LITERARY GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 7177, 2 April 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

LITERARY GOSSIP.

(By Our Special Correspondent.') London, February 11, The death of poor Charles Or Payne removes from the ranks of English journalism and fiction a clever and daring writer, belonging to the same school as your Australian “ Vagabond.” Payne did an immense * lot of work for the ‘Echo,’ the society papers, and the magazines, but will be best ■ remembered by the public as the author pf a series of hugely-entertaining articW'fa the ‘Pall Mall Gazette ’ descnbihghisad- ' ventures on the box of a hansom cab, at a matrimonial bureau, and a patient 4, in lunatic asylum. The experiences he trader- ; went in the latter capacity were somewhat. disturbing, as evidencing the perfect J with which any sane person might be kidnapped and incarcerated by enemies. The article created conrideraWo stir when it appeared, and Payne was known for the time being as the “Amateur Lunatic. 1 The poor fellow used to describe witii inimitable humor the exquisite sense of irresponsibility he enjoyed whilst playingthe role of lunatic. When the doctors were ' summoned they found him fully dressed', wallowing in a shallow spongehath, and' declaring he was a walrus. This satisfied ■ one of the medicos that their patient was > mad, but not the other. No. 2 had a shiny ’ bald head, which Payne promptly proceeded to slap vigorously, enjoying himself, ss he * ) said, immensely. After this both doctors were agreed as to his sad state. Payne had , been in poor health latterly, but his death came very suddenly. He will be much missed at the haunts of Bohemian London. One of the chief works of the sprtog publishing season should be a volume l of recollections by Mr Beatty-Kingston,' the veteran musical critic of the ‘Times.’ J like Dr Engel, Mr Beatty-Kingston has known almost every musical and operatic celebrity of modem times. Moreover, he is lambus for a fund of anecdote, so that a treat ihay ’ be looked for. ui'i Mr Allan’s new volume ‘ The,Beck<mfi»g | Hand’ well maintains the anthoV’s rt^utar- 1 tion as the cleverest contemporary writerpf ' short magazine tales, With the excepting' of the yam that gives its.' nameto thi/book, all in this volume have have previously appeared either in * Cornhill,’ * Bel- 1 ; gravia,’ or ‘ Longmans/ The most original l ‘ of the series are perhaps ‘Olga DaviabfißS J Husband,’ ‘John Gann’s Treasure,’ Mid ‘ln Strict Confidence.’ Mr Grant's' trine of heredity forms the foundation of ; •The Beckoning Hand,’ ‘ Harry’s Ihheritance,’ and ‘ The Third Time. ’ ‘ The Golden ‘ Wulfrio,’ I’m told, is merely ah elaboration ' of facts that absolutely occurred' atthte, British Museum, and nearly led to . locking-up of a high*churoh ; Rnd the. originals of ‘The Two Camfegies ’ are ’ well known in Bristol. ’ ’ \’■ Robert Buchanan’s ' Look Round Literature’ is, as the title implies, the tiresome babble of a conceited egotist. WhenTtoH. yon that the good man “pooh-poohs* George Eliot, patronises abuses Thackeray, and deifies Charles Reade, the 5 precise value of bis‘criticisms will be apparent. . 1 Sala will not, on dit, after all, reprint the ; ‘ Land of the Golden Fleece’ in book forth." His.autobiograpby is rapidly passing tbrbn^k: the press, and should ne ready for ppblijpa*; ‘ tion in April. Nothing more has bcenheaftT of the great Boucicaolt’s autobiography,'; but a play of his was performed (for coot-; right purposes) at an East End Theatte rate ' other day. * The two novelists who command the l highest prices for their wares at present are ‘ Mr Rider Haggard aid Mr Baring ,Gouls. 1 It should be some consolation nised geniuses to reflect that half' a 'dozen . years ago both these gentlethen ‘halted their works about London in yain. 'Pnb* J Ushers’readers would have none of 'them'. 1 Mr Baring Gould was, of dburte,;*onfy known as the author of theologicaland ' otherwise serious-works, but he bad hot titb pluck to confess his descent‘to fiction,’ Mid therefore offered his first novel, * In'EidrtQ,.' Israel,’ to Smith, Elder anonymously. Tttesr refused it, but the story was eventually ' published ; and, being a heaVy historical ‘ work, fell dead oh the market. ‘ Mehalaiy* a really powerful and stirring story ofitije Salt Marshes, also attracted 1 notice, till ‘ John Herring ’ then the world woke up and reooghilsed'in the author of; that famous Cornish rdmahch' the "coming” novelist. What , - ‘J6pn Herring’ began ‘Court Royal;’ ' and now Mr Baring Gould liaa '"n°\ fewer than four novels appearing together:' in the magazines. The most' promisihg ui 1 ‘The Gaverocks,’ in ‘ComhiU,” and tire next best ‘Richard -Cable,'the lightship-: man, ’ in ‘ Chambers’s Jonrhal.’ ‘ TheTled ■ Spider,’ in ‘Temple Bar,’and ‘ Jawjuetiia,’ in the ‘English illustrated,’ scarOmytfeeur' as original. It has, too, just that ‘ Demos,’ the clever story of Socialism that was So cordially approyiMpby the critics last spring, and has rhhr into a third edition, must be attributed tq J^ Mr Gould. He works with extraordinary'ease and rapidity, gettingthrough teyeß-; more “ copy ’ per diem than the lateAnthOpy' TroUope. Tis to be hoped, though, his books will last longer than thpstfqf’thte.' creator of Mrs Prondie.’ An assistant 4 at one of the biggest stores in London- was • telling me only the other da'ythat,tho «Alft ’ of Trollope’s novels has almost ‘entirely' stopped. ‘ Barchester Towers' and ‘‘The ‘ Warden’ are occasionaUy ashed for, but that - is all, _ Mr H. Rider Haggard has gone te Egypt, to seek inspiration for his next rbmaqtiC 7 fiction. The article which he contributes!? the ‘Contemporary’ this month 6n /ti>? novels of the present day Is.' shookih|) : ; twaddle, and has been very properly seferdy 1 • “slated. ” Messrs Maxwell have withdrawn; 1 the two shilling edition of * The* Witon’a . Head ’ (indubitably Mr HaggardVbest Story)’ from publication, and mean' to redssuo itlh‘ a six shilling form. They also annOuUoe/*‘ six shilling edition of this' now fambUß author’s first book, ‘Dawn,’ a wort that' attracted hardly any attention in the three-’ 4 volume form.' * V,- * The third portion of the, ‘ Grevflle.' Memoirs ’ has fallen quite flat bn the marital*, Booksellers who went in for large numbers in expectation of the work running to fopcy ’ prices—like the initial volumes .'did fifteen years ago—are already clearing them, out at, a discount. Another work which created fine stir in political and military ciroles when. the first volumes were published,-but which time, or rather slow workmanship,, haf killed, is Kinglake’s ‘ Crimea.’ The winding-up volume of this wonderful war: history has at last appeared, but, without attracting much attention. Twenty-five, years ago, when the first volume came out, the Crimean War was well within many men’s memories, and the pros and ’ cona ot _ the blunders at Balaclava and before Behais-;' topol, etc., etc., are still deeply interesting subjects of discussion; But now—well—the chief actors are all, or nearly all-dead, and people talk of the Crimea much as they did in 1860 of the Peninsular campaign. Anstey’s ‘ Equine Experiences ,of Mr Pulvertoft,’ in this month’s ‘ Macmillan,* is one of the quaintest things he has written, and almost fit to rank- with • the celebrated ‘Black Poodle.’ magazines should also make a’’.‘point; of looking-up 1 The Great Hailstone Oompetir tion’ m ‘Belgravia,’ iand a chatty wticle on ‘Law and Lawyers,’ by Serjeant Ballantine, in ‘ Temple Bar.’ .bla. ' Forthcoming novels include ‘ The; Golateii; Hope,’ by W. Clark Russell, in volumes; ‘ A False Start,’ 'by' Haw joy Smart; ‘Sabina Tembra,’ by .William'' Black; and ‘ Uncle Max,’ by MfisCwsyl''’ Messrs Bentley have added *A< Bachelor’s Blunder’ to their six-shilling series, and Maxwells announce a five-shining, edition of F. W. Robinson’s 'Lazwiu ,in London.’ James Payn’s new story, publidhlng serially in * The. People,’ is called. ‘ A Prince ; of the Blood.’ # ... Vizetelly and. Maxwells are' racing witii each other which can get Boisgobey** noyme out the fastest. Both nave just issued lations of ‘ La Bande Rouge ’ as * Band.’ Vizetelly’s is the best - . . George Moore’s notorionaj ‘ Mamm®Tfl, Wife,’ published at 3s 63, has just reached a. tenth edition. . <• ‘ Mary Jane’s G. B. will be published by Chattos immediately, , at 2s The same firm have in hatad aieprint of R. L.‘ Stevenson’s ‘The "Merry Men,’ etc.