LITERARY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2215, 13 August 1896, Page 42

LITERARY NOTES.

•.' Despite Mr Buchanan's purpose to publish his own works for the future, a new novel from his pen, entitled " A Marriage by Capture," will shortly appear in Mr Un win's 11 Autonym Library." As the title implies, it is' the "story of the abduction of a young lady. The scene is laid in Ireland,' and many characteristic types are introduced,

• . • Though Signor Tosti is one of the most successful of modern song-writers and has obtained almost fabulous sums for some of his ballads, be experienced no Bmall difficulty at first in getting his compositions published. And yat these very songs, when they were introduced to the public, immediately obtained wide popularity and brought him considerable fame as a musician.

.*.• Viscount Wolseley is to contribute an introduction to a monograph entitled " Naval and Military Trophies, and Personal Relics of British Commanders," which Mr J. O. Nlmmo is bringing out in nine parts. The work will have many coloured plates, after paintings by Mr William Gibb, with de?criptive notes supplied by Mr R. R. Holme?, F S.A. -

• . • " Girlhood of Maria Josepha Holroyd, 17 7G to 1796," is the title of a work of oonsiderable literary and historical interest; to be published by Messrs Longmans, Green, and Co. in due courae. The writer of the letters which mainly compose the volume was a daughter of Lord Sheffield, and had persona! intercourse with many of tbe leading refugees from the French Revolution.

• . • Lady Arthur Hill, the wife of Lord Arthur Hill, comptroller of the Queen's household, is one of the comparatively few Bhglisb composers of the day vrho have made anything substantial ont ot a single composition. "In the G'oaming," which was written by her abouc 20 years ago, has produced in royalties what to many people would ba quite a fortune. In fact, in one year alone the composer reaped £1000 from if. •.* Mr John T. Mowe, Jan., editor of the " American Statesmen Series," and author of "'Abr'aha.m Lincoln" and other volumes ia the series, has just completed the biography ,o£ .the late Dr Holmes. The "Life and Letters" of Oliver Wendell Holmes will be in two volumes, with numerous portraits and other illustrations. Many interesting letters from Lowell, Motley, and other celebrated persons will appear in tbe work, which has been written "by Mr Morse with the hearty concurrence and aid of Dr Holmes's family.

• . • The success of Hanrl Rochefort's •' Aventures do ma Vie " is evidenced by the fact that tbe first volume reached its eleventh edition ia five days. It contains some interesting information about the great Bsvolution, of which the author's grandparents were victims. His grandmother was present at the execution of Marie Antoinette, and tbe account she gave of that unhappy lady's demeanour is a complete contradiction of the received version. M*. Bochefort paints her character in very dark colours, as a very vicious woman, immoral, and extravagant.

• . • A onco famous, and in some senses historical, Paris publication, Galignani's Messenger, as such, is passing away. It is now known as The Daily Messenger, and its old name, which has been used as a sub-title, will shortly be abandoned altogether. This sheet was in existence before the Battle of Waterloo, and from its pages Byron learned that . be bad waked and found himself famous. Thackeray once contributed regularly to its columns, and Sumner did not hesitate to bave recourse to it when, sailing home at the outbreak of the- Civil War, be wished to publish to Europe a defence of the North.

* . * According to the Westminster Gazette, Sir Edwin Arnold possesses a memory of no common order. Speaking the other day of a visit which he made with Sir Edwin Arnold to Walt Whitman shortly before Whitman's death, Major Pond said : "We had a very pleasant chat, and as we rose to go Walt Whitman presented to Sir Edwin and to me a volume of his " Leaves of Grass," that had just been repnblisbed. I opened the volume, whiob you know is of several hundred pages, and began reading aloud a random line. Sir Edwin stopped me. • Let me go on from there,' said be, and he took up the line, and without a break recited the whole poem. •Try me anywhere,' said Sir Edwin. I did so, and not once, no matter how obscure tbe poem, did he fail to give every line of it correctly, I wonderingly following him with th 6 book before me. ' That is tbe way I know your poems,' said Sir Edwin to Walt Whitman when he had finished tbe test."

• . • A good story of Kinglake, the historian, is now making tho rounds of the press, having been rescued from the pages of the Nonvelle Itsvue, where it was aiven by Madame de Novlkoff, In her "Souvenirs d'Angleterre." When Kinglake was eDgaged on his history of the Crimea, he received a letter from a husband and wifo in one of the colonies, telling of the death of thoir son in the trenches, and aßkingthat bis memory might be perpetuated by mention in Kinglake's great book. The historian replied that he rauit have more details before he could comply, As answer oame the followinjr.; "What details da jou reanlral H»

died on tbe spot like many others. We knoff nothing more, bnt anything you can invenfr on his account will be gladly accepted by us. We rely entirely on your kindly imagina* tion,"

•'. • The subjoined list, carefully compile^ from exclusive sources, may bo of interest :— » Authors notprimarily Professional drama* writers for the stage tists are at present who are at present en- "resting":— Kaged in play-writing :— Mr Haddon Chambers Mr J. M. Barrie Mr W. S. Gilbert Mr Robert Buchanan Mr Sydney Grundy Mr Hall Oaine Mr H. A. J. nes Miss Mario Corelli Mr Arthur W. Plnero, Mr Richard Dowling Dr Conan Doyle "George Fleming" Mr Anthony Hope "Lucas Malet" Mr James Payn. Such an inrush of literary men ought sureiy to result in a renascence of that " literary " drama for whioh so many have been clamouring. To tbe foregoing list may be added the name of Sir Lewis Morris, who has just put tbe finishing touches to a blood-curdling Armenian tragedy, which should be very apropos at the present time. Wonld not the Sbaftesbury syndicate do well to secure id in case anything should go wrong with the Armenian extravaganza which they already have in hand ?

• , • For cool audacity the following, the experience of Mr Townsend, the creator* of the famous "Obimncie, Faddeo," would 'be hard to beat ;.— " Oat of Chicago," said .Mr Towosend, "cornea a compliment I fail to appreciate.' cA man there has published a book be calls ' Ohimmle Faddon Out West,' in ■which he not only uses my titular obaracter, but also the others, • Miss Fannie,' • da Duchess,' • Mr Paul,' &3., placing them in tha same relations I have and paraphrasing their New York experiences, which be lccatei in Chicago. On top of this amazing performance the headlong plagiarist writes a preface addressed to me, wherein, with the only approach to humour I have discovered in his book, "he says : • Think not, I most earnestly request, that this little booklet ia designed in any way as a plagiarism. . . . Let this*information, friend Townsend, cause peace and good fellowship between thee and me.'" Needleßß to say, the lawyers have been called in, and proceedings have been taken despite the author's assurance.