(From our London Correspondent.)

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 29, 3 February 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

(From our London Correspondent.)

I am at.one with "Litei'ature" in nr't knowing whether to laugh or cry over the absurd news that the latest rddition to the works of the AbsentMinded Boomster is to be a "Kipling Primer." It comes (needless, perhaps, to say) from the States, and will be introduced through Messrs Chatto and Windus into the inquiring homes of the Britisher. Mr Fredk. IJawrence Knowles, the American "student" of Mr Kipling, who is doing us this— ahem—service, tells us that his "little book has been written in the hope that it may minister to an intelligent appreciation of Mr Kipling's prose and poetry." There is to be a sketch of Mr Kipling's life (duly incorporating very likely the achievements of '"Beetle"}, a biography and analysis of his writings, and two portraits.

The "Academy" has this winter again been interrogating the "alumni" of letters as to the books of the year they like best. Miss Braddon favours "The Fowler," Dr. Joseph Parker and Mr. F. Anstey "Red Pottage," Andrew LangjPlrillpott's "Human. Boy"; Sarah Grand, lecky's "Map of Life; A. W. Pjnero, "Stevenson's Letters"; Sir Charles DilUe, Anthony Hope's "King's Mirror"; Lady Jeune (how characteristic!) ibe dear Duchess of Sutherland's "One Hour and the Next,'; and Mr E. T. Cook, of the "Daily News,' "No.-5, J^hn Street." Almost all Ihese have been commended and briefly described in these notes, but we entirely dissent iiom Mr Hind's "order of popularity," and cannot qtiite make out how he gets at it: —

1. "The Letters of R. L. Stevenson." 2. Mr Lecky's "Map of Life." 3. Mr Phillip's "Paola and Fran-

cesca." 4. Mr Phillpott's "The Human Boy." Duchess of Sutherland's "One

Hour and the Next." Mr Gosse's "Life of Donne." Miss Cholmondeley's "Red Pottage."

If Her Grace of Sutherland's pretty story sells better than "Miranda of the Balcony" the British reading public are indeed snobs,

.Mr W. M. Crook, of the "Echo," has also broken with his board of directors over the war.

Thbugh J. M. Barrie is not such an "Absent-minded Boomster" as the great Rudyard, he too has his millions of readers in England and the States, and they and we are ali looking forward to the sequel of "Sentimental Tommy," which begins in Scribner's next month. Public in-

terest will certainly not be lessened i by the ciu-ious reference to it in one of Stevenson's last letters. It appears' from this epistle what certainly no one could have guessed from the book itself—that Sentimental Tommy was intended by his creator to be a_ portrait of Stevenson, at any rate, in so: far as his "literary temperament and passion for the mot pro'pre" were con- j cerned. Stevenson did not live to see j this presentment of himself come on its mimic stage; he was anxious to do so, however, for he wrote to Mr Barrie:—"l am a little in the dark about i this new work of yours; what is to become of me afterwards? You say carefully — mcthought anxiously— that I was no longer me when I grew up? I cannot bear this suspense; , what is it? It's no forgery? And am I hangit? These are the elements of a pretty law-suit which you had better come to Samoa to compromise." The Kipling "boom" is approaching its apogee judging by auction room prices. Two copies of the poet's

"Schoolboy Lyrics" in the original light-brown wrapper (printed when the author was only sixteen years of

age) recently fetched ,841 and £46. Similar copies in. fine condition have, however, sold for £135, £100, and £90. "Echoes" brought £18 and "Departmental Ditties" (first edition), £13 10/. This is a sign of the ci'aze of the hour, but in the prices paid for the illustrations to Dickens's works we come upon if not abiding values, values that were the same 10 and 15 years ago as they are to-day. For a complete series of the original drawings by "Phiz" himself for "David Copperfield" the sum of £450 was realised. In the new book on "Racing," by W. A. C. Blew, a fresh side of the "Ormonde" story will see the light for the first time. Most sporting people will remember the controversy which took place between Sir George Chetwynd, the Duke of Westminster and the trainers anent this equine prodigy. Mr Blew deals with the disposal of this horse to Captain England for £12,000, and the re-selling to an English syndicate through the auspices of the late Hume Webster for £30,000. Few people, however, know that Ormonde earned for his owners in three years the comparative small sum of £25,000, whilst Isingglasg, in four years, made £57,0uu, and Donovan in two years over £35,000.