LITERATURE AND ART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8306, 12 July 1890, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERATURE AND ART.

The Athenajum learns from tho Troad that Dr. Schliemann and Dr. Doreld will continue their excavations there for two years, as they intend to bring to light the greater part, if not the whole, of the ancient city. We are informed that Her Majesty the Queen lias been graciously pleased to accept the dedication of Mr. Percy Thornton's new book, " The Stuart Dynasty," and has presented him with her portrait and autograph. Mr. Jerome- K. Jerome, author of "The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow"—which wo learn has just reached its hundredth edition —is engaged on a work in a. similar vein. It is to be published at the Leadenhall Press. The second volume of Mr. John S. Farmer's "Slang and its Analogues" \vil[ be issued at the end of June. The whole work is so far forward that the third volume is expected to bo ready early in November. Mr. George Allen, of Orpington, is going to issue, at the end of -May, t he posthumous poems of Charles Mackav, LL.IX, under the title of" Gossamer and Snowdrift." An introduction by his son, Mr. Eric Mackay, will be prefixed. Messrs. Cassell and Co paid an interim dividend of ."> per cent, some six months ago, and are now able to pay dividends at the rate ot 10 per cent, per annum, besides a small bonus, and an addition of £4500 to the reserve fund. Mr. Sidney Lee, after some years' valuable work as assistant-editor to Mr. Leslie Stephen on the " Dictionary of National Biography,' , has just, been made co-editor, and in that capacity his name will appear, with that of Mr. Stephen, Oil the title-page of the next volume. The new volume of the "Story of the Nations'' series will appear next week. Entitled " The Jews Under the Romans," it will deal with a phase of tho history of the Hebrews quite distinct, from that dealt with by Professor W. K. Hosmer in "The Jews." The author in this case is the Row W. I). Morrison, M.A. The Hibberb Lectures of the late Rev. Dr. Hatch on "The Origin and Growth of Religion, as illustrated by Greek Influence on Christianity," which, owing to his serious illness and subsequent death, have been so long in the press, will probably be published this month. The editing of the portion of the lectures which remained miprinted at the time of Dr. Hatch's death has been committed by the trustees to the Rev. Dr. Fairburn, Principal of Mansfield College, and the Rev. Dr. Sunday, of Oxford. The Athenauini is pleased to pay that of the last work of the lamented Mr. Blades, his " Bibliographical Miscellanies." the remaining essays arc almost entirely finished and ready for publishing, especially the one on "Chained Libraries." it may be of interest to many if we add that Mr. Blades had a medal struck for his trade jubilee, which would have been celebrated on May Ist, but unfortunately lie did not live to see that day. It is supposed he intended presenting it to his numerous printing and literary friends. M. Edouard Drumont's book, which has just appeared, is less dreary than " La Fin d'uy .Monde," but lacks the raciness and vigour of the work which first made his name famous. It is hardly appropriate to call it '■ La Meniere Bataille," since the announcement is made on the cover of the new book that another instalment of the Anti-Scien-tific campaign is in preparation, and so onesided a performance hardly deserves the'eompliment of being compared to a fair f'r_ r ht. M. Drumont, in his new production, does not merely fall foul of the Jews; the Kniperor and Empress of Austria, tho late Archduke Rudolph, Dom Pedro, Prince Henri of Orleans, the Duke do Chart re.*, and the Comte de Paris, all rune in fur a share of M. Drumont's diatribes, but the most severe, as well as telling, attacks in his book are those levelled against General Boulanirer, and against his own countrymen, whom he describes to be in a state of political decadence, spiritual disintegration, and rural and physical decay. M. Drumont's conclusion i- that all the coming men who have been going to save society for the past 21) years, from the Comte do Chambord down to Boul.inger, all end in the sun.' way. They are all to be found knocking at one door—that of M. de Rothschild.