LITERATURE AND ART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11692, 29 June 1901, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERATURE AND ART.

The " Temple Classics" edition of " Adam Bede" is to be published shortly by Messrs. Dent, in two volumes. They will have for their frontispieces photogravures of the original of Adam Bede (Geor- Eliot s father) and his house at Tewkesbury.

Messrs. S. W. Partridge and Co. are republishing their biography of James Chalmers, whose' murder has just been reported. The book is being brought, up to date by Mr. Frank Broad, of the London Missionary Society, and new illustrations inserted, including a portrait of the missionary from the latest photograph.

Messrs. J. M. Dent and Co. will publish shortly MoliereVcomedy "Less Precieuses Ridicules," in their Temple Moliere. Professor Frederic Spencer is editing the series, and supplies explanatory preface, glossary, and notes to this volume. The map of Loveland referred to in the play is reproduced in photogravure as frontispiece.

The Rev. Henry G. Graham, author of "Social Life in Scotland in the Eighteenth Century," has undertaken the work of writing the Glasgow volume for Messrs. Blackwood's admirable " Northern County Histories," and Mr. Hindus Groome. the editor of Chambers' Journal, who has been in very poor health for some time, will write the Border Counties for the same series.

Some selections from the works of Jacob Behmen, the Teutonic philosopher, will be published shortly by Messrs. Mailmen under the title of " The Supersensual Life," edited, with a. preface, by Mr. Bernard Holland. There is much in the temper of the present day to which the deep thoughts of this singular writer of the seventeenth century, who has always had his disciples, should prove congenial.

Mr.. Fisher Unwin will publish-, shortly "The Canadian Contingents and Canadian Imperialism: A Story and a Study," by W. Sanford Evans. The books shows the sacrifices Canada is making in the cause of Empire, and treats of the events and influences which awoke the spirit which made those sacrifices possible; the recruiting and despatching of the soldiers to the front; the service of the contingents in the fielc l , the excitement and the effect o£ the war in Canada. Useful appendices, such as lists of casualties, are added, and the illustrations and maps are of such a character as ttf convey at a glance the extent to which Canada is responding to the call of the Empire for support. The book is profusely illustrated from photographs.

The Literary World notices a book justpublished by John Smyth,, M.A. (New Zealand), D. Phil. (Edin.) It is entitled 'Truth and Reality, with special reference to Religion; or, A Plea, for the Unity of the Spirit and the Unity of Life in all its Manifestations." The Literary World says: — " We have given the title of this book at full length as the briefest way of indicating its contents. Dr. Smyth—as his mottoquotes from Ward's Gifford lectures a well-known dictum : 'till an idealistic (i.e., spiritualistic) view of the world can be sustained, any exposition of theism is but wasted labour;' and Professor Flint-, in an introductory note, says of Dr. Smyth's essay that it is ' admirably adapted' to interest and profit, not only all philosophic readers, but'thoughtful and educated men in general.' We cannot better that recommendation, with which Ave are in entire agreement. Dr. Smyth writes from Dunedin, in' New Zealand, and his essay won him the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Edinburgh University. It is not only good in itself, bub full of promise of riper work in days to come."

What is there to prevent the general adoption of reformed spelling in the modified form proposed by the English and American Philological Societies iu 1885? Principally the natural tbslike to change, and, secondarily, the vested interests. The first might be got over if the advantages to be derived from it were seen to bo supreme, which to most people they are not-. The vested interests would then have to give way. But a strong support to the latter comes from the sense of ridicule that is excited by the mere perusal of a page of reformed English. It reads so like a comic writer's dialect. For a- time many of us would spell with our "tung" in our cheek, and when we were in "tiubl," or things " lookt ruf," i he reformed spelling might help us to have a soul abuv" it. In those days we should go to the "theater," and our boots would be made of " lether;" we should, of course, be on pur "gard" against the " wether," which it is useless to '* abuze." We should write of " batls," or we might " cach" it hot from the reformers, who re " vest" when they find no one to " pick" into. These few nonsense lines illustrate a good many of the rules, which are printed in a leaflet.