great loneliness and consequent distress of soul. This went on many days. Howbeit, while sunk very low in my spiritual state and with expectation nearly gone, a huge ship passing near labored painfully with a storm by the mercy of God being compelled to throw overboard—or, as they say at sea, to jettison—the greater part of her cargo. And being thus lightened she stood away from the Island and went on her course safely. The same storm cast upon the shore the rich treasure wherewith she had been laden, so many wooden boxes or cases, packed tightly and well-lined, which for the most part were washed up undamaged and, within, scarcely dampened except it may be for an inch or two. Coming down to the shore the morning after I stood transfixed with astonishment at the sight of something lying on the sand. It was a book. When I had a little recovered from my amaze, my joy and ecstasy knew no way to communicate itself, and almost immediately, my eye falling on the cases strewn along the beach, I capered with delight. I brake open the boxes, one after the other fast as I could work. All, _all_, were brimmed with the newest books! Since that day I have not lacked instruction and entertainment, and deem that Providence, at trifling expense to the maritime insurers, hath rescued me from boredom forevermore. And this I deem the only rescue worth a fingersnap in this life of ours, and one that a great majority of people do never accomplish. My days and nights have been and yet are filled with most various delights, my walks are taken with a great company of authors and my conversations are held with them. With such profit and satisfaction do I read that more than once, being sighted by a vessel which then stood by to take me off my Island, I have waved the sailors to proceed without me, which they have done with doubt and difficulty; yet finally I have convinced them of my meaning, they proceeding with their voyage, I with mine.... Contents CHAPTER PAGE 1 THE KNIGHTLINESS OF PHILIP GIBBS 15 2 THE TRAIL BLAZERS 28 3 THE ART OF MELVILLE DAVISSON POST 41 4 JEFFERY FARNOL’S GESTES 60 5 ADULTS PLEASE SKIP 83 6 THE TWENTIETH CENTURY GOTHIC OF ALDOUS HUXLEY 97 7 IN EVERY HOME: A CHAPTER FOR WOMEN 114 8 A GREAT IMPERSONATION BY E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM 126 9 G. STANLEY HALL, PSYCHOLOGIST 143 10 THE MODE IN NEW FICTION 167 11 COSMO HAMILTON’S UNWRITTEN HISTORY 182 12 LEST THEY FORGET 197 13 THAT LITERARY WANDERER, E. V. LUCAS 212 14 AMERICAN HISTORY IN FICTION 232 15 THE FIRESIDE THEATRE 252 16 A REASONABLE VIEW OF MICHAEL ARLEN 266 17 PALETTES AND PATTERNS IN PROSE AND POETRY 277 18 COMING!—COURTNEY RYLEY COOPER—COMING! 290 19 EDITH WHARTON’S OLD NEW YORK 304 20 NOT FOUND ELSEWHERE 314 21 FRANK L. PACKARD UNLOCKS A BOOK 330 22 ALL CREEDS AND NONE 348 23 J. C. SNAITH AND GEORGE GIBBS 363 24 MARY JOHNSTON’S ADVENTURE 375 INDEX OF PRICES 389 INDEX 403 Portraits PAGE PHILIP GIBBS 16 MELVILLE DAVISSON POST 48 JEFFERY FARNOL 64 SUSAN ERTZ 176 COSMO HAMILTON 184 E. V. LUCAS 224 EMERSON HOUGH 234 MICHAEL ARLEN 272 MARY JOHNSTON 384 _Cargoes for Crusoes_ CARGOES FOR CRUSOES 1. The Knightliness of Philip Gibbs i Then one said: “Rise, Sir Philip——” but the terms in which the still young man received ennoblement were heard by none; for all were drawn by his face in which austerity and gentleness seemed mingled. A...