LITERARY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1958, 30 May 1889, Page 30

LITERARY NOTES.

Mr J. C. Firth is engaged on a net work— " Our Kin on This SidQ^E the Bea; or, Nation Making: A Story of New Eealwd,' givinf an account of the 'Maoris and the earl} history of New Zealand— to be published ii London about September or October. -

Some people, not wholly illiterate, hava been known to admit that they conld only regard the wonderful success of Mr Lewis Morris as an author with a feel. ing closely akin to stupefaction.. Their bewilderment is not inexcusable. Poetry, we

are told, is j^ugiu the market. The genlm of Tennyson and of Browning,^ of jShellej and Keats before themydawned Blqwjy on the general reader.- But here isawriter-of iVerw (verse is ' a convenient. • euphcfmism In speaking ,of'*tb.e//b-ody of ttiis ■"' etominent author's work) wiose books -run .into new editions as swiftly as the most scandalous autobiographies, or as • novels which th« libraries have bojco&ed. No' dtfubt, Mr Lewis' Morris obtained- a testimonial' certifying 1 to his genius from Mr Gladstone; but even that does riot completely solve th» mystery.— Soots Observer. . ." „ A EEPTMH UPON TH^. LETTBa," tf." The following! dexterous verses upon the letter "M' f are- taken from 1 a volume of poems called ", Songs of Singularity ; or, Lays -for the Eccentrio,'' by. the -V London Hermit." The book contains' 50 illustration! by the author and others, and is published bj Simpkin, Marshall,! and Co., price>".6s. Tb« lines are supposed to be a serenade in M flat, sung by Major Marmaduke Muttonhead to Mademoiselle MatielineOMfefldoia ;— - My-Mia.(?Hne I— n»y Madeline I ' ' Markiny melodious riiidnlghfc moans j Much raay'niy' melting faiislo'inean,' My modulated monotones. "' ' ' JJy jnandolin^s mild mJqßtreUy, 1 , [ „ My menta} music magazine, My mouth.my m?nd,'my memory, . Must .mingling ; murmur •■• Madeline. s WfasWr 'raid midnight, mafiquerades, Mark Moorish maldenß'.matronVniteil, 'Mongsfc Muroia's most majestic maids, ,M«rton me my m^h^B Madeline. M&nkind'a malevolence may make .MachmeJancholyira^Biamlne; r Many,mV.rao)'iyeß.may)T«Wßpake,: > My modeafcmeriti.rauclvmaljgn. My Madeline's more' mlrtbfnl mood Much mollifies my mind 'a machine; My'mournfulness'B magnitude 1 ■ , ' Meltß,-iriakeßtnempri<y?-MadftUne, j Matchmaking ma'atnaym^ohipate, v j Manoeuvring' m}sse,B. me mlsyfean; „ : Mere money may jnake.many, mate, , My magio motto'a,," Madeline. j Melt, most mellifluous melody, 'Mtdab Murcia'B misty mounts marina. Meet me mid moonlight ; -marry me, Madonna mia I —my Madeline.