LITERATURE AND ART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12272, 16 May 1903, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERATURE AND ART.

Mb. Kipling Las a new volume of poems in preparation, but- it will not be published probably before the end of the year.

Lucas Malefc (Mrs. St. Leger Harrison) intends' to visit India for the benefit of her health. Overtures have been made to her for the dramatisation of " Sir Richard Calmady," but they have been declined.

Mr. Stephen Phillips, we find, has not abandoned his intention of writing a drama on the episode of David and Bathsheba in consequence oi Mr. Archer's warning. On the contrary, the presentation of "Bathsheba" may be expected in the autumn at St. James' ; that is, if the censor consents.

Mr. Edward Mervyn Archdale, M.P., whose resignation of his yeat for North Fermanagh is reported, belongs to a family with a Parliamentary record that is perhaps without a parallel. An Archdale—or Archdall, as it was written in the eighteenth centuryrepresented County Fermanagh in the Irish and English Parliaments for a continuous period of 150 years.

Mrs. Patrick Campbell was the guest at a supper arranged in her honour by Mr. Peter Dunne (" Doolcy") on her recent American tour. She was in great form, so .tlio American papers say, and surveyed America, its customs, manners, laws, and characteristics, and finished by an appeal to Mark Twain. "Don't you agree with me, Mr. Clemens, that the Americans are a wonderful people?" "They are,' said Mark, " a wonderfully patient people."

Some remarkable prices were realised at American book sales during the course, of last year. A copy of the 1624 edition of Shakespere's " Rape of Lucrece" was sold for £385; £405 was paid for a quarto Bible with the imprint " London : Printed by Mark Basket!, 1752," and lucking the title-page of the New Testament. A copy of the. first edition of " Trio Imitation of Christ," printed at Augsburg in 1471, brought £320, and this had been offered in Quaritch's catalogue in 1876 at £21. A little pamphlet of eight pages, with the unattractive title, " A True Account of the Dying Words of Ockanickon." printed at London in 1682, realised £290.

The Bookman for April is a Robert Burns number, and, in addition to a large number of portraits and views of the homes and haunts of Burns, contains two special articles on the poet, one by Sir' George Douglas, Bait., and the other'by Mr. W. S. Crockett, author of "The Scott Country." "The characteristic of Burns is' this," says Sir George Douglas, "that of all great poets, he most completely reveals his own personality, and hence comes nearest to his reader." This because his utterance was lyrical, and lyrical poets are most frequently personal. " The subject-matter is their own experience and emotion rather than so many imaginary experiences of'so many imaginary persons."

Under the title of " '.the Simple Life Series" a new series of artistic " booklets with a mission" is being published, the first four numbers of which were issued on April 16. The idea- is to produce in a very inexpensive, but tasteful and attractive form, some of the smaller gems of the world's literature, which definitely appeal to the higher feelings and higher reason, or tend in some way to promote friendliness, cooperation, and simplicity of life and mind. The series, however, will not be entirely confined to the acknowledged teachers, but will also include messages from their modern representatives. The booklets are published by "The Simple Life Press," from 5. Water Lane, London, E.G., and include: " The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam," translated by Fitzgerald, a, reprint of the first edition, at del; " The Apology of Socrates," and selections from ancient and modern classics.