LITERATURE AND ART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9368, 18 May 1889, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERATURE AND ART.

The pictures sent to the Paris Salon this year are exactly the same in number as last season, 7625. Literary gossip has it that " John Strange Winter"—Mrs. Stannard — received £500 for the copyright of her last novel, " Harvest," which is published at a shilling. The Athenrcum says that this winter has been unparalleled in the ravages it lias made in the ranks of distinguished Scandinavian men of letters. We have to - day to chronicle the death of the Swedish hist orian Wilhem Erik Svedelius, which occurred on February '26. Ho was born at Koping, May 5, 1S16; became a professor in Lund in 1556, and was elected Skytteansk Professor of History at Upsala—one of the best literary appointments in the north of Europe—in 1 Bl>'2. In ISti-t he was made one of the eighteen of the Swedish Academy, in succession to Hagberg. He was especially eminent as a lecturer and an orator. Messrs. Sotheby, Wilkinson, and Hodge are about to hold an important sale of selected and duplicate books from the library of the Duke of Buccleueh, K.T. Six Caxtons are included, among them being the first edition of "The Dietea and Sayings of the Philosophers," the first book printed in England. A choice copy of the rare Giunta edition of Boccaccio's I "Decameron," 1527, richly bound by Padeloup, will attract attention ; and there is an interesting fifteenth century MS., "Les Grands Croniques de St. Denis," a large folio adorned with many well-executed miniatures. The collection of Thomas Hearne's works, on large paper, in the original subscription binding, is very extensive. Mr. Charles Collette has been fortunate enough to obtain a capital advertisement for a very indifferent song, set to a catching tune by May Ostlere. One verse declares for Irish Homo Rule, and as it led to hisses as well as cheers at the Trocadcro, the proprietress stopped the song. Thereupon an evening paper falsely asserted that this was due to tho action of tho police, and a question was asked on the subject in Parliament. Seizing the opportunity, the Mohawks promptly engaged Mr. Collette, and lie sung what was called May Ostlere's famous Home Rule song " before a densely crowded audience at the Agricultural Hall the other evening. It was received with mingled yells and applause, which at times completely drowned the voice of the singer, who appeared to enjoy the uproar he created. The publication of Professor Bryce's " American Commonwealth" in the United States has, tho Athenreum hears, done no

good to the movement in favour of International Copyright. The price of the two volumes in which it appeared is the same as would be charged for two volumes of the same size from Mr. Bancroft or any other American author, but certain members of Congress resent paying the sum for an English book which they must pay for an American one, and they have declared that they will not support International Copyright lest the cost of English books should be rafced to that of American ones. The fact that the American edition is half the

price of the English one is not admitted to have any weight, the contention being that stolen or appropriated goods are the cheapestand such a contention cannot be disputed. Mr. Thornycroft, R.A., having been commissioned by Melbourne to repeat his statue of General Gordon for them, has executed his commission, but he is making a new feature of the pedestal. Instead of the two plaques which decorate the base in Trafalgar Square, he has designed four others of much smaller size, dealing with incidents in the hero's life—incident chosen not only on account of their importance, but also by reason of their illustrating special phases of Gordon's character. They represent, first, " Leading his Soldiers in the Chinese Campaign;" second, "Freeing the Slaves in the Soudan third, " Teaching the Ragged Children at Woolwich ;" and fourth, " His Death at Khartoum."

The last named is not designed in accordance with the latest information, as it was already modelled and cast upon the basis of former reports when the most recent news came to hand. I understand that a facsimile reproduction of the statue is to be reproduced in bronze and published by a Bond-street dealer, so that the many admirers of Gordon may have an opportunity of securing what is at once a sentimental memorial and a work of art. It will measure about a foot in height.