LITERARY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 60, 9 March 1912, Page 14

LITERARY.

Mr. S. M. Hlifi, whose biography, "William Harrison Ains-worth and His Friends,'' guarantees the source* of his information, contribute* a paper on "Dickens and Forster" to "Chambers's Journal'' for February. It appears that Ainsworth first introduced Digken" w»« Forster, thus laying the foundation stone of a memorable friendship- Mr. EJlis narrates touxn anecdotes of these three literary celebrities, -which aTe not told in Forater's life of Dickens. Notwithstanding serious defects that work is regarded by Mr. EHis as entitled to rank among the great biographies in the English language. Messrs. Macmillan will publish immediately a work on "The Referendum among the English: A manual of 'Submissions to the People' in the American States," bv Mr. S. R. Honey, a well-known member of the American Bar. Mr. Honey's book shows how often and how easily questions of importance are referred to the electors in the great majority of the States of the American Union. The volume contains an introduction by MrJ. St. Loe Strachey. Mr. Arrowsmith, the well-known publisher of Bristol, entertained his staff at dinner recently to celebrate his completion of fifty years of active business, and in the course of a speech on the occasion told how Fred Fargus ("Hugh Conway-h then a song writer, came to write "Called Back," in consequence of an offeT he (Mr. Arrowsmith) made him. Fargus went across the bridge, down Beggar Bush Laue, Bristol, evolved the plot, went home, and in six weeks' time handed in the copy of "Called Back," which had reached a total circulation of 400,000. Mr. Arrowsmith also stated that Conan Doyle went to him with "Sherlock Holmes," and he let the chance goquite another story. In Mr. W. 8. Crockett's new work, 'The Scott Originals," some space is devoted tc "The Pirate" and its leading character, Capt. Cleveland By a curious coincidence, Mr Martin Seeker announces a book by Mr. Allan Fea on "The Real Capt. Cleveland." James Gow was the prototype of Scott's "pirate," and the novelist obtained his facts mainly from an old Stromness woman during a tour in the Orkneys. Gow terrorised the northern islands for many years, but he was finally broughtyto account by stratagem, and was executed in June, 1725. His career engaged the attention of both Defoe and Scott. Defoe's account of the pirate was published in 1725, and only one copy is known to exist —that in the British Museum Library. Among recent issues of Messrs. Williams and Norgate's "Home University Library," published at a shilling a volume, are "The Evolution of Plants," by Dunkinfield Henry Scott, President of the Linnean Society or London, and "A Short History of War and Peace," by G. H. Perris. Both books will make admirable additions to any home library, and are valuable contributors to that extensive literature of standard works -which has been brought within easy possession of everyone who desires to improve his education. The student of to-day is highly favoured in being thus enabled to become the possessor,of scientific and historical works of such value, well printed and bound, at a price which a very short time ago was charged for trivial paper-bound pamphlets. Canon Rawn.<*lcy contributes some memories of Tennyson to '•Cornhilf Magazine" for February. He says: •'Rosa Baring, 'Queen of the rosebud garden of girls,' although to her all poetry in those days seemed mere 'jangledom,' remembered how she would hang upon the words of the quaint, shy, longhaired young man who impressed her as being more learned and thoughtful than was common, and wiser than his. years. 'Alfred,' she said, 'was so quaint and chivalrous, such a real knight amongst men, at least I always fancied so; and though Sophy and I used to ride over to Somersby just to have the pleasure of pleasing him or teasing him as the case might be, and used to joke ofte another about his quaint taciturn ways, which were mingled strangely with boisterous fits of .fun, we were as proud as peacocks to be worthy of notice by him, and treasured any message he might send, or any word of admiration he might let fall. As for my Aunt Sophy, the original of "Airy fairy Lilian," as the family tradition has it, she never quite got over the kind of awe with which Tennyson Inspired her as a young man, but she said "he was so interesting because he '.vas so unlike other young men, and his unconventionality of manner and dress had a charm which made him more acceptable than the dapper young gentlemen of ordinary type at ball or supper party. He was a splendid dancer, for he loved music and kept such time.'" In the "Cornhill Magazine" for February appear the customary instalments of "Blinds Down," by Mr. Horace lAnnesley Vachell, and "The Grip of Life," by Agnes and Egerton Oastle. Sir Henry Lucy continues "Sixty Years in the Wilderness," and describes his personal relations with Sir Charles Dilke. Short stories are "Mysie had a Little lamb* by Miss Jane H. Findlater, and "The Charm of Louise," by Mr. John Barnett. Mr. Reginald Smith, K.C., was the principal guest at the Authors' Club, London, recently, when the subject ot discussion was: "Does the author under stand the publisher, and vice versa?" Mr. Smith, who is editor of the "Cornhill Magazine" and principal of the famous publishing house of Smith, Elder,, and Co., said it was not always easy for a publisher to follow the working of an author's mind. Nor did the author always understand the anxieties which a publisher suffered. He recalled an interview with the late Mrs. Oliphant. They had agreed on the payment to be made for her book, not one word of which was written, and then she said: "May I have the money now?" The inevitable answei was, "My dear Mrs. Oliphant, your books are immortal, but you are not.' (Laughter.) She hn.d not seen the risk which the publisher would run by pay ing for a wholly unwritten book. Mr. Smith also recalled a contributor to the "Cornhill" who, after writing several good stories, sent one which Mr. Smith thought not so good and rejected in as kindly fashion as might be. Back came the reply that his friend was—or rathei had been—engaged to be married, but there had been a little difficulty, and thu two were not on speaking terms. The contributor, however, had put things into the story which he thought would melt his fiancee's hard heart when she came to read the story. (Laughter.) "What could I do but print the story? AH came right and ended in marriage bells. I think the editor ought to have been asked to the wedding; even an editor can be human, and maybe useful." I (Applause.) I

The Gladstone Memorial Essay for 1911, by F. W. WHaon, of Manchester University, has been published by B. H. Blaekwell, Oxford, with an introduction by Professor C. W. tt Oman. It deals with "The Importance of the Reign of Queen Anne in English Church History." The author lucidly review the currents of theological thought which prevailed in the opening decade of the eighteenth century. He shews bow the ascendancy of the High Church was marked by a sfrong religious revival, but that its intolerance proved its undoing. iThe growth of Rationalism and of Arianism is also indicated aa exercising a powerful influence open the retigloua beliefs of the times. The essay n confined to 1200 words, which Mr. Wilson justly complains hardly affords scope for the adequate treatment cf "a congested period like that from 1702, but the work baa been done with an ability which elicits warm praise from Professor Oman. In an introduction to a little book called "Shop Slavery and Emancipation," by William Paine (Messrs. King and Son), Mr. H. G. Wells briefly tells hi* own experience of shop life. It was that experience upon which he drew for the portrait of the immortal "Kipps." Bearing witness to the dismal miseries of the "living in" shop, as described by Mr. Paine, he writes: — "For a wretched couple of years in my boyhood I slept in one of the abominable dormitories he describes, ate the insufficient food supplied, and drudged in the shop. Then, when I was fifteen, I ran away one Sunday morning to my mother, and told her I would rather die than go on being a draper. That seven-! teen miles' tramp, without breakfast, to deliver that ultimatum, is still vivid in my memory. I felt then mo»t desperately wicked, and now I know it was nearly the best thing I ever did in my life, and not only I, but Mr. Paine. And all the brotherhood of man fled with me that morning out of the house of mean bondage to life and opportunity. But such a lot of us. before it is too late, will not 'rather die,' and thee you have the secret of all the tale of pitiful degeneration that Mr- Paine recounts so bitterly." _ "Science Progress" for January, published by Mr. John Murray, contains a paper by J. Newton Friend, Ph.D., D.Bc„ recording a series of observations which the author made respecting the work done by earthworms in the feltilisation of soil. He says that, besides assisting In distribution of moisture in the soil, ! both by continually burrowing in it, and by swallowing and then excreting it, "the chief activity of worms lies in their power of excreting acids in their castings, of exhaling carbon dioxide, and of aerating the soil both by mechanical and ■by chemical means." The author makes sonn interesting estimates of the amount lof carbon dioxide p(r acre which is actually distributed through the soil by this agency. The phenomenon of life furnishes the subject of two very suggestive papers by F. Carrel and L. Doncaster, M.A., In an article on "Weeds —Their Peculiarities and Distribution," Winifred Brenchley, D.Sc., F.LS, of the Lawes Agricultural Trust, Rothampsted Experimental Station, describes the character of the most prolific weeds against which the English agriculturist and horticulturist has to wage war, the damage they do to crops of various kinds, and the means adopted to cope with them. The author- observes that this is a problem which becomes accentuated in importance with the extension of intensive culture. Among other notable papers are: "The Ether of Space and the Principle of Relativity," by Sir Oliver Lodge, F.R.S., and "The Structure of the Atmosphere and the Texture of Air Currents in Relation to the Problem of Aviation," by W. N. Shaw, F.R.S.. Sc.D., Director of the Meteorological Office. FAMOUS SERMONS BY ENGLISH PREACHERS. Selected and Edited by Rev. DOUGLAS MACLEANE, M.A. (Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, Ltd.). Planned on somewhat the same lines aa Mr. Herbert Paul's successful book of " Famous Speeches," this work presents us -with a number of notable sermons, and explains the circumstances in which each was preached, from the Venerable Bede to such recently hushed voices aa those of Liddon and Newman, from mediaeval times to the later nineteenth century, we are carried through the days of Latimer, Laud and Andrewes, of Sacheverell and Donne, down to the times of Keble, Pusey and Sydney Smith. These and others are each represented by a single discourse, the editor's aim being to produce in each cose not merely a striking example of "the preacher's style, but also the sermon which was rendered most memorable by the circumstances of its delivery. .Thus Newman is represented by his pathetic farewell to the Church of England and Laud by his yet more pathetic farewell delivered from the scaffold. The historical notes and literary criticisms by Canon Macleane add materially to the value of the book, and constitute in themselves a review of English Church history. The principle upon which the selection has been made is lucidly explained by the editor in his preface. He says: "What makes a famous sermon? Either some historic circumstance or result connected with it, or else some quality in itself of unusual eloquence or spiritual power. In the present volume the aim is to present examples of both kinds of remarkable sermon. Thus, Bishop Hoadley's belongs to the former class, only it had import ant political consequences, but has no particular literary value—while Donne's discourse on the Peril of Damnation, and Dr. Liddon's sermon called " Five Minutes After Death," are read purely as masterpieces of eloquent reasoning. Ort the other hand, Newman's " Parting of Friends" is both an exquisite threnody and a landmark in English ecclesiastical history. Most of the sermons in this volume, however, have been chosen on account of something which gives them a permanent interest in the eyas of the historian, or as representative of an epoch. Except the first one, they were all preached in English." The editor reeognises the decay of the influence once exercised by the pulpit, owing to changes inevitable from the condition of.the times. "The pulpit was once what the Press is to-day. The topical sermon was succeeded by the pamphlet, and the pamphlet by the leading article, and the leading article by the platform speech, disseminated everywhere. Governments, which forty years ago tried to have journalists at their call, relied during the eighteenth century on pamphleteers, and before that tuned the pulpits." Excellent judgment has been shewn in the selection, which forms a volume oT unique interest and value, whether regarded as a treasury of English literature or as a cyclopaedia of religious belief in England extending over a period more than a thousand years.