LITERARY NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 7563, 30 May 1885, Page 3

LITERARY NOTES.

It is said that Mr Lowe, correspondent of the Times at Berlin, is engaged in writing a biography of Prince Bismarck, which will appear in the spring. An enterprising picture dealer in London has imported, from Berlin 10,000 photographs of Prince Henry of Battenburg, who is about to marry Princess Beatrice, of England. The coming sensation of the American book season is General Butler’s " Reminiscences.” It is said that the story, of the early part of his life will be at first printed. The General ■will compile his later expe-

lienees, but the publication of this part of his “ reminiscences,” in deference to both friends and enemies, win be delayed for some little time.

. l° n g promised new edition of Bourrienne’s “ Life of Napoleon,” thoroughly revised by Colonel Phipps, will appear in a few days with nearly 40 portraits oh steel. Only a limited number of this work will be printed.

The first volume of Mr Henry W. Lucy’s “ Diary of Two Parliaments,” embracingthe Disraelian Parliament, is ready for publication.

Prince Ibrahim, the son of Ismael Pasha, intends to publish in London shortly two volumes of Egyptian bibliography from the days of the Pharaohs to the present time. Mr Par jeon’s recently published novel, “Great Porter Square, has already run through two three volume editions, and as the demand for the story at the libraries seems to have in no way abated the publishers have brought out in one volume a third edition.

It is intended to bestow upon Mr Bond, Principal Librarian of the British Museum, the Companionship of the Bath—a fitting tribute after a long career of unobtrusive, devoted, and energetic public service, from the year 1833, when Mr Bond entered the Eecord Office at the early age of seventeen, to the present time. A hovel departure in publishing has been introduced by the Cape Argus , the leading newspaper in South Africa. In a supplement it has re-produced in extenso Mr George Baden-Powell’s book “ State Aid and State, Interference,” with a view to fighting the spirit of protectionism which, it seems, animates the commercial policy of the Boer party. This is probably the first penny edition of a sober- treatise on political economy. A leading attraction for loyal readers of the English Illustrated Magazine for March is an article containing extracts from the Diary of Prince Edward and Prince George of Wales in West and South Australia. The text is profusely embellished with engravings of scenes in 'Victoria and New South Wales. If these extracts be a fair specimen of the volume of which they 'are advanced sheets there would appear to be no lack of observing power in the Eoyal youths. The high reputation of the magazine is fully maintained by the other articles it contains.

• In 1884, there were published in America 4088 books. Fiction heads the list. There were 943 such books, or 23 per cent of the whole number. Law was the next most prolific branch of literature, including 455 publications, or more than half as many as fiction. Theology and religion stand third in the list with 380, and juvenile books are the fourth classification. Educational works are more numerous than poetry and the drama, and the latter surpasses medical science. ’ ’

The portrait by Gainsborough of Mrs Hibbert, exhibited in the collection of Old Masters, has been sold to Messrs Wertheimer, for £IO,OOO. It is to go abroad. This is the highest price ever known to have been given for a “ Kit-kat.” Foreigners evidently are beginning to appreciate English art, as an emissary from the Berlin Museum made a large offer for the work. How it is (says a writer in Truth) that Miss Braddon’s inventive powers are not exhausted is a perpetual mystery to me. No matter how often she writes a novel, it is always good reading. In her latest:—“ Wyllard’s Wierd ” —she has’ struck upon a new vein, and, like “ Gaboriau,” opens with the account of a mysterious murder, and then proceeds to the discovery of the murderer. But she improves upon the French novelist; for, whilst ferretting out the criminal, it is found that he had previously committed a murder, and the second crime is in consequence of the first. “ Wyllard’s Wierd ” is as good a novel as she has ever written, and no praise can be greater than this. Mr E. J. Eeed, author of “ Port Minster, M.P.,” writing to the Daily News , which, had questioned the originality plq.t of the novel, says:—Sir,—ln the not unkindly notice of “ Fort Minster, M.P.,” in your leading article of Thursday, you refer to the novels of Fortune du Boisgobey, and ask who has not read “Le Crime de I'Opera”? I am sorry to say I have not. “Le Collier d’Acier ”is the only one of Boisgobey’s stories that I have yet read, although “ Babiole ” lies at hand for perusal, and others will, I hope, follow. The “ Crime of Christmas Eve/’ with its three Japanese daggers thrust into it as you tell us, is likewise unknown' to me. The reason for employing a Japanese dagger for -my purpose was derived from the fact that in my study for the last ten years has hung a beautiful weapon of this description, the gift to me of a young Japanese friend, the son of the Minister of Japan at the Court of Pekin. It is to that young gentleman alone, and not to M. Fortune du Boisgobey, nor to the author of “My Ducats and my Daughter ” that the selection of the weapon with which “ Fort Minster ” was struck down must be attributed. Thanking you for so prominent a notice of my little work—and where is the novelist to whose soul a prominent notice of his work is not dear?—l beg leave to remain. Sir, yours obediently, E. J. Eeed. Hextable, Kent, Feb. 13.