LITERARY NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 42, 17 August 1935, Page 24

LITERARY NOTES

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

The subject for next year's Newdigate. Prize Poem is "Rain"—a chang* from the usual classical tradition. ' The'fiftieth anniversary of the death of Victor Hugo is being celebrated by a number of pilgrimages from France to his home in Guernsey. The House remains just as it was when he lived there. Hungary's annual book week, seems to have been a success again this year Over two hundred tents and stalls were erected in the streets, and popular authors were besieged for their autographs. ,'-"Mr. W. B. Yeats, who has 'just celebrated his,seventieth birthday, is correcting .the proofs of a new.philosophical work called "A Vision." He also has a volume of poems ready for publication.

What is~ described, as the authoritative life of.H. M.' Stanley, :by Mr. Frank.Hird, has just been published by Messrs. Stanley Paul. Stanley's journals, notes, and diaries have been largely used in the preparation of the book.

"" The output ■of .-the,^publishing trade from January to May; of this year was a thousand books more than: during the corresponding period of 1934, the total (according to "The Bookseller") reaching the amazing figure of 7346. '■-..'

Mr. Douglas Cockerell, the famous bookbinder of Letchworth, has been asked by/the British Museum lo bind the Codex Sinaiticus. He estimates that the binding .he' will use,! of Spanish mahogany and pigskin, will last five,hundred years under library conditions.

A London "Observer" representative, on making inquiry, foundjthat publishers: of fiction reported that many' more books are being offered to them and ' that the general standard of writing is vastly better than it was fifteen or even ten years ago.

Mr. F. A. M. Beatty, on whom Mr. Kipling based his character "Kirn," has lost his son and three other members of his family in the Quetta earthquake, from which both he and his wife escaped with injuries. - He is a wellknown figure in Quetta, and has had an adventurous career. He was at one time a- member of the Baluchistan Police, in which his son also was serving when he was killed.