LITERATURE AND ART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11538, 24 November 1900, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERATURE AND ART.

Professor S.UNTsmraY is busy over a history of criticism and literary taste in Europe. " Sons of the Covenant" is a novel by Mr. Samuel Gordon, which Messrs. Sands announce. It is a study of the main characteristics which have helped the Jew to his position as an important factor in European society. Messrs. Smith, Elder, and Co. have published a book with the title, "The Men of the Merchant Service," by Frank T. Bullen. The author's objectexpressed in a plain if not complimentary way—is to " disperse some of the astounding ignorance of maritime matters manifested by British people generally." John Stuart Blackie left behind him notebooks and manuscripts in which he had set down his thoughts and reflections. These are now being selected and edited by his nephew and literary executor, Dr. Stodart Walker, of Edinburgh. The result will be a volume of singular interest, which we may get under the title, " The Day-book of John Stuart Blackie." It is said that Lord Peel will assist Ina, Duchess of Argyll, in the production of the autobiography of the Duke of Argyll, which was left to his widow for completion. The late duke left an enormous number of papers and letters for incorporation in the work, and the selection from these of such as will be interesting without giving unnecessary offence is an extremely delicate task. The cause of Mr. Anthony Hope's retirement from the political arenahis illness is a matter for regret. .We are not sure that the fact is to be regretted. Political life is said to be very absorbing, and we should like Mr. Anthony Hope always to have leisure for more " Dolly Dialogues." Meanwhile, his. new novel, " Quisante," which Messrs. Methuen have already published, will deal with political life in England. Some characters of social importance will be introduced, but the career of Alexander Quisante, member for Denstead, his political and amatory experiences, will be the pivot of the story. Mr. Ernest Radford has for some time been engaged in preparing a handsome illustrated edition of BoswelT's " Life of John-, son," and the work will be ready in half a dozen volumes before Christmas. Messrs. Constable and Co. will be the publishers, and the text used will be that of Mr. Augustine Birrell's, which was first issued a few years ago. Mr. Radford has collected a long series of portraits of persons referred to by Boswell and upwards of a hundred of these will be given. Mrs. Dollie Radford, by the way, whose " Poet's Larder and Other Stories" is about, to be published by Mr. Arrowsmitb, has also a new volume of poems nearly ready for the press. Among Messrs. Blackwood and Sons' autumn announcements there is a new book on China, " The Englishman in China in the Victorian Era," by Alexander Machie. It is a biography of Sir Rutherford Alcock, •ate Minister in China and Japan, and something more : it is an account of the political and commercial development "of foreign intercourse with China and Japan in the last half-century. The same firm will publish a new volume in their memorial edition of the late W. G. Steevens' works, entitled " From Capetown to Ladysmith and Egypt in 1898." In this edition will bo given several new letters from Ladysmith which Mr. Steevens failed to get through the Boer lines during the siege. These letters were afterwards found among the author's papers when the town was relieved, and they now form, with those first published, a complete story of Mr. Steevens' experiences from his landing at Capetown to the time of his death. • - J