LITERATURE AND ART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9455, 10 March 1894, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERATURE AND ART.

Ax enthusiastic German haa erected a monument to Heine in the wilds of Central Africa, placing theron a suitable poetic inscription. Zola says that ideas only come to him when, pen in hand, he is writing—thab he could never evolve a single idea by sitting still in his chair and thinking. Archdeacon Farrar has completed an entire revision of the text and notes of his " Life of Christ," and the new edition of this work will be issued by Messrs. Casaell and Company immediately. Mr. Zangwill's "Children of the Ghetto" has created quite a sensation in Hamburg, and the libraries are fairly besieged by eager readers, greatly to the despair of the librarians, as the supply does nob equal bhe demand.

Dr. Conan Doyle has suffered considerable annoyance from the republication in America, entirely without his consent, of some stories, entitled "My Friend the Murderer," which he had deliberately suppressed. He has, at least, the consolation of knowing that he is nob the only sufferer in this direction. Scarcely any author of note but has had to complain of the resurrection of his early or immataro work. An interesting volume sold in London recently is the " Caxton Memorial Bible," designed on the occasion ot the Caxton Exhibition held in 1877, in commemoration of the four hundredth anniversary of tho introduction of the art of printing into England. Tho book was printed ab the Oxford University Press, only a hundred copies being issued. It bears on its title the statement thab ib was "wholly printed and bound in twelve hours on this 30th day of June, 1877, for the Caxton celebration."

Edna Lyall's new novel " Doreen: the Story of a Singer," deals with the sister isle, being a tale of Irish rights and wrongs. It has been commenced in serial form in the Christian World. Mr. Gladstone has written a letter to a well-known Liberal member of Parliament expressing the pleasure ib has given him bo hear that so talented an authoress as Edna Lyall has made the jusb grievance? of Ireland the subject of a story. Edna Lyall was over in Ireland for a considerable time during the past summer studying the burning questions of the hour there.

Mr. Herbert Spencer has at last completed the system of synthetic philosophy, in which he endeavours to interpret the known universe in terms of evolution. In the concluding volume, says the Review of Reviews, he frankly admits that for the scientific treatment of negative and positive beneficence "the doctrine of evolution has not furnished guidance to the extent I had hoped." When he comes to deal with the highest moral life of man— is, with that order of existence which, according to his system, forms the summit of the as yet known evolution of the universe—he finds his doctrine of evolution proving an inaufficienfc guide. Attempts to introduce artificial language are not only hopeless, but they are unnecessary, for, says the German Dr. Schroer, there is already a universal language, and that is English. Bub in what sense is English a universal language ? It is, says Dr. Schroer, one which, by its spread over the whole earth and by the ease with which ib may be learned, has reached a position so far in advance of all others that neither natural nor artificial means can deprive it of its assured position, as the future means of international intercourse. He, therefore, concludes that" the English language is the world-speech, and will, to all appearance, bacomo more and more so every year." Some time ago an Italian nobleman, Prince Barberini Colonna di Sciarra, succeeded, in defiance of Italian law, in removing his valuable collection of old paintings out of Italy. They wore taken to Paris and there sold by public auotion. Thereupon the Italian Government commenced proceedings in the French courts, with a view to securing the return of the pictures. The case has dragged on for some time, bub ib has now been finally settled by the Appeal Court, which has decided in favour of the Prince, on the ground that the legislation in question was of an exceptional character, and was professedly hostile to foreign nations, who are not bound In any way to assist in enforcing