LITERATURE AND ART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10479, 26 June 1897, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERATURE AND ART.

The Daily Chronicle underitanda that Uγ. Henry Cuab i> making arrangements for starting a new morning daily paper, which will probably be run on Imperialist lines.

Her Majesty the Queen has graciously accepted the dedication to herself of the new volume by Sir George S. Clarke, K.C.M.G., F.R.S., entitled, "Imperial Defence," which will be published immediately by the Imperial Press.

Jlr. Lecky has written an article on Swift for the new edition of Swift's prose works, which will be commenced shortly by the issue of" The Tale of a Tub," under the editorship of Mr. Temple Tooth. Messrs. George Bell and Son are the publishers of the edition.

Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Webb are writing an exhaustive analysis of Trade Unionism and ita relation to other Democratic movements, to which "The History of Trade Unionism," published in 1894, may be regarded as an introduction. It is called " Industrial Democracy: a Study in Trade Unionism," and will fill two volumes. Messrs. Longman are the publishers.

Mrs. Olipbant has completed the annal6 of the famous publishing-house of Blackwood. The work will be in three or four volumes, but only two will be published this year—in the autumn. Mrs. Oliphant tells in detail the story of the Blackwoods, their magazine, their friends, and their correspondents. The work should afford some new and interesting information on the state of literary affairs at the beginning of the century, for the firm had connection with such famou? men as Sir Walter Scott, "Christopher North," Lockhart, Hogg, Coleridge, Dβ Quincey, Wordsworth, and Byron.

The original of the portrait of Swift that forma the frontispiece of the first volume was lent by a gentleman to the National Portrait Exhibition, held in South Kensington 30 years ago. Now the ownership of it is unknown, and tho reproduction has only been made possible through the courtesy of the authoritiei in permitting the use of the negative made at the time of the exhibition. The portrait is particularly valuable, inasmuch as it seems to be the only authentic one representing the Dean of St Patrick's as a young man. Ho is shown in clerical garb, and the face is striking and powerful without being handsome.

In connection with the new edition of Burnet's " History of My Own Time," now being issued by the Clarendon Press, under the editorship of Mr. Osmund Airy, the Westminster Gazette recalls Lamb's reference to the book in one of hi? letters to his friend Manning. After mentioning that he has been reading Burnet, Limb proceeds:—" Did yon ever road that garrulous, pleasant history? He tolls his own story like an old man past political service, bragging to his sons on winter evenings of the part he took in public transactions when his 'old cap was new.' Fall of scandal, which all true history i*. . . . Himself a party man —he makes yon a party man. None of the cursed philosophical Humeian indifference, so cold and unnatural and inhuman ! None of the cursed Gibbonian fine writing, so fine and composite. None of Dr. Robertson's periods with three member'. . . . Burnett good old prattle I can bring present to my mind ; I can make the Revolution present; to me."

In reply to n request from the editor of Pearson's Magazine a number of popular novelists tell the extent of their daily productivity. From these confessions we learn that Mr. Conan Doyle thinks from lf>0() to 2000 words a very good day's work ; that Mr. Crockett has done 4000 or 5000 words in n day, but is satisfied with 800; that Sir Walter Besant gives from eight to ten months to a novel of 180,000 words; bhnb Mr. Alden can seldom do more than 4000 words a day, because he has to clean his bicycle; that Mr. Hall Caine is content to produce 5000 or 6000 words in three or four days. John Oliver Hobbes does not write more than 150, but to balance her doliberateneea thero aro Mr. H. G. Wells and Mr. Frankfort Moore. Mr. Moore can do 4000 words a day for a month, and Mr. Welle has done 7000. But Mr. Welle is now reformed and penitent. And " I hope some day," he says, "to give two yeara to a book, and to be able to burn it at the end if Ido not like it. No novelist can do his best work until he feels free to do that."