LITERARY GOSSIP

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1802, 19 September 1906, Page 24

LITERARY GOSSIP

“Authors and publishers never weary of anarchists if they be only anarchical enough.”—An English reviewer.

The Hello Girls —London “Morning Leader’s” heading to an article about the women operators in the telephone department of the General Post Office.

“Tho world is only beginning. We have done nothing, said nothing, sung nothing. . . . Poetry is Matter become vocal, a blind force without judgment. . . . Matter says its will in poetry; above all, in English blank verse.”—From “A Note on Poetry” in Mr John Davidson’s latest volume, “Holiday and Other Poems.”

Mr George Bernard Shaw has .ventured, in his own peculiar way, to criticise the methods of the German Socialists. The semi-official “Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung,” or a smart translator of its ponderous periods, “gets back” at him as follows:—“The letter is characteristic of the author, who, manifestly, has but a faint and wrong impression of German Social Democracy. Mr Shaw may be highly esteemed as a witty satirist, or, still better, as a fashionable author, abundantly blessed in respect of royalties, but he cannot be said to show ability as a pathfinder in the inner life of German parties, and as a social riddle-expounder in tho above lettor, in which the obliquities contrast oddly with the ambiguous self-consciousness reflected in it.”

Miss Marie Corelli has not yet given the newspapers the last word. In her latest novel, “The Treasure of Heaven,” she writes of “the donkey-jour-nalism of the period, which brays down everything that is not like itself, mere froth and scum.”

' A full list has recently been completed of Charles Dickens’s many contributions to “Household Words.’’ Some of them are to bo republished in the little monthly “The Dickensian.”

A clear distinction between the financial opportunities of the novelist and those of the dramatist is drawn by tho literary critic of the “Daily Mail.” Commenting on some correspondence on this subiect which appeared in an

American weekly, the “Daily Mail” man says:—“lt brings out very clearly a point one is apt to overlook in contrasting the financial result of a successful play with that of a successful novel. The dramatist never establishes himself with the public. Within recent years we are told Mr Clyde Fitch, the popular American dramatist, has had plays refused by all the leading New York theatres. And if we reflect for one moment we shall realise that most of our own playwrights who have scored big successes have subsequently produced plays which have been utter failures. Several dramatists are still living who, years ago, each made one great hit, and reaped ‘a small fortune l ,’ at one stroke, but who have never again contrived to produce a really successful play. With the novelist it is otherwise. Once ho has established his reputation, provided he gives of his best to his art, his later books will never lack a publisher, and will always prove valuable properties. After all, the innumerable literary men and women, who are at the moment striving after theatrical success may be pursuing a mere will-o’-the-wisp.”

The first volume in Cassell and Co.’s new sixpenny series—a library of standand novels to be published monthly—is Max Pemberton’s “The Hundred Days.”

The Philippine Islands under American rule, though not wholly subjugated, now offer much safer and wider ground for the traveller than they were a few years ago. In token of this is a new hook, “An English Woman in the Philippines,” which has just been published by Mr John Murray. It’s author is Mrs Campbell Dauncey.

“The Scrap Book,” a new magazine which made its first appearance recently, is a miscellany of things old and new. There are extracts from the works of the poets, a culling of the best things printed in current publications, and a large proportion of original matter, including four serial stories, and a host of articles, jokes, maxims, sayings, and epigrams.

The Incorporated National Lending Library for the Blind is a-London institution. which has on its catalogue 8000 books in the Braille character. Books from this library are sent .all over the world—into remote parts of Scotland, and even to Greece, Australia. and India—and provincial free libraries are supplied. The annual subscription is £2 2s, but on application to the committee readers who have little or no money may become members on payment of 5s a year. [A London journalist is responsible for the bull in the last sentence]. The readers at the Bayswater library seem to be as varied in their tastes as those who are “sighted”—to employ the word of the blind when speaking of those who can see. But if there is any preference among readers of the Bayswater library it is for works on astronomy. When a blind man calls at the library he produces a roll of manila paper on which are Braille characters. This is the list of what he wants. He interprets vocalh\ and presently the volumes are in his possession. It is strange that this library, situated right in the heart of a busy part of London, should be almost unknown to the general public. The work of it is carried on by enthusiastic, kindly people who “do not advertise,”

Mr W. J. Bryan, the American ‘‘silver” man, has a Hibernian name, and something of one of the characteristics imputed to* the same nationality clings to his speech. Asked in London during his recent visit whether he would ho a candidate for the Presidency of his country, he replied: “I cannot say yet. I could stand only on a platform to which I could give my whole support.” The “World” is kind enough in commenting on this reply, to explain to its readers that the kind of platform supported by the person standing on it “has no existence in America or anywhere else outside the limits of the Emerald Isle.”

The “Westminster Gazette” states on the authority of a member of Harper publishing firm that the amounts paid by them for some notable English works of fiction were as follows:—For “The Newoomes,” “Henry Esmond,” and “The Virginians,” £l5O, £IOO, and £4BO respectively. Charles Dickens received a larger amount for his work from America than perhaps any other English author. Messrs Harper paid £IOOO for “A Tale of Two Cities,” £12.50 for “Great Expectations,” £IOOO for “Our Mutual Friend,” and £250 for “Little Dorrit.” Tho Harpers paid £2O as an honorarium for “Adam Bede,” when published anonymously; for “Middlemarch”£l2oo was paid, and £I7OO for “Daniel Deronda.” During tho interval 1848-60, when Macaulay’s “History” was appearino\ £OSO was paid by Messrs Harper for the American market; and thirty years ago £IOOO was paid for the use of advance sheets of Sir George Trevelyan’s “Life and Letters” of his uncle.

The Kaiser, according to his own statement, is one of the well-meaning peace-loving persons who are “not understood” —and those who misrepresent him most are newspaper writers. Mr Gaston Menier relates in the P'„ C

“Matin” a conversation, the Kaiser’s share of which was as follows:—“I have often wondered at the strange irresponsibility that reigns supreme in journalism. Before exercising any other profession a man must fulfil certain clearly defined and rigorous conditions. Neither special study, knowledge, or diploma is needed by the' journalist. A very young man may bo on the staff of the most respectable and responsible newspaper in the world, and may write an article calculated to produce a considerable impression on the public. Every day the journals contain appeals, information, comments, and appreciations, written by men whoso good faith I do not deny, but whose special knowledge I have the right to contest. And they are the guides of public opinion, the men who exercise the greatest influence oil their fellow-creatures.” Referring to the tension last year between France and Germany, the Emperor said:—“My intentions were misunderstood, and my views distorted. The Press was the cause of this. It is often responsible for many evils.”

Messrs Methuen announce “for the second half of the year” Sir Evelyn Wood’s reminiscences, “From Midshipman to Field Marshal”; “Garrick and His Circle,” by Mrs Clement Parsons, who has woven round the actor the history of his age, political, social, literary, and economic; the “Life of Mary Antoinette”—announced in the spring—by Mr Hilaire Belloc, M.P. ; Mr Laurence Binyon’s study of William Blake, in two quarto volumes, only the first volume of which is expected in the autumn; “George Herbert and His Times.” by A. G. Hyde; “Thomas a Kempis, his Age and Book.” by J. E. G. Montmorency; Mr G. K. Chesterton’s study of Dickons; and a new study of “Nelson’s Lady Hamilton,” by E. Hailam Moorhouse. founded upon her letters.—“ Times.”

The Oxford University Press announces “The Oxford Anthology of English Literature,” by G. E. and W. H. Hadow, in three volumes, the first volume tracing the course of prose and poetry (other than dramatic) from Beowulf to the Jacobean age; while the second follows the history of the English drama to the same limit, and the third will take up the record at the time of Milton and will continue it that of Tennyson and Browning. The examples selected will be accompanied by brief introductions. —"Times.”

In view or the proposed establishment of a University Journalism in New York, the United States Consul at Brunswick draws attention to the instruction that is being given in this subject in the Universities of Germany and Switzerland. During the present summer session lectures on various aspects of journalism are being delivered at the Universities of Leipzig, Berlin, and Heidelberg, as well as at the Technical High School of Danzig, a,nd at the commercial colleges of Leipzig and Cologne. At the University of Berne, a course is being given on the “editing and news service of a newspaper, with practical exercises.” while at Zurich, as the Consul points out., the degree of “doctor” may now be obtained in journalism as well as in any other political science.

“A Century’s Progress in Astronomy,” by Mr Hector Macphergon, of Edinburgh, is among Messrs Blackwcod’s announcements. Mr Macpherson, though already well known as the author of “Astronomers of To-day,” began his scientific writing so early as to be still short of his majority.

“The Children of the Nation” would havo been not a had name for a historical romance. It is. however, appropriated to a more serious purpose as the title of a hook on infant mortality, which Messrs Methuen are soon to publish for Sir John Gorst. The hook is a survey and discussion of child life in England with regard to home environment, school conditions, and labour in factories and mines and elsewhere.

An interesting book is anno’®ced for early publication by Mr John Murray. It is called “Queen and Cardinal: A Sketch of the Life and Companions of Anne of Austria,” and the author is Mi's Colquhoun Grant, who wrote “The Mother of Czars” and “The French Noblesse of the Eighteenth Century,” two hooks the success of which promises well for the present work. Tlie Queen, as mentioned in the sub-title, is Anne of Austria, while the Cardinal is none other than the great Mazarin.

Mr Jacob H. Schiff, a leading financier in the United States and member of the firm of Kuhn, Loeb and Co., of New York, has an important article in the August “North American Review',” entitled “Japan After the War.” Mr Schiff has lately returned from a visit to Japan.

Mr Eden Philpotts has a new novel, “The Poacher’s Wife,” ready for publication with Messrs Methuen.

Messrs Constable have in hand and ready for early publication a volume of snort stories by “Maarten Maartens,” author of “Tho Sin of Jooet Avelingh.” “God’s Fool,” - “The Healers.” and numerous other novels and

short stories. The title of the volume is, “The Woman’s Victory.”