LITERARY NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 160, 8 July 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

LITERARY NOTES.

Mark Twain, whose manner grows daily more funereal, is engaged, we read, upon a magnum opus, which will not be published until a hundred years after his lamented and apparently soon-to-be-anticipated demise. This announcement we take to be either a dismal joke, or an ingenious advertisement, probably the latter. Mr Clemens may be conceited, but he can scarcely suppose that the go-ahead folks of a hundred years hence will car., a button what he thought of 'his contemporaries. Nowadays a portrait gallery of Mark Twain's friends in his driest style would no doubt sell like hot cakes, especially if he painted (as he proposes) "all the warts on the ladies' faces." At present, however, Mr Clemens talks quite seriously anent his whimsical scheme. To use his own words: "A book that is not to be published for a century gives the writer a freedom which he could secure in no other way. In these conditions you can. draw a man without prejudice exactly as you knew him, and yet have no fear of hurting his feelings or those of his sons or grandsons. A book published 100 years hence, containing intimate portraits, honestly and truthfully drawn, of monarchs and politicians, bootblacks and shoemakers, in short, of all those varieties of humanity with which one comes in contact in the course of an active life of fifty years, cannot help being then valuable to a picture of the past. To make such a book interesting for immediate publication, it would be necessary for me to confine myself to the men of note. As it is, I choose them from my whole circle of acquaintances, and the undistinguished have about as good a chance of getting in as the distinguished." Despite this advance notice, we take the liberty of anticipating that portions, if not all, of Mr Clemens' lucubrations will presently find their way into an American magazine.

"Lan Maclaren" is back again in Liverpool after an American lecturing tour, which, yielded him ten thousand pounds. Dr. Watson was "run" by the famous Major Pond, and, according to report, the latter has offered him £20,000 for a similar course in 1901. These are golden days for the celebrities of the hour. Barrie, Kipling, Hall Came, Crockett, and Boothby practically command their own terms. But it is advisable to make hay whilst the sun shines, for your day may be exceeding short. Look at the once idolised Rider Haggard and ■Miss Braddon. And even Conan Doyle's popularity is not what it once was.

Miss Braddon has written fifty-two novels, and is now at work on the fifty-third. She can still command good pay, but the huge public which once made the issue of a Braddon novel "an event" at Mudie's and Smith's has dwindled sadly. A sixpenny edition of "Lady Audley" made its appearance this week, and will be followed shortly: by "Henry Dunbar" and "Aurora Floyd." Half a century hence these three may still be purchaseable at the discount booksellers, but the other fifty will have had their day and died. Books die much sharper than they used to do now the two shilling edition has become a thing of the past.

Dooley is not the only "new humorist" in America. A friend in New York sends a little volume called "The Cheery Book," which has attained great vogue there, and is by a "promisng young author" named Joe Kerr. The following masterpiece therefrom should alone suffice to immortalise anybody, though the final lines may be considered by some a trifle cryptic: A man, a maid, A tree, a shade, A pop—Ah. A prayer prayed, Preacher paid, Married maid And man displayed; Pooh! Bah! Mr "Dooley" Dunne has arrived in England, and is going to remain six months studying degenerate Britishers, after which he will write them up (or down) in the "lingo de Dooley." Mr Dunne did not take the trouble to copyright bis "In Peace and War," and editions at all prices (from a penny upwards) are being in consequence issued. That of Grant Richards at half-a-crown is the authorised one, and also contains five additional chapters, which are copyright.

When British troops captured the city of Benin, they found and sent to the British Museum some 300 remarkable bronze castings. These present animals' and human' figures with various ornaments in relief. The lines are strong and the workmanship of great beauty. The origin of these castings greatly puzzles ethnologists, as it did not seem likely they had been the work of the barbarous race believed to have hitherto inhabited the region. It is now thought by some archaeologists, notably Mr Read, of the British Museum, that they were the work of some European bronze founders who settled there in the sixteenth century.

The late Emma Marshall, who died a few weeks ago at an advanced age, was the girls' Henty. She wrote innumerable story-books for young tilings between ten and fifteen, usually founding her romances on some historical episode. Adults do not find her books at all interesting, but children prefer them to-Miss Yonge's very often.

The June number of "The National Review" brings together a galaxy of notable writers on Imperial subjects. Sir Benjamin Browne deals in a practical way with American competition in trade and manufacturing industry. Mr W. R. Lawson offers some cogent remarks on Russian borrowing; . Lieut.-Col. ' Meysey - Thompson dis-1 courses upon the "Ethics of Horseracing ;" A. Maurice Low deals with American affairs; "The Threatened Railway Monopoly in Ireland is the subject "tackled by Lord Mounteagle; "The Present Popularity of Omar Khayyam," the Persian poet, forms the text of a paper by Bernard Holland, while H. W. Wilson reviews historically the various French projects for the invasion of England, which leads him to the conclusion that those who study history, especially the history of diplomacy, can see that France and England will never be real friends, and will not be surprised at the perpetual recrudescence of such schemes as Napoleon's invasion project. The attitude which England should adopt to France must be one of vigilant, watchfulness and extreme firmness." There is a readable paper entitled "A Study of the Early Instruction of Twin Boys" and the notes on the affairs of Greater Britain contain a large amount of valuable information. A special supplement is issued with this number, giving a complete history of "The Conspiracy Against Dreyfus," by Sir Godfrey Lushington, X.C.8.,, late Under-Secre-tary for Home Affairs.

The "Windsor Magazine" for June contains even a more attractive collection of short stories than usual. Lan Maclaren, Bret Harte, W. L. Alden, and Carlton Dawe are among the contributors. "Our Sailor Prince," freely illustrated, tells the story of the naval career of H.R.H. the Duke of York, and depicts the life aboard H.M.s. Crescent. Interesting and instructive papers are contributed by J. Foster Eraser on "Life in a Lancashire Cotton Mill," Frederick Dolman on "London Art Students," and Leonard Lillington on "Red Cross Ambulance Work," while George Cranley describes this year's Australian cricket. team, illustrated with portraits. Verses by Sir Walter Besant, full page art plates of Sir Edwin Landseer's picture "The Shepherd's Chief Mourner," Le Roux's painting "June." and Montagu Barstow's "The Puritan's Daughter," together with much other literary and art matter, make up a notable number. S. R. Crockett's serial story "Joan of the Sword Hand-" makes some new and unexpected developments. One always takes up "Chambers's Journal" with an assurance of finding a good deal to interest and amuse. In the June number Guy Boothby's story "The Red Rat's Daughter," which had dragged a little in the opening chapters, becomes more exciting. "A Dean of St. Paul's," by Eustace de Salis, is a capital short story dealing with ! clerical life in 1555. "Some Errors in Acclimatisation " describes the mischief wrought by mistaken zeal in the introduction of feathered pests in Victoria; the sparrow, for the extermination of whteh Sparrow Clubs have been formed, the rabbit and the fox are instanced as flagrant examples. Among the more solid reading may be mentioned "Liquid Air," "Our City in the Andes," "Irish Home Industries," "Plums and Plum Culture," and "From Majuba to Omdurman." The monthly notes on science and arts are written in popular style, and will be appreciated by the non-scien-tific reader who wishes to keep himself abreast of the times. The place of honour in "The Englishwoman" for June is allotted to an account of some leading provincial daily newspapers in Great Britain, illustrated by portraits of the editors. There is an interesting account of "Women's Clubs in Americn." Number ix. of "Women Writers of the Century," is filled in with a biographical sketch of Jane Austen, introducing incidentally some of the notable men and women of her time. "Lady Dentists" furnishes the theme for the chapter usually devoted to "Occupations for Women," while much valuable information on hospital nursing as a business for women is contained in an account of "Some Provincial Nursing Centres." "To New York and Back " furnishes the title to a description of that splendid Cunarder the "Campania." B. Colt de Wolf contributes a readable account of a visit paid to that little known principality Montenegro. John Strange Winter's notes under the heading "Odd Moments," two short stories, several halftone reproductions of famous portraits by famous painters, and the month's fashion notes make up a readable number. Mr E. T. C. Werner, Writing'to the "Outlook" from the British Consulate, Hangchow, regarding the alleged existence of authorised Roman Catholic versions of Newman's hymn, "Lead Kindly Light," says that some years ago a lady whom he met on a P. and O. boat going to Australia gave him one. She led Mr Werner to under- i stand that it had been written by the \ Cardinal himself, but the initials at the end rather contradict the suppo-' sition. Moreover, had His Eminence taken to tinkering his beautiful hymn he woulci have made a better job of it than the following: — THE PILLAR OF THE CLOUD. Oh, kindly light, how well thy guiding ray Hast led him on; With steady beam thro' all the rugged way, It led him on! Thro' thirsty deserts to the boundless sea, From Egypt's bondage into liberty. Step after step, as he himself had prayed It led him on; The future veiled, the near path smoother made, Thus led him on— Till doul.ts prolonged Gethsemane was done, And reason, faith, heart, intellect w.re one. And, gentle Master, Thou Thyself sincethen Hast led men on, By silent prayer, and with thy magic pen, Where thou has goneEngland's true Moses in these latter days, But first Thyself to tread the' new, strange ways. Oh, still for long and happy, honoured years Lead Thou us on; Till the shades vanish and the day appears, Lead Thou us on; —«• Till on thy loved and venerable brow Gleams the full crown whose first rays dawn c'en now. S.M.S., 1879.