LITERARY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2258, 10 June 1897, Page 50

LITERARY NOTES.

1 . • Mr T. Fisher Uawin has in preparation a new volume of South Sea stories from the pen of Mr Louis Becks. • . • Mr S. R. Crookatt is taking a walking tour in Pomerania with a view to acquiring local colour for his new story. -.' "The Penitent Pilgrim," originally published in 1641, was one of the most popular devotional works of the seventeenth contary. It ha* been revised for modern readers by tb.B Rev. G. E. Watts for early publication in Mr David Natt'g "Tudor Translations Saries," which Mr W. E. Henley edit?. • . • Mr Fred T. Jane, author of " Blake of the Rattlesnake " and " Tha Incubated Girl," has written a novel doiag for Venus what has often beeu done for Mars, and we understand that the story, which ia based upon a new chemical theory at present only accepted by a few advanced German savants, will be published almost immediately. •.• Daan Church was accustomed to declare rhat Edmund Spenser was the first Snglishman who, in that great division of our history which dates from the Raformation, attempted and achieved poetical work of the highest descrip"tion. Spenser in poetry and Hooker in prose he regarded as the earlifcst of our great modern writers — fcho two men who first taught the nation the majesty of the English tongue as a vehicle of literary expression. — Speaker. • . • To Mrs Thomas Hardy, if all reports be true, tho world owes h«r husband's novels, for it was through her influence that he was inclined to give up architecture as a profession and adopt literature in its stead. Mrs Hardy copied out his firßt novel in her own hand, and herself sent it to the publishers; and she makes ifc part of her work to keep posted up in the litoratura of the day, in order that she may have a store of knowledge at her husband's command. • . • There is every likelihood of there bsiop; a great rua on. Captain Maban's new work, " The Life of Nelson, the Embodiment of the Ssa Power of Great Britain," just issued in two handsome volumes. The trade ha* taken up the book co well that the publishers have had to largely increase their supplier from America, where it had to be set up and printed in ordGr to secure the author's copyright. The " Life " forms a third book in the series of works upon "Sea Power" begun by Captain Mahan seven years ago by the publication of " The Influence of Sea | Power upon History." j • . • The diary of the famous Baron Fried- | rich yon der Trenck, which purports to be written with his own blood whilst a prisoner at Magdeburg, wss recently on sale. It is inscribed on 200 pages o£ an interleaved Bible (presented to Trenck in 1760 by the Princess Amalia, sister of Frederick the Great), and includes, besides a number of poems and letters, various social, political, and philosophical treatises, and a history of the prisoner's life, which ended in 1794 on the guillotine. He was condemned to death by Robespierre as a secret agent of foreign Governments. •.• Sir Andrew Clark's life, upon which Canon Mac Coll and Dr Allohia are engaged, will, it now appears, be ready for publication before the end of the year. Sir Andrew, the canon says, was an omnivorous reader, and w&h in the habit of annotating the books he read with marginal criticisms. These have supplted a great deal of material for the biography, and should be of much interest. Bat the number of books these annotations are scattered over are adding considerably to the labours of thoie who have the work in band. It is a pity that Sir Andrew kept no journal, for his professional services were of cen requisitioned by distinguished literary men, Lord Tennyson among the number. • . • Mr Thomas Hardy says he sketched the story of " The Well-Beloved " many yeara before it gaw the light in serial form five years ago. He waa then comparatively a young man, and interested in. the Platonic idea, but he admits that the " visionary character of the couception and, so to speak, the youthfulness of the plot" would nob have come naturally to him at his present time of life. The underlying truth of the atory, " that all men are pursuing a shadow, the unattainable," he holds to, and hopes it will redeem the story from the charge of frivolity. • . • Tbat part of the East which Mr Raayard Kipling hears " a-calling " is getting a good deal of attention just now. Next week Mr Grant Richards will publish a collection of sketches of native life in the Malay Peninsula under the title of " In Court and Kampong." Its author is Mr Hugh Clifford, the British Resident at Pahang, and a Fellow of the Anthropological Society. Some portion of this book is reprinted from " Eaet Coast Etching?," a little volume published at the office of the Soraits Times, at Singapore. Only a few copies of this volume reached E a gland. • . • Mr S. S. M'Clure, of New York, whose literary syndicate has long bean favourably known to English as well as American authors, has had a very interesting career io far — he is only 40 years old. He worked his way through college, and shortly after graduating founded Outing, the succeasful magazine of sport, travel, and pastime. He subsequently took an important post in the business office of the Century Magazine. The establishment of the syndicate followed. Mr M'Clsre i 3 said to be acquainted with more literary celebrities than any other man in America. Robert Louis Stevenson was his intimatt friend, and he has had many dealings with Kipling. Four years ago M'Olnre's Magazine was started. Its success in America has been remarkable. Mr M 'Clare's latest enterprise is nothing less than the establishment of a publishing house. Associated with him will be Mr Doableday, the business manager of Scribner's Magazine, who also stands high in the American nub* lishing world.