LITERATURE AND ART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13583, 12 September 1908, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERATURE AND ART.

Mr. Keighlet Snowden has finished a novel called "The Life Class," and Mr. Werner Laurie announces it.

"My Lost Self" is an adventure tale by Mr. A. W. Marchmont, which Messrs. Cassell will' publish next month.

Mr. Marmaduke Pickthall's new novel, " The Children of the Nile," was published last month by Mr. Murray.

Prince Pierre Troubetskoy is the author of a novel entitled "The Paeser-by," which Mr. Grant Richards announces.

"The Crooked Way" is a sensation tale by Mr. William Le Queux, which Messrs. Methuen have in their autumn list. ~*\

Mr. Andrew Carnegie has written a book entitled " Capital and Labour," and it will be published by Messrs. George Allen and. Sons.

"The Land of the Living" is the. title of a new tale by the American writer, Mr. M. R. Warren, which Messrs. Harper are to publish.

Tn September Messrs. Longman will publish " Further Experiences of an Irish R.M.," by Miss Somerville and Mies Martin Ross.

Messrs. Cliatto have just published "Weeping Cross," a novel by Mr. H. L. Stuart, which is said in a way to suggest " John Inglesaut."

Mr. Arthur Train, an American authority on criminology, is the author of a book, " True Stories of Crime," which Mr. Werner Laurie announces. - x

Mr. Werner Laurie announces a novel by Miss May Oponehaw, who places the plot of it in the French Revolution, It has the title, "The Loser Pays."

Dr. C. H. H. Wright has a book entitled "Light from .Egyptian Papyri on. Jewish History Before Christ." appearing with Messrs. Williams and Norgate.

The Rev. R. J. Campbell is gathering some of hie Thursday morning addresses at tho City Temple into a volume, which Mr. Fisher Unwin announces. If the addresses do not exactly deal with the New Theology they, could hardly be expected to leave it alone.

Mr. Upton Sinclair means to write a trilogy of novels on the contemporary business and social lifo of New York. His " Metropolis," which appeared in the spring, was the first instalment of this trilogy. He is now engaged upon a second story, which will carry on the characters, and" which will have the title, "The Money-Changers."

By a lucky chance, says the Paris correspondent of the London Chronicle, the police have discovered the individual who stole a number of statuettes, including one of Iris, from the Louvre Museum. A detective quite accidentally overheard a dispute between a man and woman, in which the latter threatened to denounce her companion as the author of the robberies.

A volume of stories of incident and action by that powerful writer* Mr. Joseph Conrad, will appear with Messrs. Methuen. One tale has to do with a South American bandit; another is an attempt to realise the spirit of the Napoleonic era; a third concerns the sea; and a fourth adventures at Naples. It is thought that in these stories Mr. Conrad reaches much excellence of artistry. .

" Hardy-on-the-Hill" Mrs. Francis entitles a novel which Messrs. Methuen are about to publish for her. The scene of it is laid in Dorset, the county with which many of her stories are concerned. Of course, Dorset is the backbone of Mr. Hardy's Wessex, and perhaps it is not far from that to the title of Mrs. Francis' book. The hero is a rich young yoeman, but the tale is largely concerned with a retired Oxford professor and his daughters.

Mrs. Gertrude Athorton is still in Munich, where she spent the winter and the spring. She may, however, run over to her native California in the early autumn. She likes Munich, and finds it a good place to write in; but her American stories make it necessary, of course, that she should keen in touch with the scenes of them. If she goes to America she is pretty certain to break her journey in London, where she has many friends.

Napoleon and Nelson are prominent in the pages of a sea story which Mr. Alfred Ollivant has written for Mr. Murray. The shadow of Lady Hamilton also lie* across the book, which is an epic of Imperialism —sane Imperialism. The story is elemental — deals with the earth, the sea, and the hearts of heroes. Its motive is a plot to kidnap Nelson at a critical moment in our history. Napoleon's agent—for it is his plot—is "Tho Gentleman" of the title of the tale.

The "Remittance Man" is rather a «ore subject with our kinsfolk, say, in Canada or Australia. He is an Englishman who has been sent to the colonics to get him out of the way. The colonials say ho is bumptious and patronising, and that they have 'no use" for him. Even so there is no reason why the "remittance man" should not make an interesting book, for he is a club of human nature. Such a hook, called "The- Letters of a Remittance Man to His Mother," Mr- W. H. P. Jam's has written for publication by Mr. Murray.

A book dealing with the " International Problems and Hague Conferences" is just ready with Messrs. Dent. It is written by Mr- T. J. Lawrence, and it attempts to show that the Hague Conferences are not isolated events, but links in a great chain of social evolution. Mr. Lawrence gives in plain terms, which anybody may understand, an account of just what tho successive Hague Conferences have accomplished. In closing his book he describes the dangers of neutral life and property which would be involved in a war at sea under present conditions.

Mr. Archibald Forbes wrote a history of that famous Highland regiment, the "Black Watch"a popular history. Another history, which is no doubt fuller and more official, is about to appear with Messrs. Blackwood. It is based on the regimental records and on other authorities published and unpublished. At the end there is a narrative of the part which the eecond battalion of the Black Watch took in the South African war. The book is dedicated to General Wauchope, for thirty-threo years an officer of the regiment, who fell at Magcrsfonteiu.

Mr. George Moore's recent associations with Ireland are to make us his debtor for a book which ho proposes to name "Hail and Farewell." He has been telling the London literary correspondent of the New York Times all about it. One gathers that Mr. Moore. was rather disappointed in the country of his fathers ; and, indeed, the title suggests as much. Anyhow, the book will present Ireland ae ho saw it, not omitting the capital, of which Mr. Moore blandly observes, " Dublin is now divided into two sets; one half is afraid it will be in the book, and the other half is afraid it won't."

Lord Cromer, literary stylist! The famous pro-Consul may care to know that in America his book, " Modern"Egypt," has made a special impression for ite stylo. Witness what the weighty Evening Post of New York says: — " Here is- a man who has never been known as a professional writer, who has had no literary practise beyond the composition of official reports; yet who now comes forward ae a master of lucid statement and apt phrase-, able to, convey hie thought vividly and precisely in language which attracts no more attention to itself than the dress of a woman of perfect taate. The instance shows that the writing of good English is neither a trick nor to toe acquired ae such."