LITERARY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1970, 22 August 1889, Page 34

LITERARY NOTES.

, . - ..^p Baroness Alexandra G-ripenberg edits a women's paper in the Finnish language, entitled Home and Society. When asked why she did not publish her journal in the Swedish language, she answered, "The Swedish women have plenty of papers to read, but the poor Finland women are forgotten." ' Those who have frequent occasion to write music where music paper is not available will be glad to hear that a clever invention called the " stave-ruler " has been patented by Mr J. F. Shaw, of Ashton-under-Lyne, by the use of which any sheet of plain paper can in a very few minutes be ruled up with music staves. The Athenaaum says that the vernacular press in Bengal appears to be steadily declining, apparently owing to the spread of English education among ' the reading classes. There are now only two vernacular daily papers regularly published in Calcutta, whereas a year or two ago there were five or six. A yery good portrait of Mrs Amelia E. Barr is given in " Book News " (Philadelphia ) for 'April, along with a short biography of that rising and talented authoress, whose " Jan Vedder's Wife " is one of the most popular of recent novels. Her entire published works number at least 15, and she is constantly adding others to them. Chicago will probably have the finest library in the world in the course of a few years. W. L. Newberry, one of the earliest residents, left the sum of £500,000 sterling for the purpose, and a temporary building has been used for a time. 1 It is intended to erect a magnificent edifice capable of holding 300,000 volumes. The autobiography of Mary Howitt, which will be issued in two illustrated volumes on an early date, will, from its wealth of reminiscence concerning many notable men, its insight into the genial and sympathetic Spirit whose life it reveals, and the charming simplicity of style which Mary Howitt displayed to the very close of her long life, be among the most interesting books of the season. " Lippincott's " has for its June number long story "A Dream of a Conquest," by Lloyd Bryce, in which we are told how China, angry at America's refusal to admit •• Chinese cheap labour," bombards New York with her English-built fleet, and with such success that she is able to dictate her own terms. The story is smartly told, and has for its moral that the United States should devote some portion of their wealth to the defence against attacks which that very wealth and well-being invite. Mr Swinburne's extraordinary facility of versification, the way in which he overrides all verbal difficulties, and exalts in the swift rush of spng, is as remarkable in his later poems as in any of. his former efforts. If an ear for harmony and a command of language are the highest qualities of poetry, Mr Swinburne's place among the poets is one of the foremost. In these respects he has achieved great triumphs. They indicate his strength as a singer, and the measure of that strength. His creative genius is not, we think, remarkable, his vision is not intense, his contributions to poetic wisdom are few indeed. He 'has neither given a new meaning to Life nor a fresh beauty to Nature, arid he has Written little over which in his sereoest moments a man delights to brood. Moreover, Mr Swinburne 1 j readers are now and then little in doubt whether his torrent of song' carries much meaning with it, and are occasionally tempted to ask whether the meaning is not altogether lost in words. — Spectator.

— Lugubrious-looking Guest (to hostess) : " Good-night, Mrs Blank. I believe I've' enjoyed myself more than anyone else here this evening." . Mrs Blank is suddenly seized with the appalling conviction that her party, which she had, thought was a success, must on the contrary have been a complete failure. • Advicb to Mothers!— Aie you broken. in your rest by a sick child suff* ring with/ the pa. n of cutting teeth ? Go jit ouce to n chemist and get r. bottle of Mrs Wiwsiow'a Soothing Syrup, it will relieve the poor eufferer immediately. 'It Ss perfectly harmless and pleasant to the taste ; it produces natural quiet Bleep, by relieving .the child from pain ; and the little cherub awakes "as bright as 'a button." It • soothe* the child,' lt softens' the gums', allajs all pain, relieves wind, regulates the bowels, and is the best known remedy for dysentery and dfarrhcea 1 , whether idling from teething of other causes. jHws WiwhloVb Soothoto- Stbtjp is sold by medicinedealest everywhere At le 4jd per bottle.-— [AdvtO