Realization comes to most of us, as the shadows lengthen behind, that we have, a a Swedish critic has well ssid, "the child in us." To be termed childish has come, as, by custom perverting sense, it too often does, to be regarded as an imputation to be resented, Yet to be child-like is sure to be innocent, open-hearted and unspoiled by sin and suffering; although the shadow of a emile may flit across the features of those to whom the word child-like" recalls an inimitable crest tion of Bret Harte. The writer who discovers for as the child in us is worthy of all honour; and the ander-standing will therefore heartily acclaim the award of the Nobel prize for literature to Miss Selma Lagerlit of leden. Former recipient of the prize have been M. Sally-Prudhomme, Dr. Theolore Mommsen, Bjornsterne Bjornson, Frederic Tosé Echegaray, Henry Sienkiewicz, Gios Carducci and © Rudyard Kipling. Hitherto, neither a Ro: American has achieved this and, according to a The Outlook," is regarded by the people of Sweden as their prose-post in the sense in which Schiller is the verse-post of the Germanic, Her writings are a revolt from the peesimistic introspection which has been the key-note of much modern literature and has sought the good that lies deep'
in everything. The message of optimism has been voiced by Miss Lagerlit io ber many works with in~ sight and humour and for this she deserves the gratitude, not alone of the: Scandinavian people, but of all who live 1 this nearasthenic
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.