"EVERYMAN."

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1593, 9 November 1912, Page 9

"EVERYMAN."

, One'of the interesting things (an English exchange tells us)-about, the batch of forty new books .which has just been added to the "Everyman" series is. that each volunio contains aii inset announcing the issue, on October B'. next, of, a new penny weekly to be named'after the series. : Its sub-title "is;:"A new weekly journal of literature and ethics, and the leaflet further explains that it mil criticise the great works of art of past and modern times without stiffness'and in a way enjoyable by.all; it will interest itself keenly in the controversies, ot .a. time when every presupposition is being reexamined ■ and every institution • ■ being challenged to show its credentials, but will'seek to. raise its discussions above the atmosphere of partisanship. Finally, "it will stand for.international.'goodwill, pacific co-operation; it will stand for reform against reaction, for spiritual freedom against spiritual tyranny; it will stand, above all, for the intellectual and moral uplifting and enfranchisement ot the people." To achieve these high aims the services have, been enlisted of such Continental'writers as Maeterlinck, Lutzow.Haruack, and Bergson, and of such Englishmen as Messrs. H..G. AVells, John Mascfield, ; Bernard Shaw, ■ and .G. K. Chesterton, Sir. Ernest Shacklcton, Sir ■Oliver Lodge, and. the Rcv.R. J. Campbell. That the-success of such a.periodi-cal-it suggests a miniature weekly "Hibbert Journal"-at so low- a' price is not so problematical as it would have seemed a decado ago the fortunes of-certain recent "libraries" seem to indicate. Probably the immediate and immense popularity of "Everyman's.Library" was partly a. revelation, even to its I promoters. I hey must have \)tx\i pretty sure that they ■would have a handsome enough return for. their work, but probably neither Messrs. Dent nor Mr. Rhys quito expected that by the autumn of 1912 they would have issued so many as 610 volumes, and that they should have sold over ten million copies. . The sales of the "Homo University Library" have been set down already at 500,000, while, no doubt, the "People's Library" could show liko figures. Those successes prove the existence of a vast circle of readers who are willing to buy what is best in the literature: of the past, and expert handlings of current problems, if the books are brought within, the range of their means, and no doubt if the editor of the now weekly—who is said to be Dr. Sarolea, of "Collection i Nelson" celebritysucceeds in realising his ideals, he will, although not having the colonial sales of the "Libraries," by. and by be able to report returns' bearing 6ome relation to ttoirs,, . .