VIII
Perhaps the most important piece of literature from a local pen is Professor William M. Sloane's "Life of Napoleon." This is a painstaking and authoritative record of the great Frenchman who conquered everybody but himself. Dr. William J. Holland, once chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh, now director of the Carnegie Museum, has given to the field of popular science "The Butterfly Book"—an author who knows every butterfly by its Christian name. Then Andrew Carnegie's "Triumphant Democracy" presents masses of statistics with such lightness of touch as to make them seem a stirring narrative. His other books, "An American Four-in-Hand in Britain" and "Round the World" present the vivid impressions of a keen traveler. His "Life of James Watt" conveys a sympathetic portraiture of the inventor of the steam engine. His "Gospel of Wealth" is a piece of deep-thinking discursiveness, although it really seems a superfluous thesis, for Mr. Carnegie's best exposition of the gospel of wealth unfolds itself in two thousand noble buildings erected all over the world for the diffusion of literature; in those splendid conceptions, the Scottish Education Fund; the Washington Carnegie Institution for Scientific Research; the Pension for College Professors, which has so much advanced the dignity and security of teaching; the Pension for Aged and Disabled Workmen; the Hero Fund, with its provision of aid to the injured and to the worthy poor; the many college endowments; and, greater than all, the Peace Palace at The Hague, through which he will make his appeal to the conscience of civilization during all time to organize and extend among the nations of the earth that system of arbitrated justice which has been already established within the borders of each State.
Carnegie Technical Schools (uncompleted)
But if I continue to group our Pittsburgh authors in this arbitrary fashion, those who come at the end will think I mean the last to be least. Therefore, let me pursue the theme indiscriminately, as I meant to do all along had not that same Pegasus, in spite of my defiance, run away at the very start.
IX
The first Pittsburgh book that I can find in my hurried review of the field is "Modern Chivalry," by Hugh Henry Brackenridge. The third volume of this book was printed in Pittsburgh in 1796, the first two having been published in Philadelphia. This writer's son, Henry M. Brackenridge, was also an author, having written "History of the Late War between the United States and Great Britain," "History of the Western Insurrection called the Whisky Insurrection, 1794," "Journal of a Voyage up the River Missouri, Performed in 1811," "Recollections of Persons and Places in the West," and several other books. Neville B. Craig wrote a "History of Pittsburgh," published in 1851, which is still a work of standard reference. Another "History of Pittsburgh" was brought out some ten years ago under the editorship of Erasmus Wilson, who has also published a volume of "Quiet Observations," selected from his newspaper essays. But the most important, painstaking, and accurate "History of Pittsburgh" which has yet been published is the one by Miss Sarah H. Killikelly, published in 1906. Another book of hers, "Curious Questions," is an entertaining collection of many queer things that have occurred in the world's history. Robert P. Nevin wrote "Black Robes" and "Three Kings." Professor Samuel P. Langley was for many years in charge of the Allegheny Observatory and won fame while here as a writer on scientific subjects. Also the first models of his flying machine were made while he was a resident in Pittsburgh. W. M. Darlington wrote "Fort Pitt" and edited the journals of Christopher Gist, who was Washington's scout when the Father of his Country first came to Pittsburgh. "Two Men in the West" is the title of a little book on travel by W. R. Halpin. Arthur G. Burgoyne, a newspaper writer, has published "All Sorts of Pittsburghers." George Seibel has written three beautiful plays which have not yet been produced because the modern stage managers seem to prefer to produce unbeautiful plays. One of these is "Omar Khayyam," which was accepted and paid for by Richard Mansfield, who died before he could arrange for its production. Another is "Christopher Columbus," and he has just finished an important tragedy entitled "Œdipus," dealing artistically with a horrifying story, which has been accepted for early production by Mr. Robert Mantel. Mr. Seibel has published a monograph on "The Mormon Problem." Charles P. Shiras wrote the "Redemption of Labor," and a drama, "The Invisible Prince," which was played in the old Pittsburgh Theater. Bartley Campbell was the most prolific writer of plays that Pittsburgh has yet produced, and his melodramas have been played in nearly every theater in America. H. G. Donnelly, well known as a playwright, was also a Pittsburgher. Mrs. Mary Roberts Rinehart is a young author who is coming to the front as a writer of successful dramas, stories, and books. Her plays, "The Double Life" and "By Order of the Court" have been produced, and a novel, "The Circular Staircase," has just appeared from the press. My own little play, "The Brayton Episode," was played by Miss Sarah Truax at the Alvin Theater, Pittsburgh, June 24, 1903, and by Miss Eleanor Moretti at the Fifth Avenue Theater, New York, January 15, 1905.
