NEWS AND NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14984, 4 May 1912, Page 4 (Supplement)

NEWS AND NOTES.

It is everybody's knowledge • now that Richard Dehan,'' the<*author of "The Pop Doctor,",.. Miss ~ Clotilde • Graves. Its successor from her pen as." Richard Dehan" is to have the 'title "Between Two Thieves.", This, new story, which may be looked for in the early ' summer, is said to be a strong, striking work. A novel by Mr. W. B. Maxwell is announced for early appearance by the house of Hutchinson. It is a study of temperament or character, and the title, "In Cotton Wool," has its significance. You have a man, who has an assured income, and ;in exchange for it he finds people who will perform for hira nearly all the duties of manhqod. ■■ He wraps himself in cottonwool, and within its packing loses all but the husk of himself. • \ " ■ " - ' ' 1■ . The history of the Charterhouse is rich in associations, as take, for example,' the role of its distinguished pupils. It contains the names of Joseph Addison, Richard Steele, • John Wesley, Grote and ThirlweU, .the historians, Sir Henry Havelock, William Makepeace Thackeray, John Leech, Lord Chief '.Justice Ellenborough, Archbishop Manners :' Sutton, •. arid- Sir •Richard Jebb. . We shall read of'them alii* also the' whole' story of the" Charterhouse,' in. a book , about it by Mr. W. F. -Taylor,* which* Dent is'-publishing. • v I Madame, Steinheil was the wife of a wellknown French painter, whose trial for the murder of her husband arid mother-in-law a few years ago was on© of the great European excitements of the. year. . Madame* Steinheil was found innocent arid left, Paris immediately after.the trial.V s During.Tier seclusion she has written her memoirs, and these are. to, be published immediately by .Mr. Everleigh. Nash . under the title.;of rMy . Memoirs." . ~As . Madame Steinheil was for many years one of the most ad- ! mired women in Paris", not the least famous among her many admirers being the late i Felix Faure, President of the trench Republic, this volume » likely to create something of a sensation in Social and artistic circles.

' The special spring number of " The Amateur Photographer and Photographic News" deals with the enormous spread of photography in Great Britain ana the colonies. It is full of fine pictures on art paper, printed in "colours, that will appeal to every camera-user, and shows the many directions in which the amateur can apply his i hobby. i The literary portion includes a mass "of practical, useful, and elementaiy ' articles of ' the greatest interest, with specially compiled - information for travellers in foreign, countries, concerning customs ; duties, facilities for travel, and permission to photograph; reviews! of new apparatus, and, in- addition, pages of hints and notes on various processes both practical and artistic.

Although the dramatic movement of the past 20 years has produced, both in England and America, many valuable books of criticism, there does' not exist ,in the English language any recognised handbook of' practical craftsmanship. " Play Making, " a work which Mr. William Archer has written, and which Chapman and Hall announce, is an attempt to fill this gap. While fully, admitting that no rules or prescriptions can supply the place of talent, Mr. Archer believes that , inexperienced talent can be greatly assisted by a study of the principles of "dramatic effect, or, in other words, of what to do and what to avoid in the endeavour to interest and move an audience .asembled in a theatre. His is not," then, a book of criticism, but of discussion and practical suggestion.

Many a good story is found in Miss Weston's " Life Among , Bluejackets," a new edition of which has just appeared. The writer relates how on one occasion she reminded Queen Victoria of a cabin which Her Majesty had given to one of the sailors' ; rests, and added that she could a tale unfold concerning it if the Queen would permit her. Her Majesty assented, : and Miss Weston related , how one day she came across two bluejackets discussing the cabin, and one of them said, rather sarcastically and sourly : "Did the Queen' give this herself, or did it come from the 'national funds? " Bather nettled, Miss Weston said: "The Queen gave (his cabin herself out of her own privy purse." " Shut up," said the big bluejacket; " you say a word against the Queen and I'll knock you ; down ! Don't take any notice of him, Miss Weston; let me have my say. I've sailed all over tho world, and I never, came across such a thing before; the Queen's my Queen, and I'd die for her any day; but now," pointing to the cabin/" she's my friend:" "The Queen," adds Miss Weston, " looked at * me, and the tears chased each other down her cheeks as she caid, "Thank you so much for telling me this; I shall never forget it.'"