TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7451, 26 October 1889, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

SH_jc_srßA_u__H students will be interest to learn the results of a recent M_el gome of the original printed plays d the poet, published during his lifetime. These were comprised in the library <»H__ late Mr .Frederick Perkins, of CS_fa|te2[ Kent, submitted to auction a fewv-eb ago. The collection is said to have r&_3 next to the great private coileotiottß of tk Duke of Devonahire, Lord EUesnxere, LorJ Warwick, and Mrs Huth, which are well known. Not since 1884, it is said ha, there been any sale, including so maayrf the quarto editions of the single play* Probably not many people living fc| tfcs colonies have seen a copy 0 f these n& and curious little works, of which 8 very good description is given by an English contemporary. The books (it says) are not muoh bigger than a maaV hand, measuring 7in,J)y r fiia> m d three-eighths of' Sn inch Ituck, '& roughly printed on coarse ribbed paper strong, but not thick, the title pige having a woodcut device of some kind. These quartos, being bo preoiouß, have generally been cut at the edges of the leaves aad . gilt, and provided with crimson moroox bindings, stamped with the arms or ojjf of the present possessor. - Of course, __. careful binding assists the the book, but an uncut specimen would bi far more valuable from a booklover.pofaj of view, and would fetch more money ig the market. The? fare a luxury which oalj the wealthy are able to possess, as viii be readily admitted when we give, fej prfeesoFa' few b_ those sold at the P&_&g sale. " A Pleasant conceited comedy calle l Love's Labor Lost, newly corrected asj augmented by W. Shakespeare, Ist Ei 1598," fetched £70, although it had th* disadvantage of the headlines being g&j into and one page mended. ''The fifef Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy $ Borneo and Juliet, 1599"; the second (ci first complete) edition f head lines cut iato in places, and title mounted, sold for £184, " The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth

. . . with Humours of Sir John F__s(a2g 1600," Ist edition and Heber*s copy, in flag condition,, morocco with gilt w§ knocked down for __226. "Lucrece,*'fe| edition, 1594, with the letter of Shste, peare it to Lord Southamptaaj fetched £200. It had two small hokg burnt through two leaves, destroykjf a few letters, but otherwise was a _£$ copy. Only three or four copies of this first edition, it may be added, are kama, The quartos, however, h-4 to hide th«i diminished heads beside a copy of is first folio whioh was put up. It ma is fair condition, but had a title-pags mi Ben Jonson's verses, both mouated. It is entitled *' Mr W-Uiam Comedies, Histories and Tragedies, peb> iiahed according to the true origiaaU copies. London: Printed by leaac j£f gard-and 1628." > It m bound in blue morocco, and the leaves gilt. After a spirited competition, it _wu to Mr Qaariteh, fch© known dealer, for J8415. George BaaM's copy brought JTl# itto the Übra-yof-Jaxonesa' BurdetfrCoutfe Xp has. advantage of haying moat of i% leaves'xuieut and is in consequence c_3ci the "tall copies" so muoh esteemed -by connoisseurs/; ISven some of the sparics plays, suoh as "The Merry Devil d Play of ttete--* Life and Deathof Thomas, Lord CromwD,' 1 fetched from -313 to £27 at thsPes&ia sale. "Thewhole library of m&kUm Jifad. over #§W« Nobody can English people _*c oeasing to Vsiae fe( works of their great national poet fflsl dramatist.

'•„.. '-ii V IV ,' '.»' i' -' . : ' } It was 3 sugglaW during 'the IBV-Afe ease, that business men in J-w&rgoakfsf in the habit of freely tUuag -_-gs»Ss drugs or "pick-me-upar" sa the e_~f phrase goes, and an English paper ps* ceeded to enquire whether*the prastiss prevailed to any extent in Loadoa. On result was on the whole reassuring. Oas fact learned was that the drinking ass are dying out. If after a holiday tti young man of to-day feels seedy, ii' ( j said he does not fly to ".brandy m soda*" but pins his faith to pyretio dashed with limejuice cyrnp. Q& morning succeeding a Bank holiday, "p are told, "the glasses -"in- the «_us--** Bhop rattle as merrily as in the bar«« public-house, and 'twopenny salted are tossed off as rapidly as the glaW beer on day." SfcuJaqJi^ 1 at' the ! Exchange dees a ga4 W ness in more active " pick-me-ups.* J~ ordinary I fp|m con-isfe # o£ sal> «?»» chlorio ether, and essence of gs«® Quinine] aux vomica ' those whose nerves want bracing. *f specialty of Stook Exchange __e_#.Mr pearsi'is"bromides." In times ment, the cheidist declared, a man & unable to sign bis pheque until he hm*® a dose of bromide. It steadiea and reduces the 4 Ability caused Pp excitement, ? man of -drugs, fe*g|J had* a still darker tale to 'tell, ■«_*"' the morphia of numbered only a few among lus eastoam He said—• "'" : <■ ■ .j.. w «• They stand it wonderfully. » »r markable how they live on for creasing the quantity as they go -Wtfcow takes a dose in as 'sboi. as he wakes to cheer hunj awakened weeping, the tears J^^^j- * finale of his fearful, heart-bttigj; dreams. Then he is set up fo* » » w Perhawin the. iniddje ef tba another. Then at nighthe caxuw* "J* without it. Quinine and brojwjflj ba. left. Off-although their oatatog. weakens the wiH to do case of morphia, when a person up and forced by. his fnends £ sjg£ the result is frightful andjS operating with fearful intensity, ess result is simply indescribable. us of some oi;JJ» » painful passages in De Qumcey-J fessions." As to the question of P to di&ite Hu-t the business «» * finds tuicannutget on without thea^j be sure fWLH£ «*T , _F S&ih and worry than he can stand. "jTgS i»%ble to take fcbiag. »o» e-rf* •*

, dispense with such delusive aids, he will gpeedily find that the game is not worth us candle.

O-Oi of those inquisitive persons, who are never happy unless they are prying into the personal habits of great men, has been telling the public something about the Premier of England. There is nothing very fr-hrilliwg in the narrative. Lord Salisbury rises at 8 o'clock, and invariably takes a rapid walk of three or lour miles before breakfast, which he takes at 9. He is a light eater, and at least three hundred days in the year his first meal consists only of a rasher of bacon and a poached egg. At luncheon and dinner "he is apt to take a glass of light red wine, but as often as not he goes entirely without drink of any sort." From breakfast until one or two o'clock he is absolutely alone, and it is at these hours that he indulges in whatever meditation characterises his lifeNothing but a matter of the utmost Stress can reach him before one o'clock. He is a luo-y man to be able to manage this, which he does apparently with the aid of his private secretaries. He has no fewer than three of these gentlemen, and ffceir work is so thoroughly graded that only a very snu-l proportion of (he communications addressed to the items Minister are actually laid before him for consideration. H e Ins one pet aversion and that is smoking. Not even one of his sons dates to approach him puffing a cigar or a Cgaxette. This is all very interesting no doubt, but the question arises, eui bono ? A t~"« may. do all that is herein laid down and yet never become Prime Minis|ec_ Ifc it were necessary to " train " tot distinction ia political life as it is for the pogili_ticsi_na> we might understand the T__us ot tQ these minute details as to -rhat our great men eat, drink and avoid. As it is, it seems to us there is a good deal of prying and tittle-tattle goes on to very little purpose.