CURRENT CHAT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14281, 1 August 1908, Page 13

CURRENT CHAT

From the point of view of popularity, Mr Winston Churchill's new novel, "Mr Crewe's Career," is one of the most notable of recent successes. The number of copies sold iii England before publication was exceptionally large. In America the advance orders are said to have exceeded all previous records for a novel. Mr Dasent's " Life of Delano," the great editor of The Times, has gold so well that a second edition may be expected shortly. Mr Dascnt hopes to include a large number of letters from Delano, which aTe now in private hands, on matters of public and social interest. * Many people have left us vivid memories of the Gordon Riots, which did not cease till after a week of horrors— and the date was 18 years ago in Juno last. Perhaps the most curious picture is that of the visionary port, ant^artist Blake, then a youth of 23, borne along by the surging mob from his home in Carnaby Market io Newgate Prison. Gilchrist tells how the unwilling Blake was in the front rank of those who sacked and burnt the gaol and released the SCO prisoners. He ran no small chance of being among the doomed when even "strings of boys under 14 were hung up in a row, to vindicate the oifended majesty of the Jaw." Selwyn, in ln's " Diary," wrote: " I never saw bovs cry so." The sight Blake saw that day •when Newgate was burned was not forgotten when he drew his wonderful illustrations for the "Book of Job," and the pillars in "The fire of God is fallen from heaven " have a Jook of Newgate about t-heiu. Among the valuable books sold at Sotheby's the other week was a first- edition of "Quarles' Emblems" (1635), before the Latin verses by Edward Benlowas were introduced at the end. The book went for £34, and 5s 6d was probably the original price. Edward Beulowes belonged to an interesting Esses group of Roman Catholic poets of the time of Charles I, and to a family of which there are still many twees at the churches of Great Bardfield and Irinchingfiekli, in Esses. Great Bardfield Church has chancel beams elaborately carved and painted with toscs, and a bracket with the Beulowes' family crest of a centaur armed with bow and arrow. The poet Benlowes had to sell Brent Ha-ll at Finchingfield, because ho had spent all by his immense generosity to his friends. He ended his day* at Oxford, where ho was buried in St. Mary's Church at the expense of scholar friends. Kbw, reader, close thy book, and then advise; Be wisely worldly, but not worldly wise. That was QuarJcs's saw, but Benlowes , could jiot apply it. Memories of Dr Johnson and Mrs Thralo were revived by the salo of a number of interesting relics at Messrs Sotheby's the other day. Readers of Boswell's " Life'.' barely need to be reminded of the fact that Dr Joluison was an intimate friend of the Thralo family from the year 1764 onwards. At his suggestion Mrs Tkale began, in 1765, a Utile book, and wrote in it "all the little anecdotes which might come to my knovlegdo; all the observations I might make or hear; all the verses never likely to be published." Tliis manuscript, which expanded to six volumes and received) the title of " Thraliana," was offered for sale recently, and realised £2050—an astonishingly" high figure. There was also brought under the hammer the original manuscript of 200 pages folio of "Anecdotes of the Late Samuel Johnson," by the same author, hut it only brought £151. On the other hand, 41 letters from Dr Johnson, clikllv addressed to Mrs Thralc, including 13 probably unpublished, were offered in ono lot. and made £270. Scottish readers will regret to lenrn that Burns fared somewhat badly at this sale. In March of last year a number of poems and a letter sent together in one packet by Burns to a friend and patron were sold for £365, but recently they were resold for £170. I run receiving with infinite joy and t-liankfukiees (-writes "Man of Kent" in

tho British Weekly) the volumes of the noble edition of" the " Dictionary of National Biography," now being published - by Messrs Smith,' Eider, ami Co. The latest volume is the third, embracing the names from Brown to Chaloner. This 1 comprises the seventh, eighth, and ninth volumes of the original edition. Errors have as far as possible been corrected, and sonle of tho bibliographies have been revised, but otherwise the ied remains unaltered. I have made a pretty minute examination of the book, and find that the work of revision has been, done very carefully and efficiently. . The splendid) • work in my hands is quite light and easy to use, although it contains no fewer than 1384 pages. There is no niorc splendid literary enterprise of our lime than this, and the eminent publishers arc entitled to consider it the eiitmixof their many enterprises. His touching to read the asterisks before the names of deceased contributors. I am afraid that, one should bo placed before the name of J. Taylor Brown. But it is gratifying to see that so many of the contributors are still alive after more than 20 years. I have counted 76 out of 117. Considering that nearly all the writers were persons of'repute when their articles were published, this is not by any means unsatisfactory. A certain famous authoress who is much T/ozrted by unknown correspondents has taken her zevongo in a somewhat eccentric fashion. She received, a letter from a informing her that the writer lud fl&sned. her last baby after her, and requesting tho authoress's views on her choice. She received a thick envelope, heavily sealed, with this inscription : "Not to bo opened till baby's thirtieth birthday." Now_ tho mother is. Worrying hercel'i day and night as to the contents of the envelope. An American publisher of the good old nchuol has been taken from us (says the Chicago Dial), in the death of John Murray Brown, senior member of the ■ wellblown Boston firm of Little, Brown and 00, Not only those writers who have had personal experience of his genial approaehableness and his ready response to at: appeals in behalf of good .literature, but also tta wider circle of readers and lovors of the best in the way of books, mill regret Lis too-early departure from the (scene of his useful labours, Named afta? John Murray—the John Murray of 60 years ago-—and inspired with similar ideals, .Mr Brown was, like Murray, the ton of a prominent publisher and the fattier of a publisher; in fact, two of his four sons, Murray and Philip, are associated with tho paternal publishing house and in a 'position to hand on ils traditions to succeeding Murray Browns. Not only did the late Mr Brown succeed his lather in business, but he inherited from him the fino estate in Belmont that he mode his home. Interesting himself -m the welfare of his native town, he served for many .years on the-board of trustees of the" Belmont Public' Library, and was beloved and esteemed by all with whom tliLs and other offices and duties brought him in contact.. Among his classmates at 11avard were the late John Fiske and Jeremiah Curtin. Curtin's translation from the Polish, it. will be remembered, and also liis original works, wero published by his classmate' 6 house. Like James T. Fields of an earlier generation, and other famous Boston publishers, Mr Brown contributed nmjh toward that city's prestige in tho world of hooks and of literary culture. In the late Professor Massou's " Memories of London in tho , Forties," which, edited by Hus daughter (Miss Flora Masson), has just been published by Blackwood, anecdotes, not of great men only, but just 'as amusing wdien told of strangers to fame, occur on every other page. They servo to illustrate Masson's sense of humour, and the'breadth of his appreciation of character.' One or two may bo given: —" Once, at Simpson's in Drury lane, thore came in a tall, vener- j able, well-dressed gentleman, with a grand white head. Seating himself in a box near me, he orderd codfish to begin with. When it was brought, his words wore: ' But I say, waiter, v/here's the livery The waiter was sorry it hail all gone already. _' Ji uit man, in ma opinion the liver is more css-ential to the cod than the oyster saace is,' said my wliite-heudcd Plato; and I have treasured the aphorism as tho most incontrovertible Ihave ever heard a wise man utter." Another anecdote will be appreciated by churchmen of all -denominations:—" Two boys of strict Free Church parentage and upbringing in a Scottish town were comparing iniquities. One boasted that he had furtively been at a circus show.- | Ah, but I have done woif.e than that,'-said the other, 'for I've been ance in the pit at the theatre, an' twice in the Established Kirk!'"