LITERARY GOSSIP.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14281, 17 February 1912, Page 7

LITERARY GOSSIP.

, Tho editor of the "Book Monthly" notes/how Englfeh fiction of the first order has been neglected in Italy. Thackeray has just reached Italy in a translation of "Vanity Fair"; Meredith's "Richard Feverel" has been translated. But Dickens. is the only modern English writer who is generally read in Italy. And he has achieved only half a dozen translations of his books./The editor of the "Book Monthly" hopes that Italians will go on to euclr writers as Richardson, Smollett and- Sterne. Hkving -B-on-

dered whether English fiction woukl appeal to Italy., an English writer came across a letter of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, dated 1700, and written from jUaly, .'.in acknowledgment of a consignment of, books. One of them was "Pamela," * '"which has met with very extraordinary (and. I think, undeserved) success. It has been translated into French and Italian'- it was a!i the fashion at Paris and Versailles, and is still the jdy.of the chambermaids of all nations."

French people are quite excited over a lawsuit which a Roumanian merchant is bringing against the heirs and tho publisher of the late Jules Verne (says the Paris correspondent of the "Evening istandard.") In a posthumous book by Jules Verne called 'The Pilot of tho Danube," which n-as published at Christmas, there is a brigand with tho name of Jackel Senio. There is a real Jackel Senio, and' to is not a brigand, so he has taken action, and claims £2CXX) damages tecause of the use of his name in the In an English court of law lie would probably gtt them, for M. Jules Verne (although the dear old man undoubtedly did so without vindictironess) used the name knowing that its owner existed. M. Michel Verne met J f.Senio on the Danube some years npo, and they exchansed-cards. Whon his father was writing the novel, his son pave him a list of Roumanian names, and Jackel Sehio's was one if them. M. Jules .Verne thought it looked like a good name for a brigand, and used it. . '

A curious little volume of verso has boon issued in England under tho title of "Pdems.: Twelve a Penny," by l>. L. Kelleher. On tho front cover appear the following words, as a kind of prefaco:—"'The world has grown dull and bestial. Tho bard and his music aro Gcorned. Poetry is in exile,' cries the poet in despair. It is tho poet's own fault 1 Ho plays too loudly and too Jorijj. The; world has no time to listen through h:s eternity of mere rhyme for the single bar of beauty at the end. He must cast away the pounding brass and clamorous drum find give, us at once the piccolo-music of his soul. I have written a hundrnd poems. These are twelve of the best. It is my own anthology and", in an ago of commerce, I offer liou THE FINE-MELODY OF. MY FILINGS for a penny."

One of the most remarkable instances .of this revived interest in poetry is (says the samo writer) ' the vigorous nctmfcy of the Poetry Society, which boldly sets out to carry on a propaganda in favour of a wider and deeper appreciation of poetry. The latest manifesto of the society is before mo, and I am amazed to find that thero is at last a body of people in this country who are capable of looking at poetry from a practical and commonsense point of view, and one which, in the end, must bo very beneficial to the imagination and tho emotional life of the- British" people. Particularly does the society deserve encouragement for the attittidc it has taken up in reference to poetry in relation to education. It has made the following recommendations ,to educational authorities: —(1) Poetry, in its widest and best sense, should be recognised as a. necessary subject for study in all schools; and take its rightful place in tho study of art, with music and painting. (2) That teachors be iirOTd to dwell upon the subject, especially with regard to that which leads to tta higher virtues of gentleness, lovo of beauty for itself, and reverence. (3) That inducements' be offered in schools in connection with the sttuly of • poetry, and especially for intelligent rending , and speaking. (4) That all colleges and 'training colleges should institute- a Chair of Poetry. '