LITERARY NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 304, 24 December 1898, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERARY NOTES.

One is kept in a simmer of laughter by Mrs Everard Cotes' (Sara Jeamiette Duncan) 'Voyage of Consolation' (Methuen and Co.). Mamie, a typical young- American girl, who has quarelled with her lover, sets out with 'Poppa' and 'ilorama' for a voyage of consolation in Europe. They keep to the beaten tracks of tourists, but so fresh and sprightly are Miss Mamie's comments and "so dry and shrewd is 'Poppa's' way of viewing things, and so well'drawn are her various fellow-travellers that every page raises a smile and many a laugh. Mark Twain at. his best would have no cause to b e ashamed of this 'Tramp Abroad.' Telephones Mr Wick when he hears of Mamie's 'bad break:— 'Hello! On to me? All right. Go Abroad. Always done. Paris. Venice, Florence, pLome' and other places. I'll stand in. Germanic sails Wednesdays. Start by night train to-morrow. Bring 'Momma.' We can get Germanic in good shape and ten minutes to spare. Eight?' lie goes to the London tailor for clothes, and when he hears the Prince has his coat trimmed with braid, 'Xo,' he said, 'I don't think that's reason enough for me. We're both men in public positions but I've got nothing in common with Wales. I'll have a plain hem.' His daughter thinks that he 'let himself out- some^ what unnecessarily at- the expense of the. British nation.' 'We are always twisting a tail' I said, reproachfully, 'that" does nothing but, wag at iis.' This 'Poppa" reluctantly admitted with the usual reference to the Irish vote. We both hoped sincerely that any English friends who saw that speech and paused to.realise that tha orator was apparent of mine would consider the number of Irish resident in Illinois and the amount of invective their feelings require. 'Poppa' doesn't really know sometimes whether he is himself or a shillelagh. .

The announcement that John Morley has undertaken the arduous and responsible task of writing Mr GladI stone's life and dealing with his literary remains will be received everyAvhere with satisfaction. Whatever faults Honest ,lohn may have as polii tician, he stands admittedly peerless as- a trained and impartial histoi'ian. His 'Life of Cobden' was an admirable piece of work, and since writing it both his intellect and equipment have matured. He is in his prime now, and though the wealth of material at Hawarden alone must be prodigious and will require the utmost, cai'e in revision and adroitness in 'boiling down,' it seems to be anticipated Mr Morley may bring his book out. within three or at. most four years. Disraeli's biographer, according to report, is supposed after a. fruitless struggle to have abandoned his task as too big or too delicate. But. then Lord Rowton, though an able and benevolent man, is not a man of letters, and Lord Beaconsfield's 'remains' are probably of a more explosive nature than Mr Gladstone's. Whilst waiting for Mr Morley's monumental work readers may be glad to renew acquaintance with Mr G. W. E. Paissell's monograph on the Grand Old Man in the .Queen's Prime Ministers' Sei'ies. It has been brought up to date and is a miniature biography of genuine merit.

Though published at a guinea and u-huli! nett, no fewer Than 4,000 copies of Lander's "Forbidden Land' were, sold in a month. Admittedly it is a work of extraordinary interest, attractively written, but more than one oil the author's critics pronounce him •poseur." Mr Henley thinks the revelation of Mr Lar.dor, as made in his book; is that of a romantic, passionate, and rather vain nature, inclined to rashness, ami •with the wish to pose as naturally as possible as a rationalist. To see forbidden thing's is his ruling spirit as an explorer, there is decided romanticism m that, a romanticism "as old as Eve. But»a secret is a thing lor which the coveter must expect to pay dearly, since it is so liumiliating- lor a nation or individual to lose its secret at the hands of an impertinent-curious.' The same secret that is so fair to the holder is for him, and the intruder as well, only an empty and dirty place when it is revealed. .Mr Land or oegan by prying into the secrets of the Kaots, who are ruled over by the Jiajiwar of Askote. He was indulged for a consideration, but on his leaving- a man approached him and said, 'You have seen the home of the Kaots. You are the first stranger who has done so, aud you will saffer much. The gods are very angry with you." And sure enough' Laiidor did suffer horribly. l'-y the way, the explorer does not drink alcohol on his travels. Hence, this exquisite remoustrance from a tailor whom he shook 'by the ears' for being behindhand with his work through intoxication: Mf only you drank yourself. Sahib, you would know how lovely it is to be drunk. That discoveries of the highest interest can still be made under the inspiration of the bottle is proved by an ejaculation by a request, uttered by Kachi Kara, a Shoka servant: 'Please put ray head into cold water. Oh! the moon is jumping about, and is now under my feet I'