LITERARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 134, 29 February 1908, Page 12

LITERARY NOTES.

■ If wa accept- tha common opinion that wo havo no great writers now, and, that literature is: altogether' in a very bad way (jays V'Tha Reader") I wonder who is most to blame for this stato of things? ■: Unless you takp .an interest in your garden and -encqur* age the s^eds'with 'duo watering, you have 110 right tocomplajn 'if it degenerates into a wik derness.„lf i tbp goneral public were as indifferent "to sport' as it is to literature, I do not think we should ■ have any groat footballers, any igreat cricketers; , any supromo master of golf or fbilliards. - Sport has its own organs, yet every ordinary daily and weokly newspaper ..devotes .mora or less* space to it. One or twp..surrender;a .daily; or weekly column also to literature; but most of them think it sufficient if ;tlioy, pay. a ljttlo attention to that subject at 'regular 'or-, irregular intervals, and oven then, should an oxtra advertisement come in at the last minute, or something ex-

tra about a sensational murder case, it is the litorar.v column that is held over, as a matter of course, to make room for it. Surely these things aro significant. In tho last few days, too, I have been looking through a number of London and provincial periodicals, and have been struck by the fact that practically all of. them pass the chief concerns of the past"-year under review,-and summarise what has been done in "Politics," "Society," "Religion," "Finance," "Trade," "Law," "Science," ■"Sport," not moro than 0110 out of. six include Litoraturo or Art in their survey.. Wq aro not likely to got what wo show no desire to obtain; and probably wo have 110 groat authors and 110 groat artists becauso, as a nation, wo do not roally want any.

With the New Year, the London "Daily News" is initialling an cnterpriso of singular interest and utility, with tho idea of teaching peoplo to read tho newspaper intelligently. Each day it proposes to set a question based upon somo subjcci, dealt- \Vith in. its columns. Tho aim of these questions is not to test tho intellectual brilliancy of tho reader so much as his industry and alertness; that is to say, while intelligent reading is essential; erudition is not essential, for the complete answer is to, bo sought, net in books, but in the contents of tho paper.itself. Tho first prize in this contest, which \vill bo awarded to tho best reader for twelve weeks, is of tho value yf £1000; the total yaluo of tho prizes will exceed £1500, t.lie smaller awards being given on' the weokly aud monthly readings. Tho aim throughout will bo to make tho tjuostions a,s profitablo and educative, as po3Siblo.

Following Mr! Meredith's example, Mr. Henry James is revising his novels, "Not a few readers,", says the "Chicago Dial," "re 1 ; calling the simplo charm of 'Daisy Miller' and 'Roderick Hudson)' will, cherish a hope that; thesis' and other early romances of his may not bo retold in tho mannor of 'The Ambassadors' or 'Tho Goldon Bowl.' 'Who am I that I should tamper with a classic?' asked a-young author when requested to re\'ise a bit of his own. work. Thero aro tlioso who would resent tho 'reclothing of 'Daisy Miller' in more studied and elaborate dress very much as tho young folk of all Christendom would cry out against any recasting of, tho tale of 'Littlo Red Riding Hood.' Lot Mr. James respect the classics,, evop thosefrom his own pen," '

We understand (says' the "Literary. World") that a Dublin journal of high standing has 'reviewed'.' "Alico in Wonderland," with Mr. Rackham's illustrations, as a now story, tho review, beginning: "A very pretty story, neatly and simply told,'but of captivating interest,"- and ending: "It ; will make a' iiico gift-book for tho festive: season.'' Wo have little doubt that it was' a bit of. Irish wit thus to. treat, the lato."Lc;wis Carroll's" immortal work. - But if 1 ii> was not, tho feat, has beeu surpassed, wo believe, in America, where a \Vost«\ru journal, it is : recorded; once reviewed the. "Sonnets" of.Mr. . William Shakespeare as a hew. and important contribution to English 'poetry,. Tho anecdote suggests the question of a publisher's responsibility in sometimes omitting, any reference' to previous publication oil a titlepage. . Flattering though .it may be; to tho author concorned to assumo tho universal knowledge of his "magnum opus" (if such'it chance to be), tho practice leads to pitfalls for young and' inexperienced reviewers which' may occasionally escapo editorial supervision; Thus, Sarah Brown's epoch-making novel, !( The"Disappeaiing Widow," which issuod from tho Press in '.1897 and died, an early doath, may reappear in 1908 -without a word to . indicate its previous existence as. a boob, and may thereby for . tho second, timo gain the coveted honour of a review as a new book. There is also the risk of the purchaser's possible, disappointment. .:. i .

"There ;is. no more beautiful building in JJewi York," says : '.''Bjitnam's Monthly," "than Mr. vJ. . rgan's private library .in East ! Street.;:'* was designed by .M'Kim',.i in N' tho'. stylo of tho ;Itali9n,.Reiiaissario^;;^'®ho, material js.-Ten-.nqajo'o marble whoso'whiteness is rolieved by suggestion of pinkt" ; ' Notwithstanding its great., solidity,: Vis a mode! of lightness'ana grace."'. Itiiiiakes all.lovers of literary -and artistic treasures breathe moro freely _to. know that Mr.: Morgan's priceless collection of MSS. arid raro editions, is now housed .in a fireproof building. Not only ,that f 'but that/they ,aro so arranged' as to :bp; seen!'to the best. advantago." .

A correspondent writes:—. .' :L'havo,: read with. interest tho article in '.The ,;D6jiinio'n oil reading :aloud,;.reprinted, froni'thp .New York 'Nation": in • The Domjwon of 'February; 22. • Onljr those households in which reading aloud is a Tegular,practice.can fully appreciate the pleasure .'and-,profit to bo dorived from it. May I give my. own experience? For. the', last 'two years imy .wife, arid ; I .have lived' in.an isolated.cottage, about,two miles from a littlo country - town.:'.> . When ; wo went thero, v/b decided to spend'., anhour every evening (when''engagements; permitted).: in; reading aloud. ,'Anu Hoiy is .tho-result—all 'the more delighthil for' being .miscellaneous and unsystematic. : ■ Goldsmith's ' "Vicar of i AVakefiold" j Macaulay's Essays on "Bacon," .'.'Clivo,'.' "Hastings,".'"Madame D'Arblay," iiiid "Von-ltanke'rj iDarwiii's "Voyage of the Beagli" ; Borrow's ','Biblo in Spain,"- "Lavdngro,"': and Illomany'' '. Ryo" ; Landon's' "Lhasa"; Prescott's ""Conquest of 1 Peru"; Burton's; "Pilgi'imagoyto .Al-Mediiiah," '.and "To tho GoId v Coast".; .'Wright's "Lifo of Burton"; Helps's ;.Lifo of Columbus"; Defoo's'. "Ilobins'oii : ■ Cnisoo" ; : ! Fredoric , Harrison's "Thepphano" ; Villari's '"Russia Under, tho Great, Shadow'' ; Carl J.oubert's '/Russia as it Really lsj" and ( "The Truth about the Tsar" ; Kjnglako's "Eothen','; . Tuokweli's ,"A W. Kinglako" ; .Dickens's-"Talo of Two Cities" Froude's "English Seamen"-; Burney's "History of tho- Buccaneers";:' Clark Russell's "Dantpier" ; Lafcadio ' Hearn's "Japan—a iofctospßQt.,7 and-."Gliwpsps' of XJufauiiliar Jupan '; Goethe's ."Wilholm Meister's Apprenticeship,.-, and-.-:- Travels" ;■ Hakluyt's "S.olect Voyages";, .Trelawnoy's "Records of Byron and Shelley I ,'; Henry Mackenzie's "Man of 'Fooling," and "Man; of tho World" ; Pratt's.."New.'Guinea Cannibals" ;. Victor Hugo's "Hunchback, of Notre Damo"; Bdnvemito Cellini's, "Autobiography"; Symonds's "History of , tlie Renaissance," volumes 6 and 7 ;• W. H. Hudson's "Purple Land" arid; ''Green Mansions"; ninq of Shakespeare|s • plays; \ ono. : of Sheridan's; many of Bacon's.. -essays;:'- and Professor llalclgh's rccont study of Shakespeare. With what pleasuro do wo look back upon , the evenings of tho last two years, and forward to.those that.lie ahead of lis! ! ' TAWNO CHIKNO.