LITERATURE AND ART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13193, 2 June 1906, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERATURE AND ART.

Mb. ' Hai-i.iwkll Sutcliffe's new novel Mr. "■Murray is just publishing is " A Benedick In Arcath'."

"A Girt of Spirit" is the title of a novel by Mr. Charles Gan-ice, which Messrs. Hutchinson are about to publish.

The lady" who is " Lucas Clecve" has finished a story in which she introduces the realm of the occult. It will be published by Mr. Fisher Unwin.

" The Wrong Envelope and Other Stories'' is the title of a volume by Mrs. Moleswqrth which ■ Messrs. - Macriiillan .'are publishing. Its contents are love stories for grown-ups. ■

: Mr. Rudyard Kipling prefers the night hours for work,, frequently sitting up until two or three. He is most elaborate in his methods, and pronounces aloud every word that he writes in order to test its fitness";, ■

ill*. Marion. Crawford, the novelist, is a distinguished linguist, and extremely cosmopolitan in his tastes and habits. The author of Mr. Isaacs." Mr.- Crawford's first success in fiction, is the son of the late Mr. Thomas Crawford, of New York, the sculptor of the Washington Monument.

Sir Robert- Anderson, who was the head of the Criminal Investigation Depattment at- Scotland Yard, has written a book entitled "Some Sidelights on the Home Rule Movement." These personal reminiscences, which Mr. Murray announces, cover tin period 1867 to 1889, and introduce many well-known names.

Mr. George Witt, K.C., whose sudden death in a London omnibus will be remembered, has left an autobiography, which Mr. Werner Laurie will publish. It is entitled " Life in the Law," and gives his memories of "Bench, Bar, and Circuit," arid also goes back to his boyhood and to hie association with .Jefferson'Davie and other Confederacy leaders. ■ : '; -

A novel-by . M*'. Richard Whiteing appears with Messrs. "Hutchinson, '.under.- the title "Ring in the , New." Although lie has been engaged on" it for. two years, it might have' been begun after the political and social upheaval of the general election. The setting of . the story is mainly in London, with its i wonders of cosmic lile, scon-' ery, arid characterthe liiii'ror of the world.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's White '".'.Company" is" being issued by Messrs. Longman as a reading book lor advanced clauses. Itwill be in an abridged form, like an edition of his "Micah Clarke" wluch lias ad ready appeared as a school book. Sir Nigel, the hero of Sir Arthur' Conan Doyle's newest romance, which is running serially in the Strand Magazine, was also the hero of "The White Company."

Mine. Albanesi's many . readers ■ will be glad to know : that' a ; new story -by her is appearing with Messrs. Hurst and Blackett. It is entitled :" A: Young Man lrom the Counti'j" s Albanesi is happy at titles—and is a bright story of incident, observation, and character study. In line, it is a story in the vein of delicacy and insight which distinguishes Mme. A'.banesi's liteiary work. 'ft.

Considerable interest attaches to Father Tyrrell's new book, which Messrs. Longman are about to publish. It is a sequel to Jus " Lex Orandi," which was criticised from the Roman Catholic standpoint as not being orthodox. Now comes his reply, u.at of a Komau Catholic priest- who is 110 longer a Jesuit. Father 'lyrrell is regarded as one of the ablest writers in the English Roman Catholic Church, Me is at present in Italy.

The manuscripts of Count Tolstoi, who, by "the bye, must be viewing events in Russia with feverish interest, usually contain such, a - mass of corrections that it is quite., impossible for the compositors to read tliem. The consequence is that, - they are copied out by someone' who is familiar with the :eccentricities of- the author's penmanship. His proofs, in: nearly every line "of which' there is some alteration, are almost equally difficult to decipher when they are returned to the printer.

Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema, the distinguished painter, is a strong believer in the 'luckiness of numbers. His lucky number is seventeen. His wife, he will tell you, was seventeen when he first met her; the. number of the house to which he took her when they wore married was seventeen, his present house bears the same number doubled; and the first spade was put to the work of rebuilding it on August 17 in 1886. It was on November 17 that he and his family first took up their residence there.

During last month Mr. Heinemann published several novels which promise to be interesting. One by the Hon. Caroline Grosvenor, who entities it "The Bands of Orion," is a- story of modem society life. Another, " The Sin of George Warrener," is a novel of American suburban life by Miss Marie van Vorst. Then Baroness von Hnt-teu has written a further story of her excellent heroine, "Ram"— What' Recti ma of Ram." And. fourthly, Mr. Heiiiemann is issuing,a political novel, " Things That are G'tesar's," by Mr. IT. X. Dickinson.

We have had little information about the Philippines since they passed from the control of Spain, and so little concerning the first attempt made by the Americans to govern an Oriental.dependency. Mi. Murray is publishing it book by an English lady. Mrs. Campbell lhiuncey, who spent nearly a. year in the islands, and had the best opportunity of studying both the Filipinos and their new rulers. She gives in it very lively .descriptions of the- land and the people, of social customs, and administrative difiiculties.

A book of travel in the Far East, by Count Vay de Vtiva, the representative of one of the oldest Hungarian families, is -appearing. The author was intended for the diplomatic service, but after being engaged in it for some lime betook orders, and in due course was appointed a Monsignor. He lias made it a duty to travel in all parts of the world studying the working of Soman Catholic missions and institutions. It was •that task which took him to the' East ' just before the Japanese war, a notable time, as his hook will show. J

Mr. John Mascfield has written a book about the Spanish -Main, and Messrs. Methuen are to publish it. The volume contains many romantic details of the life of the Elizabethan seamen, especially the. old buccaneers. It traces. carefully, as from within, the gradual rise of that romantic caste among the lawless islands on the Spanish Main. The laws, customs, and haunts of the pirates are described, and something is said of their most famous ships, as, for instance, the Royal Fortune, and of their chief captains, such as Roberts and Teach. ' -

Two novels which Messrs. Chatto are about to publish find their scenes in far separated parts of the world. In " Har'.ev Greenoak's Charge" Mr. Bertram Mitford writes of South Africa, and in " The Ferry of Fate" Mr. Samuel Gordon treats of Russian Jewry. Mr. Mitford's chief hero is a resourceful upcountry hunter, who undertakes the guidance of an adventure-seeking young Englishman on a visit to South Africa— hence the title. On the other hand, Mr. Gordon's hero is a young Jew who has worked his way into the charmed circle of the higher Russian bureaucracy.

Mr, Holman Hunt, the famous artist, commenced his serious career in an auctioneer's office. When business was slack he was in the habit of wiling away the time Inpainting flies on the windowmade of ground glass the • room .'in' which lie worked. The principal noticed the gradual accumulation of flies, which lie imagined were the genuine article, and one day* seeing a greater number oil the window than ever, lie whipped out his handkerchief and endeavoured to flick them oft'. Fortunately young Hunt did not get into hot water. The head of the firm was fond of art, and whenever there was notu.ng doing in office hours used to invite his employee to join him in a little drawing.