of that much mooted but very real divine fire which speaks to every heart that is guided by a thinking brain, which makes his words drip with farseeing understanding and sympathy for his fellow man that man is a genius and he will go down through the ages as such, honored, loved, and glorified. It will not matter whether his name be Lovelace Theophilus Hogg or Thomas Brown. What he is capable of seeing in the infinite that is beautiful, uplifting, and heart easing what he is capable of grasping from his God and placing in flaming words for posterity to guide their feet by; what he is capable of transmuting from sordid days and squalid ways by the grace of his own ideals for the inarticulate to weep and smile over and go ahead with braver faces; that is what shall live and live it shall, whether his name be Josephus Pygmalion Donnerwetter or James Smith!

:

Many think that a screed is simply a long piece of writing, but it is more than that. A screed is a tirade, a prolonged declamatory outpouring, conveying the idea of censure. Perhaps when Kipling wrote, in "Life's Handicap": "The apothecary was going to write a long screed on suicide," he meant the apothecary was going to write a diatribe.

He died of pneumonia," " not 'He died with pneumonia " is correct. "Man and brute die of and not with fevers, consumption, the plague, pneumonia, old age, and so on,' says one authority. C. N. Lurie says: "The verb die' may, however, take any one of several prepositions after it, according to the word which follows. For example, one may die of fever, from hunger or thirst, by violence, for another person or for one's country, in agony, at sea, etc. Sometimes the word 'die' is used in a figurative sense; that is, the word is not to be taken literally, as in the sentence, 'When the emperor was sent into exile, he died to his country.'"

Using "boat" for "ship" is a landsman's habit that makes the deep-sea sailor scoff.

All ocean-going vessels are ships, either steamships or sailing ships. There is, of course, the technical distinction between a full-rigged ship and a schooner, or a brig, or a brigantine, or a bark, or a barkentine. In ocean talk a "boat" means nothing but a lifeboat. In any case, the word "boat" refers I only to small craft. It may be right to say that "steamboats" or "steamers" are used in Boston Harbor or on the Hudson River, but an ocean-going vessel propelled by steam power is a steamship," and an ocean liner is always a ship." The signs on trans-Atlantic piers read "To the ship." Lawrence did not say "Don't give up the boat!" Coleridge did not write: "As idle as a painted boat upon a painted ocean." Longfellow was not impressed by "boats that pass in the night," and sailors do no "go down to the sea in boats."

64

66

.. THE WRITER is published the first of every month. It will be sent, postpaid, for $1.50 a year. The price of Canadian and foreign subscriptions is $1.62, including postage.

•*. All drafts and money orders should be made payable to the Writer Publishing Co. If local checks are sent, ten cents should be added for collection charges.

.. THE WRITER will be sent only to those who have paid for it in advance. Accounts cannot be opened for subscriptions, and names will not be entered on the list unless the subscription order is accompanied by a remittance.

.. The American News Company, of New York, and the New England News Company, of Boston, and their branches are wholesale agents for THE WRITER. It may be ordered from any newsdealer or direct from the publishers.

The rate for advertising in THE WRITER is two dollars an inch for each insertion, with no discount for either time or space; remittance required with the order. Advertising is accepted only for two cover pages. For special position, if available, twenty per cent. advance is charged. No advertisement of less than one-half inch will be accepted. .. Contributions not used will be returned, if a stamped and addressed envelope is enclosed.

The publication office of THE WRITER is Room 52-A, 244 Washington street, but all communications should be addressed:

THE WRITER PUBLISHING CO.,
P. O. Box 1905, Boston, 6, Mass.

pressed opinion of friends about a writer's manuscripts are usually of little value to him, as a measure of the quality of his work. Sometimes his friends are prejudiced in his favor, and think his manuscript is better than it is. Sometimes they are not frank, and do not tell him what they really think, feeling that he would rather have compliments than criticism. The brutal criticism of one who dislikes the writer may be of greater value to him, although an unfriendly critic is likely to be prejudiced the other way. An unprejudiced opinion of a writer's work, expressed by one competent to judge, is of great value to him. Therein lies the chief usefulness of the service of the literary agent.

Charles Hanson Towne admits that he was one of the guilty editors who rejected Zona Gale's "Miss Lulu Bett" when it was offered to him, as editor of McClure's, in manuscript, but he says: "The reason is simple: We had two or three long serials on hand, and the date of book publication precluded the holding of the manuscript for several months. I was so enthusiastic about the story, however, that I remember telephoning a fellow editor, telling him that while we could not run the serial here was an excellent chance for him to get something unusual. But he, too, was in a fix such as mine. So don't be too harsh on the poor editors! They have problems of their own."

One of the most common errors of untrained typewriters is to strike a capital I key to write the figure 1. Good typewriters strike a lower case 1 instead.

The best way to enclose a stamp when submitting manuscript is to use a wire clip to fasten it to the letter accompanying the manuscript. An enclosed stamp should never be stuck to anything, even by one corner.

It is generally a mistake for a writer to submit manuscripts in bunches to an editor. Whether justly so or not, an editor is instinctively prejudiced against a contributor when he opens an envelope and finds more than one manuscript in it, especially half a dozen poems,

Perhaps the psychologists could give the reason. Every editor knows the fact. It is best for a writer to submit his manuscripts one at a time, as if he regarded each manuscript as the one important thing in life for the time being, with the feeling that its acceptance or rejection by the editor would be the making or the marring of his literary career.

Early in December the editor of a big city daily received this letter from a Texas poet :Do the music lovers among your readers care for the Christmas song of the poets? If so, let me sing to them through the columns of your Christmas sheets. Gentlemen, I respectfully submit herewith, for your kind consideration, my poem, ......." If you can use this poem, which I consider most appropriate for Christmas and of fascinating interest to father, mother, brother, and sister, adults and children alike, please send me your check for the amount which, in your honest opinion, you consider RIGHT. Let me add however, that I spent considerable time and labor in the composition of this poem and in rounding it out to its present state of perfection, or near perfection and the Bible says, "The laborer is worthy of his hire."

Gentlemen, we men of the pen should stick together and I need a new overcoat for this Texas weather. Will you help me get it? They tell me there is a spark on my anvil. Won't you help me fan it into a blaze? Let not a cloud enshroud my aim in life, but rather let me gaze into a brigher and happier future and let yours be one of the helping hands. Will you?

I will appreciate a Square deal" and somehow I feel it will come.

Very sincerely yours,

LITERARY SHOP TALK.

[This department is open to readers of THE WRITER for the relation of interesting experiences in writing or in de l'ing with editors, and for the free discussion of any top e connected with literary work Contributors are requested to be brief.]

Considering the general run of poetry published in the periodicals that use verse, the reader is forced to one of two conclusions: either the poets and poetasters are en, ulfed in the fad of Psychoanalysis, or the editors of these periodicals will not accept verse that does not contain this dissection of the min 1 and soul.

This is not a healthy condition for any form of literature to be in; it promotes morbidity

of thought in the minds of its readers, and causes the composer of such literature to look inwardly and mistake the passionate glow of his own soul for the light of truth.

Health of mind is not secured by selfish introspection, vague longings, and passionate writhings of sexual tendencies; these things are best left buried in each heart, and best controlled by idealism founded on a philosophy outside ourselves. It is true such poetry may strike a responsive chord in many hearts, and thus attain a lyrical value, but the poetry of our day should not pass on to future generations with that as its only claim for perpetuation.

Poets often bewail the lack of interest in their work, and point to the glories of poetry in an earlier civilization. May this not be their own fault? Freudism is the hobby of a limited number of people in our advanced civilization; the people of to-day want helpful instruction, they can best get it in literature. CHAMPAIGN, III. John W. Lawder.

In typewriting a long story or article, it is sometimes a little annoying to stop and draw a light line near the bottom of each page, thus denoting the amount of remaining space, as suggested by R. L. Ferguson in the November WRITER. I have found his method very acceptable and useful in shorter pieces of typewriting.

In the longer work, however, it has proved very satisfactory to rule two straight lines an inch from the top and an inch from the bottom-on that sheet of paper always placed between the typewritten paze and the machine. These lines will show through the upper paper and are a great help when nearing the end of a page, as well as saving the trouble of gauging the right space and drawing new lines for every sheet. The same "guidesheet" of paper may be used a good many times. F'sie Lustig.

PROVIDENCE, R. I.

I note in the "Literary Shop Talk" of the November WRITER a suggestion that if a light pencil mark is made near the edge of each sheet of manuscript paper before it is put in the typewriter, the operator will know, when

THE WRITER is published the first of every month. It will be sent, postpaid, for $1.50 a year. The price of Canadian and foreign subscriptions is $1.62, including postage.

All drafts and money orders should be made payable to the Writer Publishing Co. If local checks are sent, ten cents should be added for collection charges.

THE WRITER will be sent only to those who have paid for it in advance. Accounts cannot be opened for subscriptions, and names will not be entered on the list unless the subscription order is accompanied by a remittance.

*** The American News Company, of New York, and the New England News Company, of Boston, and their branches are wholesale agents for THE WRITER. It may be ordered from any newsdealer or direct from the publishers.

The rate for advertising in THE WRITER is two dollars an inch for each insertion, with no discount for either time or space; remittance required with the order. Advertising is accepted only for two cover pages. For special position, if available, twenty per cent. advance is charged. No advertisement of less than one-half inch will be accepted.

Contributions not used will be returned, if a stamped and addressed envelope is enclosed.

The publication office of THE WRITER is Room 52-A, 244 Washington street, but all communications should be addressed :

THE WRITER PUBLISHING CO.,
P. O. Box 1905, Boston, 6, Mass.

pressed opinion of friends about a writer's manuscripts are usually of little value to him, as a measure of the quality of his work. Sometimes his friends are prejudiced in his favor, and think his manuscript is better than it is. Sometimes they are not frank, and do not tell him what they really think, feeling that he would rather have compliments than criticism. The brutal criticism of one who dislikes the writer may be of greater value to him, although an unfriendly critic is likely to be prejudiced the other way. An unprejudiced opinion of a writer's work, expressed by one competent to judge, is of great value to him. Therein lies the chief usefulness of the service of the literary agent.

Charles Hanson Towne admits that he was one of the guilty editors who rejected Zona Gale's "Miss Lulu Bett" when it was offered to him, as editor of McClure's, in manuscript, but he says: "The reason is simple: We had two or three long serials on hand, and the date of book publication precluded the holding of the manuscript for several months. I was so enthusiastic about the story, however, that I remember telephoning a fellow editor, telling him that while we could not run the serial here was an excellent chance for him to get something unusual. But he, too, was in a fix such as mine. So don't be too harsh on the poor editors! They have problems of their own."

One of the most common errors of untrained typewriters is to strike a capital I key to write the figure 1. Good typewriters strike a lower case 1 instead.

The best way to enclose a stamp when submitting manuscript is to use a wire clip to fasten it to the letter accompanying the manuscript. An enclosed stamp should never be stuck to anything, even by one corner.

It is generally a mistake for a writer to subeditor. mit manuscripts in bunches to an Whether justly so or not, an editor is instinctively prejudiced against a contributor when he opens an envelope and finds more than one manuscript in it, especially half a dozen poems.

Perhaps the psychologists could give the reason. Every editor knows the fact. It is best for a writer to submit his manuscripts one at a time, as if he regarded each manuscript as the one important thing in life for the time being, with the feeling that its acceptance or rejection by the editor would be the making or the marring of his literary career.

Early in December the editor of a big city daily received this letter from a Texas poet :Do the music lovers among your readers care for the Christmas song of the poets? If so, let me sing to them through the columns of your Christmas sheets. Gentlemen, I respectfully submit herewith, for your kind consideration, my poem, If you can use this poem, which I consider most appropriate for Christmas and of fascinating interest to father, mother, brother, and sister, adults and children alike, please send me your check for the amount which, in your honest opinion, you consider RIGHT. Let me add however, that I spent considerable time and labor in the composition of this poem and in rounding it out to its present state of perfection, or near perfection and the Bible says, "The laborer is worthy of his hire." Gentlemen, we men of the pen should stick together and I need a new overcoat for this Texas weather. Will you help me get it? They tell me there is a spark Won't you anvil. my help me fan it into a blaze? Let not a cloud enshroud my aim in life, but rather let me gaze into a brigher and happier future and let yours be one of the helping hands. Will you?

on

I will appreciate a Square deal" and somehow I feel it will come.

Very sincerely yours,

LITERARY SHOP TALK.

[This department is open to readers of THE WRITER for the relation of interesting experiences in writing or in dealing with editors, and for the free discussion of any topic connected with literary work. Contributors are requested to be brief.]

Considering the general run of poetry published in the periodicals that use verse, the reader is forced to one of two conclusions : either the poets and poetasters are engulfed in the fad of Psychoanalysis, or the editors of these periodicals will not accept verse that does not contain this dissection of the mind and soul.

This is not a healthy condition for any form of literature to be in; it promotes morbidity

of thought in the minds of its readers, and causes the composer of such literature to look inwardly and mistake the passionate glow of his own soul for the light of truth.

Health of mind is not secured by selfish introspection, vague longings, and passionate writhings of sexual tendencies; these things are best left buried in each heart, and best controlled by idealism founded on a philosophy outside ourselves. It is true such poetry may strike a responsive chord in many hearts, and thus attain a lyrical value, but the poetry of our day should not pass on to future generations with that as its only claim for perpetuation.

Poets often bewail the lack of interest in their work, and point to the glories of poetry in an earlier civilization. May this not be their own fault? Freudism is the hobby of a limited number of people in our advanced civilization; the people of to-day want helpful instruction, they can best get it in literature. CHAMPAIGN, I11. John IV. Lawder.

In typewriting a long story or article, it is sometimes a little annoying to stop and draw a light line near the bottom of each page, thus denoting the amount of remaining space, as suggested by R. L. Ferguson in the November WRITER. I have found his method very acceptable and useful in shorter pieces of typewriting.

In the longer work, however, it has proved very satisfactory to rule two straight lines an inch from the top and an inch from the bottom on that sheet of paper always placed between the typewritten page and the machine. These lines will show through the upper paper and are a great help when nearing the end of a page, as well as saving the trouble of gauging the right space and drawing new lines for every sheet. The same 'guidesheet" of paper may be used a good many times. Elsie Lustig.

PROVIDENCE, R. I.

I note in the “Literary Shop Talk" of the November WRITER a suggestion that if a light pencil mark is made near the edge of each sheet of manuscript paper before it is put in the typewriter, the operator will know, when