LITERATURE AND ART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13781, 20 June 1908, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERATURE AND ART.

" Thk House Galled Hurrish," . a new novel by "Rita," will appear in the early autumn through."Messrs. Hutchinson. .; %

Mr. Ernest. Oldmeadow, who wrote "Susan," has a new novel appearing with Mr. ("Irani Richards, under the title " Aunt Maud."

A book on radio-telegraphy, which is the technical name for wireless telegraphy, is appearing with Messrs. Constable. Itis; by Mr. C. 0. F. Monckton.

Mr. Jacques Ftttrelle, an American., notwithstanding his name," who writes capital detective stories, has a novel of that order annealing with Messrs. Collier, "The Chase of the Golden Plate." '..-."'

Will Sir Robert Hart, who is now in England, write a book telling the story of his life-work in China? He should, for it would be better than a romance; but he is a very modest man, and, it has been said that he lost some of his papers, with other belongings, during the siege of Pekin. Still, what a chance for a publisher! .

Dr. Rene Jonnnci, of.Toulouse, has made an interesting discovery- of a cave with prehistoric drawings between,; Foix and Lc Mas d'Azil, in the Department of Ariege. In. addition to drawings of horses and aurochs, he found, says the Athemeum, about 40 designs, among which was the silhouette of- a human being. The date of.the drawings, which are, in red and black, can be roughly; determined by the fact that they include reindeer.

Mr. and Mrs. Egerton Castle's next book will have the title " Diamond Cut Paste," an adapted form of a familiar saying. They have been telling the London literary gossip of the New York Times that it is a modern comedy novel. It is light and seeks to do for the twentieth century what " The Bath Comedy" did for the eighteenth. Mr. and Mrs. Castle have in sight a further novel, to have the title "A Garden Enclosed/' which is from the Song of Solomon.

An account, at first hand, of the life of a seaman during the great period, 1780 to 1817, is given in a book which Mr. Murray has in the press. It tells — his own words story of one William Richardson, ' who began as a cabin-boy in the merchant service, and became a warrant officer in the navy. He took part in Abercromby's expedition to St. Lucia, in Strachan's action after Trafalgar, and he was employed in rigging up the fireships for the attack in the Basque Roads, of which he gives a vivid description.

A biography of Lord Kelvin has been written for Dent's English Men of Science series by Professor Andrew Gray, who succeeded him in the Chair of Natural Philosophy at Glasgow University, and who was his intimate friend. Lord Kelvin's work as an investigator and teacher, the subjects with which he dealt and in which he made discoveries, his ®tpsriments and theories, are fully explained. A photogravure portrait will-add to the interest of this life of a man who was the honoured head, of physical science, and who rests beside Newton in Westminster Abbey.

Dr. Arabella Kenealy's life of her father, Dr. Kenealy, who was prominent'v connected with the Tichbome case, is nearly ready, with Ml*. John Long. It may almost be said that-here was one who sacrificed a distinguished career to the cause of the Tichborne claimant. For Dr. Kenealy was a scholar, a poet, a theologian, ana an orator, as well as a lawver, and Beaconsfield called him an " incomparable genius." In this book much of which is autobiographical, there will be found memories of Beaconsfield, Bulwer Lytton, Monckton Milnes A John Bright; and other notables. " _ , .

This summeu'e celebrations at Quebec will give interest to Sir. A. G. Bradley's new book on Canada which Messrs. Constable are- published. It may be called a sequel to his "The Fight with France for North America." It tells the story of the next half century, of the first- 50 years of British rule in Canada, during which there occurred three events vitally contributory to the making of the Dominion as we now know it. One was the successful defence of Quebec, and consequently the integrity of the colony, in the American War of Independence; another the immenso influx of loyalists from the- old colonies, and the third the war of 1812-14, in which British and French Canadians fought together in a successful defence of their common country.

The romantic story of the picture purchased at a London auction, which on expert examination proved to be painted over a Rembrandt worth £8000, is curiously reminiscent of the discovery, of a Corrcggio under similar circumstances. A good many years ago, the Westminster Gazette assures us, two picture-restorers, Lovera and Hunterspergh, bought at an art sale in Rome a number of old pictures, in order to provide themselves with canvases for repainting. In the division of the spoils Hunterspergh received an indifferent picture of flowers, on which he painted a study of a head. This picture lie offered to Lovero'} who on close examination found that the new ground scaled off, and that underneath were traces of a figure painted in a style that denoted the hand of a master. Replacing the scales, and concealing his discovers, he purchased the picture for little more than the value of the canvas. Removing the two grounds he disclosed an exceedingly clever painting by Corregcjio, which he sold to the Earl of Bristol for £1500.

Writing on May 8, our London correspondent says:—This afternoon I have received from Mr. T. Fisher Unwin, the wellknown publisher, a copy of Dr. H. S. Lunn's book, " Municipal Lessons " from Southern Germany." To this book Sir John Gorst contributes an enlightening introduction. : The work is an account of visits paid to the Continent in 1907 by the committee of the municipal authorities, for the study of municipal institutions. They went to some of the principal cities of Southern Germany. In every .sense the book is an informing one, but New Zealanders will, perhaps, be more interested in what Sir John Gorsfc has to say than in which actually befel those who took part in the tour, especially as German municipal governments appear to be more like those in the Dominion than with the more bureaucratic form of ; local government possessed here. Sir John pays a tribute to the Kaiser. Thus: "The German Emperor, whom certain journals and politicians in our country credit with deep designs against Great Britain, at once perceived the significance and importance of the project, and appreciated the good effect •it would have in bringing the people of Germany and Great Britain to know and understand each other better; a close acquaintance would, in his judgment, be the means of counteracting the sinister misrepresentations of mischief-makers in both countries, of cementing the alliance between the two nations, and of thus giving an additional security for the peace of the world. The first "thing that strikes a British councillor in a foreign city is the varietv of the functions with which, for the benefit of the citizens, the. public authority charges itself. _ The benevolent anxiety about the possible losses risked by muni» cipal trading is little felt abroad. .; . . Nobody supposes that all this public social work improves the chances of that bugbear of the British middle class, witlnvhich vested interests so easily frighten them— socialism. Indeed, in Berlin, the Social Democrats complained that the German people were made so happy and contented by their excellent municipal administration that the divine discontent* essential for carrying out revolutionary changes, was altogether wanting; it was a case in which the slave basely hugged his chains. When you come to inquire why this varied adminstration is so efficient, and why the people get such good value for the expenditure of public money, of which not a sixpence is thrown away, the answer is not difficult to discover. The affairs of the cit"- are managed not by amateurs, but bv experts." Since his visit to New Zealand Sir John Gorst has been no coward. in voicing opinions that many people look upon as unmistakably radical.