Modern Biographies
Griffiths was inclined to agree with him. "What did you say to the policeman?" he asked. "I said nowt," was the reply; "I knocked him down wi' a bit o' iron."
In 1898 the House published Griffiths's "Mysteries of Police and Crime," in which he told over again many stories of famous crimes. The book was afterwards issued serially, and altogether went through four editions. But it did not bring unmixed gratification to its author, for it led to an action for libel, in which the publishers were joined with him as defendants. The action failed, and a new serial issue of the incriminated work was at once begun.
More recent biographical books have included the Life of Charles Stewart Parnell, by his widow, Mr. Beckles Willson's Life of Lord Strathcona", and Sir George Forrest's "Lord Roberts." The late Sir Evelyn Wood's delightful memoirs have been published under the title of "Winnowed Memories." Sir George Reid's "Reminiscences" and von Hindenburg's "Out of My Life" were two notable volumes of political and military experience and adventure. The connexion of the House with Napoleon III, previously mentioned, is recalled by the publication of M. Augustin Filon's "Recollections of the Empress Eugénie."
Among the groups of books touched upon in this chapter none has been more successful or has won greater distinction than those issued from the medical books department. The publication of medical books by the House began in the 'seventies, but the organization of the department on its present basis dates from the early years of the next decade, when, in succession to Dr. Sidney Ringer, Mr. Malcolm Morris, who had not long entered upon his career as a dermatologist, was appointed medical editor, an office which he still fills, with the added authority of a seat on the Board of Directors. Cassell's Medical Catalogue is sufficient proof of the acumen and sound judgment which the new medical editor brought
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