The Idler Magazine, Volume III., July 1893 / An Illustrated Monthly

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25372

Title

The Idler Magazine, Volume III., July 1893 / An Illustrated Monthly

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This 1893 illustrated monthly features Jerome K. Jerome's atmospheric tale of a haunted Norwegian mountain hut, alongside I. Zangwill's autobiographical reflections on early publishing struggles and a satirical debate on the ethics of tipping in Victorian society.

Summary up to 500 words

The July 1893 volume of *The Idler Magazine* presents a diverse collection of fiction, memoir, and social commentary. Jerome K. Jerome opens the issue with "The Woman of the Saeter," a chilling tale of two men stranded in a remote Norwegian cabin. After a failed hunt for reindeer, they discover the dwelling has been abandoned due to a local superstition involving a woman named Hund. Through letters found in the cabin, the narrative reveals a tragic romance where Hund's wife, spurned by her lover, destroyed the bridge to his cabin and died, leaving the house haunted by supernatural fear that isolates the narrator. I. Zangwill contributes "My First Book," a humorous memoir detailing his literary origins. He recounts writing school stories, winning a prize for a short story, and collaborating with a fellow teacher to publish a Jewish story pamphlet. The narrative takes a scandalous turn when his partner is arrested for pasting advertising posters on London walls, leading to the author's temporary censorship by his school committee. Zangwill reflects on the realities of early publishing and the censorship faced by young writers. The final section, "The Idler's Club 'Tipping,'" features a lively debate among contributors regarding the custom of tipping. Hotel waiters, a waiter from Florence named Giuseppe, and a Scotsman offer contrasting perspectives. They discuss the economic realities of service, noting that waiters often pay employers for the privilege of serving tables. The contributors analyze the generosity of different nationalities, describing Americans as inconsistent and Scots as conscientious but stingy. They argue that tipping should be replaced by fair wages, criticizing the secret codes used by servants to gauge expected tips. The collection effectively blends fiction, personal history, and social critique typical of late Victorian periodicals.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Periodicals
• London