Philadelphia from 1790 to 1850. It was not the "mob" which injured Philadelphia, but certain disadvantages in its physical situation and the lack of any strenuous, intellectual life among its leading families. They might have given Philadelphia its Harvard and its Yale, or even its Columbia. They never have.

*

**

Dr. Frederick D. Stone, the erudite and painstaking secretary of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, has added six admirable chapters to the history of the beginnings of the University of Pennsylvania, which Dr. George B. Wood wrote sixty-four years ago. Their central point is devoted to clearing up Franklin's relations to the institution. Dr. Stone makes clear what nearly every one who has studied the subject believes. Franklin founded a school; but it was not in the least one such as that into which the University happily grew. He wanted what we should now call a scientific school. Dr. William Smith built on this foundation-proposed rather than built -a college of the arts.

* **

Mr. H. C. Bunner now gone, wrote nothing, I fear, which will be remembered; but his facile, fluent pen of easy rhyme and accent caught current feeling, and set it to current verse. He wore himself out in journalism, writing in Puck, with iterant energy, and now that his "Poems" are published, it is sadly plain that the candle is burned out. This ready gift of verse is useful but not lasting. As the literary student turns these pages he recollects scores of like men whose verse is in the libraries, and whose sole value is that it sheds a glowing light on the times in which it was written. It is odd, but so far does a wave of emotion carry the written word that Mr. Brander Matthews' sketch of Mr. Bunner may outlast all else either has written.

"The balance of evidence appears to favor the view that instinctive behavior is the result of natural selection working on variations of germinal origin, without the direct transmission of acquired modifications of structure." This is the summary of Mr. Lloyd Morgan's three hundred and fifty-two pages on Habit and Instinct." These words come as near to an explanation as we are likely to get for some time, and they show, as has for some time seemed probable to minds unclouded of controversy, that the truth lies between Lamarck and Darwin, Weismann and Romanes. Mr. Morgan delivered his lectures at the Lowell Institute. They are long, full and suggestive, but for students and experts, rather than the general reader. Yet the book is a storehouse of information, and it lays

THE BOOKS OF 1896.

According to the "Weekly Record of New Publications" of the Publishers' Weekly, we placed on record through the year 1896, the titles of 5703 books, as against 5469 of 1895. This total includes original works by American and English or other foreign authors, new editions, and importations of bound books and books in sheets. This is an excess of 234 books in our lists over any previous year.

In analyzing our figures, with an aim to discover in what special direction this increase shows itself, we find it is in the manufacture of standard works and classics of literature. The immense development of the library interest in the last decade has given a very great impetus to the making of such books. The constant and widespread demand for books of permanent value, that a knowledge of forms a part of every liberal education, has produced in fine shape, both editorially and typographically, the works of the world's writers that have stood the test of time.

Original works from American authors fell short of those reported in 1895, when the total number was 3396. For 1896 it was only 3300, nearly 100 less. This slight decrease in numbers, however, was scarcely noticeable in the improved quality of the whole year's book production. American authors held their own

bravely, in every department of literature. Many of the best novels of the year are from American pens, and many of the finest biographies. It is in the field of biography that our own writers are pre-eminent. After novels and biographies, books on political and social science have the preference with American readers.

The novels were in excess of any other class of literature, being about one-fifth of the book production of the year. Still they were not apparently affected by the general increase in the whole output-the total number published being 1114-the same number, by an odd coincidence, as in 1895.

If, however, we added to this total, as we fairly might, the 319 books prepared professedly for the young, the figures in fiction would be greatly increased. The so called children's books were, with very few exceptions, fullfledged novels, in all essentials but their deceptive pictures and bindings.

The table which follows gives in classes, as nearly as it is possible to approximate, the figures of the book production in this country of 1896, with those of 1895 for comparison.

Description and Travel, Fine Arts, Medical and Hygiene, Useful Arts, Sports and Amusements, and Domestic and Rural, and a decrease in Theology and Religion, Juvenile, Poetry, Political and Social Science, Physical and Mathematical Science, Mental and Moral Philosophy, and Humor and Satire. Of the books tabulated 2772 were received at this office; the remaining 2931 are titles entered in the Weekly Record with an asterisk, information having been sent us concerning them by the publishers, or gathered from unofficial sources.

In the second table, which follows, the aim

Fiction

CLASSIFICATIONS

Literary, History and Miscellany

Law

Literary, History, and Miscellany Law

270

154

Education and Language

Theology and Religion

Juvenile

Education and Language.

198

Fine Arts and Illustrated Books.

133

Medical Science, Hygiene.

Useful Arts

24 136 26 7 1662 11 141 22 119

100

11 112

48 27

Sports and Amusements

341

Domestic and Rural

Mental and Moral Philosophy Humor and Satire

The figures in Fiction for 1896 are the same as in 1895-1114 novels having been published in each year. The American novels made a better showing than in the previous year, still there were only 270 from our own authors, while we reprinted 690 from English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Hungarian, Polish, and Swedish sources. While Fiction held its own, there was an increase of books in the following classes: Literary History and Miscellany (includes collected works), Law, Education and Language, History, Biography,

has been to show the number of books that were manufactured in the United States in 1896-first, those of American origin; second, those of English or Continental origin; and third, the number of English works that were imported, bound or in sheets; these three classes comprising the book production of the United States in 1896. Of course, this division cannot be entirely exact.

The table shows 3300 books by American authors, made, of course, in this country; 1261 books by English and other foreign authors made here, and 1142 books or sheets imported. The largest number of reprints was in Fiction, viz., 690; next came Literary, History, and Collected Works-267. The importations were greatest in Fiction, Theology and Religion, Poetry, Biography, and Fine Arts.

NOTES FROM LONDON.

LONDON, February 6, 1897. The most notable book that has appeared in the new year is undoubtedly Miss Mary Kingsley's Travels in West Africa," published recently by The Macmillan Company. It is a most fascinating narrative of an exploring expedition undertaken single-handed by this plucky lady who traversed vast tracts of swamp and forest land, where a white person had seldom or never been seen before, attended only by her small band of native guides and carriers, among whom were several of the notorious Fan tribe, the most ferocious of West African natives, with decided cannibal proclivities Strange to say, Miss Kingsley became on excellent terms with these savage henchmen, who had both better manners and more "spunk" than the more peaceable natives, and with her Fan body-guard she penetrated the Fan country, and was everywhere, even in the villages that had a most evil reputation, received with courtesy, mingled naturally with intense curiosity, and was allowed to depart unmolested. Apart from the enthralling record of adventure, the book is a most important one, by reason of the vast amount of practical information it contains respecting the trade, product and resources of this huge territory, where, despite English, French, and German enterprize, there are so many thousand square miles. of country rich in ivory, ebony, mahogany, and precious minerals waiting to be opened up. Miss Kingsley comes of a literary and courageous family. She is a daughter of the late Charles Kingsley, and niece of the late Henry Kingsley.

Thomas Hardy's new novel, "The WellBeloved," will be published in the course of a fortnight or so by Osgood, McIlvaine and Company. It is a story of Portland, and his preface gives a most interesting clue to the nature of its contents. He says: "This peninsula, carved by time out of a single stone, has been for centuries immemorial the home of a curious and distinct race, which has strange beliefs and customs now for the most part obsolete "The Well-Beloved" is the name of a native whom some

may call a phantast, but others may see only as one who gave a local habitation and a name to a delicate dream, which in a vague form is more or less common to most men.

Mr. Alfred Austin's new volume of poems, entitled The Conversion of Winckelmann and Other Poems," recently published by Macmillan, is already out of print, and a second edition is being prepared, this notwithstanding that the Poet Laureate's verse is of very unequal, and generally inferior merit. The story of the chief poem in the volume is laid in the days of the Reformation. The young monk who has dedicated life and soul to art, strives to elude the ever-growing conviction in the truth of Luther's preaching, and in the hollowness of the Romish Church. On the one hand rises idealistic Rome, the temple of his goddess, whose price is a living lie; on the other lies realistic Germany, the altar of his God, who demands the renunciation of his ideal. The theme in itself is a noble one which might have been worthily sung say by Robert Browning, but it suffers in its present form from distinct feebleness of treatment and versification.

Dr. Nansen will appear simultaneously with his book in the course of this week, and many enterprising journalists are setting forth to waylay the explorer on his approach to English shores. Truly the irrepressible interviewer represents one of the disadvantages of civilization. The book, concerning which I have already sent you advance notes, is published by Constable and Company, who are coming rapidly to the front, especially with important and expensive works of this type. This book will consist of two large demioctavo volumes at two guineas each, and in addition to the illustrations, upwards of 1,400 in number, there are sixteen colored plates, in fac-simile of Nansen's own sketches and three

new maps. Although the scientific facts. ascertained by the expedition are given, they are not treated in dry-as-dust detail, the object of the book being to supply a readable and entertaining account of a wonderful voyage.

A new "Pioneer" novel, by Stephen Crane, of "Red Badge of Courage" fame, will be published by Heinemann very shortly under the title of "The Little Regiment." I hope I hope Mr. Crane is enjoying himself in Cuba by this time, and proving the truth, or otherwise, of his ideas on warfare promulgated in his first and, so far, his best book.

S. R. Crockett's "Lad's Love" in its full and original form will be published by Bliss,

The series of cleverly written interviews with famous artists of the day, by "Roy Compton," which has been running in "The Idler" for the past year or so, will on completion (in about three months' time) be published in book form. The series comprises lengthy interviews with Solomon J. Solomon, Nettleship R. A. of "lion" fame; R. Caton Woodville; Rob. Sauber; Seppings Wright, and several other famous wielders of brush and pencil, and the book will be profusely illustrated with beautiful reproductions of the artists' best work, and many interesting studies and sketches for the larger pictures. Chatto and Windus will probably be the publishers.

Messrs. Pearson, limited, are going to add book-publishing to their other numerous ventures, and have secured the services of Mr. G. E. Burgin as literary adviser. They could scarcely have made a better choice, for Mr. Burgin is eminently qualified for the post. He is one of the most industrious writers we have, for in addition to sub-editing "The Idler" and contributing to nearly every leading newspaper and magazine in London, he found time last year to write two essentially readable novels and two shorter, but not less interesting, stories, and is now engaged on another novel, a sequel to the quaint "Judge of Four Cor

ners.

Those who like Mrs. Jellyby have their eyes "fixed on Africa" will find plenty of literature to their taste just now. In addition to the mighty volumes by F. C. Selous and Miss Kingsley, a West African book by Captain Sidney S. Hinde is completed and will be published next week by Methuen and Company. It is entitled "The Fall of the Congo Arabs,' and deals with the recent Belgian expedition to the Upper Congo which developed into a war with the State forces and the Arab slave raiders in Central Africa. Two white men only returned to tell the tale of the three years' war, Commandant Dhanes and Captain Hinde. During the greater part of the time spent by Captain Hinde in the Congo he was among cannibal tribes in little known regions, and

even in these pushing days, and a really fine book, as this is, will always hold its own.

The Rev. S. Baring Gould does not, by any means, confine his talents and wonderful industry to the writing of fiction. He has just completed "A Study of St. Paul," in which he embodies and collates the scattered result of recent research, both at home and abroad. Isbister and Company will be the publishers.

The Clarendon Press have a very big thing in contemplation, nothing more or less than the production of a complete and magnificent edition of the British Classics. The scheme is at present in embryo, but if it is successfully carried out the edition will be the finest thing of its kind that has ever been produced.

Ouida's new novel, which Sampson Low and Marston will publish ere long, will represent a reversion to her earlier style, betraying less of the influence of Tolstoi than her last few books have done. The principal character emigrates to America, and there acts on the Semitic advice that has passed into a proverb "Get money, honestly if you can, but get money." He eventually becomes a millionaire, and he and his wife attempt to buy their way into English Society, thereby providing Ouida with occasion to unburden herself of a considerable amount of scathing sarcasm. The book is said to be an unusually clever one, and emphatically up-to-date.

Constable and Company will publish almost immediately an extremely interesting art book, by Mr. Gleeson White. on English Illustration, 1855-1870." The author points out that while the illustration of books in the present day is so general and cheap, while the average merit is much higher than of yore, that individual artistic merit is by no means so prevalent and far less care and pains are expended on their work by modern illustrators, than by their immediate predecessors, who often de · voted months of careful work to produce good work, making studies just as liberally as for an Academy picture. The book will include. reproductions of over a hundred typical specimens of representative illustrators, including Millais, Rossetti, Walker, Birket Foster, Charles Keene, Du Maurier, etc. Ascor.

Mr. H. M. Stanley has written an introduction to Mr. Lionel Décle's book "Three Years in Savage Africa," which Messrs. Methuen are to publish. The volume will be illustrated and will contain several maps.

London Publishers' Circular.