LITERARY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2362, 1 June 1899, Page 58

LITERARY NOTES.

— Professor Arber's new British Anthologies are so far ready that Mr Henry Frowde will publish the first volumes (each of which represents a definite period of our literary history) early next month. These are to be the Shakespeare, Jonson, and Milton anthologieF. The whole series will contain about 2500 entire poemß and eongs written by some 300 poets, and will be issued at popular prices, although -yrinted in large type on good paper with a cover specially designed by Mr A. A. Tnrbayne.

— Few will -fetil disinclined to agree with Mntthevr Arnold — "In poetry . . . our race, as time goes on, will find an even surer and surer stay " : or with Wordsworth, who taw in poetry "the impassioned expression which is in the countenance of all science." Are these the ex parle statements of poets, and are less interested witnesses desired? They arc in court. "Poetry is more philosophical than hifelory," said Aristotle, the analyst : arid Schopenhauer, the philosopher, agrees with him. "Historic unity," says Hegel, "is something less profound that the philosophic or the poetic." — Literature. Bret HaTte has written a dozen gems which have never been surpassed in any language. Yet Bret Harte'-s name is scarcely seriously entertained by the critics at all, and is, I think, never mentioned in serious publications on tho literature of the <jentury. Yet he has shown an art in those short stories, a large mastery and beauty of language and technique which much-lauded men like Maupassant never approached, never even heard in their dreams. Yet there is no man in our century who has "made school" and influenced literary expression of the best amongst the younger men to-day more than Bret Harte — lake, for instance, such men as Kudyard Kipling. — Hal Dane, in St. Paul's. — A biography of Thackeray is to be published by Messrs Hutchinson during the early summer. It is from the pen of Mr Lewis Melville, who has made a long study of the life ond works of the novelist. As overybodv knows, Thackeray did not desire what might be termed an official biography. We arc never likely to get nearer tc that than tho introductions which his daughter, Mrs Rilchie, has been writing /or the new edition of hip novels. Mr Lewis Melville's book is based on the general materials available., and these are extensive enough to make two voumes.

— Rottingdean is becoming almost as well known a resort of literary people as beautiful Haf=lemere, among the Surrey Hills. Pvudyard Kipling and hie wife find this suburb of, Briehton a mmi, eonveaient jpVoa^ Euffi-

ciently quiet for work needing concentra* tion, yet rot necessarily cut off, and within easy reach of London. There is a te/rible blank in the- agreeable literary coterie since the death of William Black. His iouso in Brighton was a most interesting one to visit, hardly a single object but had its story or reminiscence concerning the kindly giver, or the artistic- friend who delighted in presenting a souvenir to the clever novelist. • — "A. K. H. B." in one of his essentially autobiographical letters to a critic tells how he made up his mind when a very young man that 2 evor he "became a preacher he" should aim above all things at being "interesting." He succeeded, and he carried: the tame theory into the practice of essaywriting. He may "be superficial and conventional; but he is interesting. He is a master ot the short sentence, a believe:, in the doctrine that good writing ought to be good— and cultured— talk. His "philosophy" is no more oppressive than his diction. He can, when he chooses, be gently sarcastic; he w invariably cheerful. He is as hopeful as Emerson, and can be vmdwstanded of the common Philistine, which Emerson cannoi. Thus, "A. K. H. B." had in his lifetime no rival neaT his throne. Nor will he have a. successor. — Speaker. — The lady who telegraphed to Mr Kipling imploring him to live for the sake of India, is unconsciously a. plagiarist. The situation has already appeared itf "Pickwick." We all Tecollect the accident which befell this immortal person ; his falling through the ice when staying with Mr Wardle at Dingley

Keep yourself up for .an instant— for only an instant !"' bawled Mr Snodgraes. - "Yes, do; let me implore you — for my sake ! ' roared Mr Winkle, deeplytiffected. The adjuration was rather unnecessary ; the probability being that if Mr Pickwick iiad declined tojeeep himself up for anybody eke's sake, it would have occurred to him that he might as well do so for hie own.

The incident and the comment upon it are both, therefore, over 60 years old.— Truth. — A writer in an American paper, who claims to have been a schoolfellow of Mr Kipling at Westward Ho, gives an interesting commentary on the series of school tales nowappearing as "Stalky and Co." He writes: " I knew the mischievous trio well under their true names— Beresford, Dunsterville, and Kipling himself. Kipling was 'Beetle,' although, wo called him 'Gigs.' Dunsterville has since become an officer in the Indian Army. . . . About tho middle part of his school life Kipling entered into a strong tie o£ friendship with two other boys, in many respects of his own temperament. The trio seemed to have aims of their own, apart from the rest of the college, leading a kind of Bohemian existence, and amusing themselves bytilts at the powers that were, in which encounters they frequently cam© off victorious,as related in the ' Stalky ' series. At the time when Kipling and hia two chums were first assigned to a room or '.study ' for their own use, the asethetic wave of some 17 years ago was sweeping over^ English society, and the three boys at once determined to ' live up ' to the prevailing fashion. They .first of. all painted a wonderful stork dadojground their room ; then they purchased a number of old 1 plates, spoutlePH teapots, and Japanese fans, and hung them ujV on the walls. They called it 'very high art,' arid, for a day, the whole school came to see and wondered." — The author of "Mr Dooley" is a young Irish-American Chicago journalist named Dunne. The origin of the book is told in tho Irish Daily Independent. About six yeara ago, when SJr Dunne wag one of the editorial writer* *>n tie Chicago Evening Post, that paper undertook to publish a Sunday edition. The edit or discovered Ke lacked over a column of copy to fill up. Dunne, as the readiest writer on the staff, was called upon to fill tho gap. What the mißchief shall I write about?" protested Dunne. " Oh, anything or anybody." replied M'Auliflte, "interview Jim I M 'Garry, or the man in the moon, or anyi body you like, only give uh a column, and j give it quick." The Jim M'Garry alluded | to was a saloon-keeper with a rich Irish-Ameri-i can brogue. So Dunne wrote a column of I imaginary conversation between "M'Gearin" j and " Jawn " M'Kenna, a«.local politician. Next week the Sunday Post was again (short of copy, and Dunne was called upon once Tiore. column "caught on." In the rnear;tirae, howler, M'Gany complained that "Peter Dunne, a daeeni boy, but o villain," | had server 1 . h'"ro a "low mean* trick." and ijeneI rally made life miserable for him. Tno re- , salt of his pleadings wav that "M'Gearin" ; gave place to "Docley," while "Jawn" M'Kenna was supplemented by "Mr Him ' nespy" as interlocutor to the philosopher.