LITERARY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2057, 27 July 1893, Page 40

LITERARY NOTES.

The Bishop of Ripon, at a meeting of the Children's Happy Evenings Association recently, said he was especially glad to see that the old fairy tales held a place among children's amusements, and he said, " God bless those who filled a young child's mind with fairy tales." "Do novelists make money ? " is a question which Mr Grant Allen has answered to' bis own satisfaction. His first book, " Physiological JEsthetics," was published at a loss, and his scientific work on "The Colour Sense," which took him 18 months to prepare, only brought him an average of £3 per annum for 10 years. Fiction pays him ever so much better. - If you watch the processes of cultivation, as they operate, for instance, on a young man or a young woman of talent, you will observe that the first note of half-fledged emancipation is a liking for Shelley's " Cenoi," for Swinburne's "Poems and Ballads," and for some of the more violent of Browning's dramatic studies : " The Confessional," for instance, and " The Laboratory," and " The Blot on the 'Scutcheon." I have noticed this fact so often tbat for me it ceases to stir any surprise ; I know tbat fuller culture will alter the taste, and tbat the neophyte will learn tbab the artistic is not necessarily the ugly. — Westminster Gazette. The publication of " Irish Stories," by E. Owens Bl.ckburne (Miss Casey), brings sgain before the public a writer who has had a specially severe and painful struggle for literary distinction. Miss Casey is the author of many novels, two volumes on "Illustrious Irishwomen," and several poems, some of which were published in 1890 under the title of "Con O'Donnel), and Other 1848, Legends and Poems." She was born in at Slane, County Meath, and lost her sight at the age of 11, bub regained it afterwards under the treatment of Sir William Wilde* London has been for the most part the scene of her labours. In one of her first novels " Jessioa Bomayne," there are some harrowing glimpses of the life of a young literary lady in the metropolis. Miss Casey can describe some phases of Irish life with much effect. No more artistic or sumptuous book of its kind has recently appeared than 11 Vision Voices and other Verses," by W. Cole Burroughs. Much taste . is exhibited in its publication by John Haddon & Co., Salisbury square, Fleet-street, London. Unlike some ornamental volumes of the same description, moreover, the book amply repays perusal. "The Vision of Mirza," a favourite title since the days of Addison, is here rhythmically | treated in a very beautiful fashion, while " A Polish Hero " is a pathetic story of selfsacrifice at the shrine of duty, One of the most touching poems in the volume is " The Bnginedriver's Story," which reminds the reader oi some verses by Robert Walker,

entitled, if recollection does not err, " The Level Crossing." The difference between the poem now under notioe and Mr Walker's verse is that in the former a tragedy is happily averted, while in the latter it actually happens. A comparison between town and country life is given with some degree, of quaint and philosophic fitness, while the subject of love, which is as old as poesy itself, here onde more attunes the lyre. The -author writes easily and gracefully, and his lines are therefore agreeable reading. Professor Masson's Eaglisih literature class at Edinburgh University has, this season, been closed by a very interesting ceremony. Honours have fallen thickly upon the professor during the past winter, and this circumstance, together with the fact j of his having attained his seventieth birthday, prompted his students to present him with a handsome service of silver plate. In returning thanks for the gift Professor Masson became both reflective and recollective, moralising over the fact that at Edinburgh he has passed some 5,260 .students through his class. At University College, London, bis class was much smaller, but there he had%any> students who have", risen to distinction. One became Lord Chancellor of England, several are or have been in Parliament, and one is now Jewish Chief Rabbi. In thinking of it all Professor Masson seems to be like , Goetbe in his old age when he described the change he felt at being in a new generation — ' Those that once attended to my ditties, How are they scattered through the wide world's ' cities 1 Black and White contains an interesting interview with Mr Labouchere by Mr Raymond B lath way fr, in which the editor o£ Truth explained very concisely his concep-' tion of the proper functions of society journalism and bis own favourite method of practising it. Among other things Mr Blathwayt. extraoted the information that before Mr Labonchere decides to take action against the scoundrels whom it is his selfimposed task to expose, he takes very good care to get definite, and conclusive evidence of their misdeeds. He pointed out to his" interviewer that a wide difference exists between knowing the fact that a man is a swindler and being able to prove it in a court of justice. One swindler, for instanoe, had made several hundreds per annum for years out of nobleman who had foolishly answered bis letters. These victims told Mr Labouohere what had occurred, bnt only on condition that , their names should not be published. We doubt if sufficient credit has been given to Mr Labouchere for his eminent services to society at large in this direction. Fortunately, he is not likely to be deterred from following up such criminals by the lukewarmnesE with which his efforts are some* time 3 greeted. He is too fond of the game. At one time the late M. Tame and M. Zolawere great friends. M. Zola thinks that he has been influenced chiefly by three men — Mnsset, Flaubert, and, finally, Tame, whose works he read at the age of 25. He contends that he bas applied to the novel Taine's own theories as to heredity and the influence of environment. It appears that he first met ' Tame about 1864 or 1865, when he was at the', head of tbe advertisement department at Hacbette's. Tame was in the habit of calling nightly at his rooms, and* the two became • close friends. When Zola left HaohetteV, - with the intention of turning - Tame was decidedly adverse to the project, l and urged the young man to become a tutor,- • offering him all the' assistance in his power.' Zola, however, was firm in his determination,' and wrote to tbe great Villemessant, who at once gave him a' position <on the staff of the Figaro., For some years tbe two friends lost sight of each other. At length they met again at Flaubart's house,- but the old intimacy was not renewed. Literary misunder- - standings arose between them. The younger man felt that his methods bad not met with ' Taioe's approval, and as he bad been trying ' to work out the latter's- own theories he was ' naturally chagrined at this result. Mutual friends tried to heal the breach, but in vain. - M. Zola's admiration for Tame as, a writer is, however, unqualified. Indeed, he considers him one of tbe vastest intellects of the age. ■ - Hqw many readers, we (Literary World) wonder, of " Rudder Grange " have noticed - the suppression of the Rudder Grangers' baby. In the first edition of Mr Frank R. - Stockton's famous book the advent of this little stranger occurs near the close,' and it ' was then intended as a proper finale to the - story. Bub when it was determined to bring the Rudder Grangers to Europe the author perceived that a baby would be an "incumbranoe " in the most- literal sense of the word, so the paragraph containing the happy' announcement, and the -baby, were quietly, dropped from succeeding editions. In conneobion with this case of literary infanticide Mr Stockton tells an amusing story. # Before starting to Europe I made a call upon'a friend • who is a dentist. -He took an interest in the Rudder Grange people, and asked me if I was going to take them abroad with me. When I replied that tbat was my intention be exclaimed, " But what are you going to do,with> their baby 1 They cannot take a baby like ■ that with them to Europe. It will spoil their fun 1 " I agreed with him, and told him I ' should be obliged gently to put the baby, out of the way: He seemed amused at this, 1 and as I left his office and passed through a . parlour, where there were at least a dozen ladies awaiting his professional services, he called out to me, " And so yon intend to kill the^ baby before you start, do, you,? 'V Ob, yes, I must put it out of the way," I answered, not thinking. of the dreadful import of my words until some half-repressed exclamations caused me to look into the. horror-stricken faces of the ladies through . whose midst I was passing. I was gone before their righteous indignation was able to vent itself, and I hope the facetious dentist properly explained the situation. THOUSANDS OF GOLDEN SOVEREIGNS Are pouring in to the relief of the Queensland sufferers. Mr F. G. Gorriok, proprietor Readymoney Boot Factory, Christshurch, writes :— "One bottle of Golden- Remedy No. 2 was effectual in restoring my son to health, and it is a pleasure to recommend this great remedy for all similar cases of decline." Mr R. Roberta soni of Christchuroh, writes:— "l had been drinking hard for two months. I took Golden Remedy No. 1 and ab the end of four days I had no desire for either the drink or the pipe.' I now sleep like » child and e»b like a man." Bend for circulars of ourej. Box 80, Dunedin,