due. Enclose a stamped and addressed envelope for the return of your card. (d) In renewing through Delivery Stations, book and card must come to the Library. Book will be returned immediately. For further information see "INFORMATION DESK❞ ASSISTANT IN CHARGE." or If you don't see what you want, ask for it and DON'T GO AWAY UNSATISFIED. Don't ask questions at the issue or receiving desks. GO TO THE INFORMATION DESK OR TO THE ASSISTANT IN CHARGE. Keep your card in the book pocket, and cross off your list the titles of books you do not want. Listen for your name at the issue desk, and if you send for books BE SURE YOUR MES SENGER KNOWS THE NAME ON THE CARD. DELIVERY STATIONS. Station Keepers Receive no Compensation but the Custom of those that use the Stations. THE DAVENANT BUST OF SHAKESPEARE. This antiquated bust of the poet is after a painting by either Joseph Taylor or Richard Burbage. The former died at very old man in 1654, and the latter in 1618, and it is most probable that it was from the former that Davenant received the original painting after which the bust was modeled. Sir William Davenant, the poet's poet's godson, was born in Oxford 1605. He was created Knight of the Bath by King James in 1615. In 1637 he became Poet Base-Relief Reproduction of the Davenant Bust. Laureate. He was knighted for valor in 1643, and was compelled to fly from England. He determined to seek a home in New England, but was captured on the sea, and imprisoned, first in the Isle of Wight, afterwards in the Tower of London, with very little prospect of escaping death. He faced his fate manfully; wrote poetry in prison, and, thanks probably to the influence of Milton, obtained his liberty, and began to give operatic entertainments in Charterhouse Square. When the King had his own again, prosperity once more shone out upon the impoverished cavalier. He erected a new theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields upon a plan and scale of greatness that has ever since prevailed in London theatres, but which was then novel. Its doors were first opened to the public in 1662, with a new play written for the occasion by himself, and entitled, "The Siege of Rhodes," with painted scenery and novel and mechanical appliances after the fashion of theatres in France. Over the two principal entrances were placed in niches a couple of terra-cotta busts, one representing Ben Jonson, the other Shakespeare. The Duke's Theatre (named after James, duke of York, the brother of Charles the Second), stood in Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. When Sir William removed his company from it to the new Dorset Garden Theatre, it was still occupied by the Laureate who died under its roof, and continued to be a theatre until after its builder's death, when it was altered and converted into a barrack for soldiers. In 1737 it became a pottery warehouse. In 1845, when what remained of it was taken down to make room for extending the Royal College of Physicians, the father-in-law of Professor Owen saved the bust of Shakespeare from being thrown down and destroyed, as that of Jonson had been. Both the entrances and the busts over them had been bricked up, and it was in removing the concealing wall that the workmen, ignorant of what they were doing, pitched down the first bust as they would have done the other, had it not been rescued by a mere chance. It is now in the Shakespeare Memorial at Stratford-on-Avon. |