Literary Notes.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1060, 23 June 1892, Page 12

Literary Notes.

Edited by C. W. Readers of the Mail who are interested in literary subiects anil who meet with an? dlßioulijea in the study thereof, are invited to put their trouble into a quesHonancl send it to this Co ll.nu and an answer will be giveu herein ns early as convenient. Publishers nnd booksellers are invited to send books and publications of general interest for notice fu th's column, thereby enabling country readers to to be in touch with the latest works in the colony. As an encouragement to literary beginners t e editor will faiily and honestly criticisa any wiitings sent to Mm for That purpose nnd short contribuUons frnm readers will be welcomed for publication. Address all communications for this column to the Literary Editor, New ZhAhAND Mail. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. J Bubke. —Ausivers to your various queries ‘will be found over the leading articles m another column. WRITERS OF TO-DAY. No 3. MRS HUMPHREY WARD. Pabt I. ‘ Have you read “Robert Etsmere was an oft-repeated question when Mrs Wurd gave to the reading and literary world her remarkable intellectual study after about three years’ careful and labourious work. It was the book of the time, and we still have multitudes ready to real the story when it is procurable. So soon as it was known that the authoress was busily enaged on another woik, naturally enough there wero many speculations made as to what it would be like. Although 4 Robert Elsmere 1 still holds its ground'’ and has been eminently successful from an author’s and publisher’s point of view, the admirers of Mrs Ward required something further to titillate aud gratify the literary palate, and she lia9 satisfied thi» desire‘by contacting and delivering to her readers the remarkable ‘ History ot David Grieve,’ the book of the year. Mary Augusta Arnold was born in the month of June, 1851. She is the remarkable daughter of a well-known man, the granddaughter of a remarkable grandfather, and the niece of a renowned uncle. Her father is Thomas Arnold, a man of considerable learning, a Master of Arts of Oxford, and possessing much literary talent. Mrs WArd may well be proud of her relationship with the illustrious Thomas Arnold, of Rugby, and Matthew Arnold, his son. Grandfather, uncle and niece, a remarkable trio indeed; on unusually bright galaxy of talent, all members of one eminent family. Mrs Ward, is a colonial by birth, bufc has little recollection of her colonial life. She was born at Hobart, Tasmania; bufc when about five yeais of age removed with her parents from the genial climate of her birth-place to England, where the has resided in the older country ever since. Her husband is Mr Thomas Humphory Ward, also an Oxford man of considerable attainments, who has done a great deal of excellent work, and has ably contributed to the columns of the Times. Miss Arnold was married on the 6fch day of April, 1872. All the surroundings of Mrs Humphrey Ward have tended to make her illustrious. No doubt heredity may be counted for something in her case; but, admitting that she was born under a lucky star, or that Fate smiled upon her, or that a remarkable comet appeared at the time of her birth, that she is a lucky woman, and so on, it is an absolute fact that Mrs Humphrey Ward could never have attained to eminence if she had not learned the glorious lesson in early life—that what is worth doing at all is worth doing well. She learned that there is no royal road to literary eminence, that to succeed groat pains must bo taken, that with the natural inclination and desire there muet be labour and close attention to details. In ‘ David Grieve ’ she says the most interesting things in life are details, and details she must have. , Her marriage with her husband has proved a most happy partnership, and the mutuality of tastes, desires, and aims has been of great value to both. The union of two persons of congenial feelings must be highly beneficial in the literary calling. We have several remarkable instances, for example, J. R. Greeu and his wife, Henry Fawcett and his wife, klaik Pattiaon aud his wife, and the most romarkable of all instances the union between G. H. Lewes and George Eliot. Mr Ward, a ripe scholar, always at hand to offer counsel and direction, aided and cherished his wife on her road. No doubt the wife’s experience at first was a groping in the dark, but all the while feeling her way securely until she emerged into the light, and, having seen the light, was then able to give to the reading world two surprises iu the shape of books of unusual power and of careful thought. After her marriage she became a close student, and devoted a great part of her time to study close, careful, indefatigable study so that she might grasp and hold the knowledge which is power, that useful knowledge which enabled her to express herself in homely Anglo-Saxon, and convey to her readers the stories of ‘Robert Elsmere’ and ‘David Grieve,’ so that, the books being onoe taken in hand, the reader has no desire to put.either down until the end has been reached. As she read and studied of course she had. a desire to write. She essayed literary matter for the magazines, and her bantlings saw the light in several of them. Amongst the many subjects of stady which engaged her attention after marrriago, Mis Ward acquired an intimate knowledge of old Spanish history and literature, and in later years she studied modern Spanish with much success—an article on modern Spanish literature appearing in the pages of the Quarterly Review. There is abundant evidence at an early period to prove conclusively the high standard of Mrs Ward s ability and capacity for the profession of letters. John Murray, the publisher in the year 1880 had arranged to send forth au edition of Smith and Wace’s • Dictionary of Christian Biography and Mrs Ward was

entrusted by the learned Dr W ace with the compulation of a great deal of the matter in the dictionary, and she performed her work with marvellous skill and exactitude. She was specially sought after on account of her Spanish historical studies. The nature of the compilation required her close application, and the work being of a critical nature enforced her to use her teat endeavours to make her work perfect and reliable. Of course the excellent training which this compilation must have proved may have induced her to allow her mental faculties to dvvell upon many serious and intricate questions. What effect the work actually had . upon the compiler is mere matter of speculation, but it may have led her to the deep thought out of which ‘Robert Elsmere was afterwards evolved. I think it matters very little. It is of no consequence whether Mr 3 Ward assisted in compiling the dictionary or not; she would have performed her feat of giving us 4 Robert Elsmere’ just the same. Mr and Mrs Ward continued to reside at Oxford after their marriage until the year 1881, when they decided to cast their lot in the great Metropolis, where she was so soon to be one of the great lions of the literary and thinking world. Her connection with the Pall Mall Gazette was continued, and when we know that the editor of the journal at the time of her coming to London was John Mnrloy, we may feel assured that her articles were of standard quality. The articles of < M.A.W.’ were frequent, and will, as a matter of course, bo read now with new interest in the light of the fact of the great eminence attained by the then tyro. She seems to have deliberately set out to qualify herself for the calling which now she so signally adorns. Not being over ambitious, she deemed it wise philosophy not to rush in where angels feared to tread, bufc rather to adopt the more prudent course of carefully counting her forces and then preparing for the fray. Up to the year 1882 she had not essayed work of any length. Viewing the character of the authoress it may be well assumed that she preferred to reserve her power and make no effort to soar high until she felt she was able to use her wing 3. The study of Mrs Humphrey Ward’s character, or so much of it as is known, is one that will be found profitable not only to the literary aspirant bufc to all her readers. Sho had an earnest desire to do good work, to succeed she gave close application to study, and possessed a readiness to face difficulties, with a determination to overcome them, and paid great attention to details —and by details is meant the- little affairs of everyday life. She vvas imbued with the spirit of that human vanity which impels one to do what one has to do with all one’s might, with the hope of carrying off a prize, not for the mere gratification of°vulgar superiority, bufc as affording satisfaction to the successful one, the gaining a crown as a reward for having made an honest effort. Marion Crawford, in 4 The Threo Fates, devotes some attention to the question of vanity as affecting the aims and motives of huraun beings. 4 To say that any man who succeeds in the race for superiority of any sort is without vanity is downright nonsense; to assert that any man can reach success without it would be to state more than anyone has yet been able to prove.’ Here Crawford puts the matter very clearly and with plain force.. Mrs Ward had the honour and traditions of the Arnold family to sustain, and well she has maintained her ground. The sign manual of superiority has been stamped on the names of her grandfather and uncle, and she now occupies a position as noteworthy as either of those distinguished personages. I propose to devote some attention to her memorable relatives at this stage, hoping that my remarks will bring my subjects into bolder relief. J .T. (To be concluded next week.)

GOSSIP. The London Daily Telegraph, which boasts the largest circulation in the world, is about to be permanently enlarged. Mr George Augustus Sala recently acted as editor, in place of Mr Lawson, who was ill. By the wav, Mr Sala writes a leader a day for the Daily Telegraph, and, referring to his connection with that paper, he once said that he received fclio 4 treatment of a gentleman and the pay of an ambassador. Although the Telegraph boasts the largest circulation in the world it does not possess it, Lo Petit Journal, of Paris, a halfpenny paper, having 800,000 circulation —:inore than twice that of the Telegraph. A London correspondent writes: —For short stories, especially short stories in which Mr Sherlock Holmes figures, Dr Conan Doyle can now demand as high a price as even Barrie or Kipling. Arrowsmith lias just agreed to pay him a phenomenal rate for writing the novelette for his next Christmas annual. It was, of course, this class of work that first brought Conan Doyle to the front. 4 A Study in Scarlet, which, as I have often told you, is one of the best detective stories extant, originally appeared as 4 Beeton’s Annual ’ a few years ago. For that, however, I am told, the author was glad to accept a modest £25. The first number of Sala’s Journal, a new penny weekly edited by G.A.S., has appeared at Home, and is said to bo an excellent production. The veteran journalist contributes a, lengthy budget of gossip bearing the curious title 4 You don’t say so 1’ MacMillans’ are bringing out yet another edition of 4 Pickwick.’ Of this the Star Loudon correspondent says :—MacMillans’ 3s Gd copy of the first edition of 4 Pickwick,’ with an introduction by the present Charles Dickens, and reproductions of the suppressed Buss Plates, the cover, &c., is a very cheap book, and completely spoils the market for Chapman’s 4 Crown ’ (ss) and 4 Charles Dickens ’ (33 6d) editions. The latter firm is very angry and aver that they never expected 4 such doings ’ from people of MacMillans’ standing. Of course the copyright has long expired, and legally anyone can now publish 4 Pickwick.’ Chapmans, however, imply they

have moral rights which should have been respected. The public can safely leave this little bickering match to the parties concerned. The 4 Pickwick ’ is a noble * Pickwick ' as regards size, nrint, and binding, and particularly worth two shillings and eightpence, the discount price in London. Alphonse Daudefc’s next book is to deal with life amongst the gipsies. The celebrated French novelist is said to feel very sore over Pierre Loti’s election to the ranks of 4 The Forty Immortals ’ of the Frenoh Academy, as lie considers lie had a prior claim. A sketch of Daudefc’s life and works will be published in an early issue of the Mail. Gladstone has produced a quantity of literature during his life. The G.O.M.’s works occupy no less than twenty-two pages in the printed catalogue at the British Museum. Mr T. M. Allen, the clever author of ‘Through Green Glasses, has a new book ready entitled 4 Green as Grass,’ which is, I undetstand, a collection of short stories of a highly humourous character.