LITERARY GOSSIP.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1756, 1 November 1905, Page 22

LITERARY GOSSIP.

Mr Arthur H. Adams, Editor of the “New Zealand Times,” is represented in the excellent Christmas number of the “Sidney Mail” by contributions in both prose and verse. His story of “The First Man into Peking” is as graphic and animated a bit of writing as one could desire, and has besides the merit of high literary quality. “An Australian Wooing” is the appropriate title of Mr Adams’s verse®, which are based on a. quaint and humorous conceit. They are accompanied by several spirited equestrian illustra/tions by Mr Fred Leist. Messrs Dent announce the early publication of “The Life and Letters of Queen Mary of Modena,” the consort of James 11. of Efigland. The book will, it is said, contain letters and despatches which have not been previously printed!. The veteran scientist Dr Alfred Rus-

sel Wallace, the co-discoverer with Darwin of the principle of Natural Selection. has written an autobiography, which will shortly be published. Another biograph of Charles Stewart Parnell is in course of preparation by his sister, Mrs Dickinson. Mr Wilfrid Ward has been entrusted with the task of writing the late Cardinal Newman’s biography. Other biographies promised are “The Life and Work of Slir Lawrence AlmaFadema,” by Percy Cross Standing, and “The Life of Granville George Leveson Gower, S'econd Earl of Granville,” by Lord Edmond Fitz Maurice. A new volume of essays by Augustine Birrell is announced for early publication. Messrs Putnam will shortly publish “Practical Rifle-shooting,” by Mr W. Winans, a book -which should prove of interest to volunteers and sportsmen. “The Story of the Harp,” by Dr. W. H. Grattan Flood, is the latest edition to the “Music Story Series” published by Walter Scott. Captain Mahan’s new work, “Sea Power in its Relation to the War of 181,2.” will shortly be published’ in two volumes by Messrs Sampson Low. The following are among the new novels announced for early publication: “The Dream and the Business,” by John Oliver Hobbes; “Adventures of a Supercargo,” by Louis Beeke ; “The Speculations of John Steele,” by Robert Barr; “Maurice,” by Joseph Keating; “The Lost Earl of Elian,” by Mrs Campbell Praed; “The Ferryman,” by Helen Mathers; “A Financier’s Wife,” by Florence Warden. The “Literary World” for September has portraits of two popular novelists, Mr Maurice Hewlett and Mr Anthony Hope. The fourth volume of “Main Currents in Nineteenth Century Literature,” by the well known Dutch writer Mr George Braudes, deals with “Naturalism in England.” Mr Brands connects Naturalism in poetry with Radicalism in politics. and reviews the political condition of Europe at the end of the Eighteenth century as a preliminary to discussing Wordsworth, Coleridge, Southey, Slieliley, Byron, Keats, and Moore. Professor S'aintsbury has in preparation “A History of English Trosody from the Twelfth Century,” which will be published by Messrs MacMillan in three volumes. Messrs Longman have issued the opening volume of a “Political History or England.” The volume issued first is in reality Volume X. of the whole tvork, which is to he completed in twelve volumes. Its editors are the Rev. W!m. Hunt and Mr Reginald Lane P'oole.

Dr. Edmund Gosse’s “Short History of English Literature” is to appear in a new illustrated edition containing sixtyfour full page photo-gravures in halftone. The “Oxford Press” is to issue shortly “A Primer of Classical and English Philosophy” by Dr. W. W. Skeat. Two new American novels noticed favourably by the “Times” axe “The Claim Jumpers,” by Stewart E. White (Hodder Staughton), and “The Human Touch,” by Edith M. Nichol (Kegan Paul). “The War of the Classes” is a series of socialistic studies by Jack London, which is published by Mr Heinemann at 3s 6d. Professor Elie Metchnikoff’s latest work, “Immunity in Infectious diseases,” is now published in an English translation by the Cambridge University Press, at 6®. Miss Edith Allonby, aged 29, headmistress of a Lancaster National School committed suicide last month by drinking a cupful of carbolic acid. Miss Allonby wfs the authoress of two novels, “Marigold” and “The Jewel Sowers,” and had written a third called “The Fulfilment.” This she could not persuade her publishers to issue in its original form, on account, as they (Messrs Greening) explained in a subsequent lettei, of “certain religious fantasies which made revision needful. The deceased left a letter addressed to her sisters, in which she stated that her book contained “one of either two things—truth, or page on page of blasphemy. I know it,” she added, “to be truth, but so simple that the world can hardly recognise it, and whilst I stand in the light I am afraid it cannot be seen at all. When. I am gone and when it once has a fair cha ice of being read and discussed as it deserves to be, it will appear different from what it ever could with me living. . „ I have died to give God’s gift to the world.” “Public Opinion” says, regarding the latest scheme of the “Times” to hold

its own in the j ounnalistlo struggle for existence: —“The ‘Tunes’ continues to make departures. Its latest enterprise is a scheme for the supply to its readers of all the new books, and the sale to them on advantageous terms of any volumes they desire to add to their libraries. Ihe benefits of the plan can be secured by a year’s subscription to the ‘Times.’ Oin the receipt of £3 18s (or of £l, to be followed by three quarterly payments of £1) tie subscriber obtains 312 tickets, each one of which will be exchanged hv his newsvendor for a daily copy of the ‘Times.’ He becomes a member of the ‘Times’ Book Club, whose home is at 93, New Bond street', and here a body of assistants give help to subscribers who desire works on any subject, and the bookshelves, containing books of all kinds, are open to visitors. It is an extraordinary scheme, and we expect to hear next, that the Times’ is prepared to give itself- away with a pound of tea. Why should not Mudie’s start a new threepenny daily? The ancient axiom about the cobbler sticking to his last is losing its force.”

Under the title “A Shakespearian Dial Plate,” the following quotations from the “Bard of Avon” have appeared in the “New York Tribune”— I. Gar-diner —It’s one o’clock, boy, is it p Boy—lt hath struck. King Henry YUS., Act V, Sc. 1. IT Sure, Lueiana, it is two o’clock. Comedy of Errors, Act 11, Sc. 1. 111. The clock hath stricken three. Julius Caesar, Act 11, Sc. 1. IV. Richmond—How far into the morning is it, ior^s? Lord—Upon the stroke c-f fonr. Richard 111, Act V, Sc. 3. V. At five o’clock I shall receive the money for the same. Comedy of Errors, Act IV, Sc. 1. VI. Proepero—How’s the day ? Ariel—On the sixth hour, at the which time, my lord, You said our work should cease. The Tempest, Act V, Sc. 1. vn. Bet’s see: I think ’tis new some seven o’clock. The Taming of the Shrew, Act IV, Sc. 1. VIII. , Tis now dead midnight, and by cjgTii tomorrow you must be made immortal. Measure for Measure, Act IV, Sc. 2 IX. Its supper time, my lord; It’s nine o’clock. Richard 111, Act V, Sc. 3. X. Par dies—Ten o’clock ; wit bin these three hours ’twill be time enough to go home. All’s Well That Ends Well, Act IV,Sc. 1. XI. Ford—Eleven o’clock the hour. Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 11, Sc. 2. XII. The clock hath stricken twelve upon the bells. Comedy of Errors, Act I, Sc. 2.

Everyone who lias to read many of the English “dailies” will apprepiate the following excerpt from an article in the “Literary World” :—“How irrepressible is the desire for authorship is seen in the ‘silly season’ correspondence of our great dailies. The editor cunningly devises a topic on which everybody imagines he. or she has a right to speak. It is preferably a topic on which in the nature of the case it is impossible to get ‘any forrader.’ Immediately, in every part of the country thousands of people take up pens, dip them in ink and scribble long letters to the editor. Eor one letter the editor is able to use, probably twenty go into the wastepaper basket; but how exquisite is the delight of the fortunate correspondents who see their epistolary work in print with their name at the foot of it! They immediately order copies from the office or from the news agent, and send them, with the letter marked, and the corner of the page turned down, to all their friends with ‘See page 7’ on the wrapper. Let people laugh at the ‘silly season’ correspondences if they will. We regard them as boons and blessings to the hundreds of thousands of people

who have authorship lying latent within them, and who get, if but for a day, and to the extent of only the sixth, of a -column, the ineffable delight of seeing themselves in print, and feeling that hundreds of thousands of their fellow beings are also seeing that name and reading their little creation. The pride of authorship exists as a spark in the soul of every human creature who can read and write. It only needs a little fostering breeze to blow it into flame. Just now the editors or subeditors of the dailies are using the bellows. Verily they shall have their reward !” RUMMAGING- AMONG THE LET-' TEiRS OF THE, FAMOUS. Thera is no question of literary ethics on which opinions differ more sincerely than the degree to which the private life of a great man rightly becomes public property after his death. Nearly two hundred yeai-s ago Pope complained that ■Cur'll, the publisher, by his 'practice of seizing on. the letters and remnants of dead authors, had added a new terror to death. It is no new terror now; we are familiar with such proceedings, and the majority of u>s are content, while enjoying the last indiscreet revelation, to utter a few conversational protests, which prove the delicacy of our feelings and encourage the c:rcu!ati:n of the book. A few who do not feel so secure in their insignificance from a similar exposure, who, like Tennyson and Thackeray, foresee, an interminable series of biographers each more ruthless than the last in rummaging for the unrevealed, may protestWith passion, and take steps to prevent tihe violation of their posthumous- privacy; and for doing so •some will think them affected, some silly, and some the only men who shew true dignity. In fact on this matter every shade of opinion is represented, the scale being marked at one end by those who habitually inveigh against “the vulgar and insatiable curiosity” of the. public, and at the other by editors like Mr Wellington Wack, -who in his preface to these old love letters, laments over; the- insatiate maw -of the scrap-basket” from which he has snatched them.

For cur curiosity, even when-trivial, there is a good deal to he said. It is natural to want to know as much as possible of till© character of the great men who have moulded our thoughts, directed cur feelings, shared out -exrcriences; and to derive pleasure- from knowing their 'habits and bow they lived through an ordinary day is> as natural as to- enjoy hearing such details about absent friends. But to publish the secrets cf the- famous requires more excuse than the fact that, being dead, they cannot feel shame or distress. Disclosures, if they are not intended as ■exposures, must throw new light upon their work and character or upon •events, on bring as a warranty some gift of beauty or knowledge to the common memory. The presentiment- of publicity is an unwholesome burden t-o carry through life, and the revealers of private letters and papers, who intensify it, are responsible for inflaming the self-consciousness of authors and of everyone who, comes near them. Let them look to it- that what they publish has sound compensatory value, for we ano paying for the amusement they offer by a loss of naturalness in o-ur writers and artists.—“ The Speaker.”