LITERARY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2272, 16 September 1897, Page 47

LITERARY NOTES.

• . • Of 640 editions of " Don Quixote " known in 1895 212 were in Spanish, 158 were in FreDCb, -and 130 in English.

• . • " David Copperfield " alone of the D'ckens novels can be read again for the story it tells. The others we read again and again it is true, but we read them for the people in them rather than for the narrative. — Academy.

■ . • Mr H jwells, according to a current story, wro c to an applicant for his autograph, " Have you bought my last book 1 " Toe young man who wanted the autograph replied, " I have not. I want to sell your autograph in order to get enough money to buy it."

■ .• Mr Gladstone, in a letter to Mtb Alec. Tweedie, the author of " Through Finland in Carts," sajs: — ". . . I consider Finland to be a sirgalaily interesting country, sirgularly little kaown . . . and lam reading your work in earnest and with great interest."

• . • It is somewhat noteworthy that Mr J. M. Barrie was the only person of literary distinction prei-ent at the funeral of Mrs Oliphant. Tne late authoress, it may be remarked, took en almost maternal interest in Mr Buries woik, and no book of recent years interested her so keenly as " Margaret Ogilvy," the impression she received from its perusal being- evident in the remarkable review which she contributed to Blackwood's early last spring.

• . • Mr Reginald Blomfield is engaged on a "History of Renaissance Architecture in Ergland" for publication by Messrs George Bell and. Sons. A special feature of the j work will be the numerous illustration", which include pen drawings by the author, f*-c->iinilts of drawings by Sir Christopher Wren, Inigo Jones, and others, preserved at the Soane Museum and elsewhere, and reproductions of photographs of noted examples of building.

• . • The first instalment of a variant of the Faust legend, set in Scotland, is given in the Pall Mall Magazine for Auguat. The idea is that Satan has latteriy grown more exacting, and, in addition to the soul of tha bargainer, requires him to bring three other sonls as the prica of his assistance. "A Tribute of Souls," as the Btory is called, is the result of a collaboration by Mr Robert Hichens and Lord Frederick Hamilton.

• . • The first two volumes of Lord Wolseley's " Life of Marlbcrough " appeared in the summer of IS9-4. The author is busily engaged on the remaining volumes. Lord Wolseley, who has been much interested in Mr Stuart J. Reid's attempt at identifying the flags captured by Marl borough at Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, and Malplsquet, 1704-1709, says that Mr Reid's report exhausts the subject. Mr Reid has conducted his investigations in France as well as in England, and submitted the results to the Commander-in-chief.

• . • The latest acquisition in the shape of early Methodist relics is a commonplace book which belonged to John Fletcher, of Madeley, containing passages written neatly by him in English, French, -Latin, and Greek. It contains internal evidence that the book was in the possession of Mrs Fletcher and Miss Tooth. Another acquisition is the MS. of " The Rise and Progress of the Work of God at Leytonstone," compiled by Miss Bosanquefr, who afterwards became the wife ot Fletcher of Madeley. These relic 3 were in private handa, but have been acquired by the Rev. C. H. Kelly.

• . • There is still living in auiet retirement in a pretty villa in one of the outlying quarters of Aberdeen a daughter of James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd. It is but

natural that one so closely related to Hogg should delight in literature. Not- only so, but the lady, now well over the threescore years, has taken an active and a. highly creditable part in the production of literature. She can have no clear recollection of her gifted father, for she was only an infant of four years when " the Shepherd " died in 1835. But she has written lovingly and attractively about her father, and is a living? authority in all that pertains to his life and work.

• . • Readers of the newspapers will have heard of the Dukboborsi, in the Caucasus, who are suffering cruel persecution from the Russian Government on account of their refusal to bear arms or to have anything to do with the military system. A book is shortly to be published by the Brotherhood Publishing Company, Croydon, giving graphic details of the persecutions and present condition of these people. * The material for this book has been collected by V. Tchertkoff, who has himself been recently exiled for his earnest advooacy of their cause.

■ .; A new edition of "the most attractive birthday book ever published," Miss Eleonore D'E3terre-Keeling } s "Music of the Poets," has been issued by Mr Walter Scott. Preijty^ things which hays .been" written by poets about music and musicians are quoted for each djy, and portraits of noted composers, with autographs and a bar or two of music, add to the attractions of the volume. Among modern poets quoted in this edition areNorman Gale, Mrs Meynell, John Davidson, Kitherino Tynau, and Richard le G-aliienne. The work is bound in various styles, from 6s upward?.

• . • In his new work, " A Book of Dreams and Ghosts," about to be issued by Messrs Longman, Mr Lang makes use of curious and original evidence never before published Many modern stories, at first hand, bave been pupplied to him by the Psychical Kasearch Society. Earlier writers have dealt loosely ■with their facts. Mr Lang goes to work with the precision of a man of science investigating his phenomena. The famous Australian story of Fisher's ghost is told by Mr L^ng from the judge's notes at the trial. A manuscript by Mr Wyndbam, who knew the seer of the Duke of Buckingham's father's ghost, and was in his society at the time, is reproduced. The contemporary evidenca for Lord Lyttelton's ghost is analysed, and Williams's dream of Mr Perceval's murder is given in the dreamer's own wordf. The Ricketts and Wesley ghostß are similarly treated. Mr Lang deala pretty fully with Highland ghost?.

• . • The Quarterly reviewer thinks it is " time to say clearly that literature is not the refuge, of thß poor." The rich are more fitted for it than the poor, "because^hey are more likely' to bave leisure, knowledge,' a,nd opportunity to wait." He does not go so far as to- say that; only rich men can bs men of genius, bub he goes near, to it in saying:. " Some of the publ'c would be surprised to consider how much of the work which we are especially apt to" associate with genius should also be first associated with solid independence of position." We have heard the same thkrg before. How many a hack in Fleet street has believed that if only ho could have an assured income sufficient to supply his abaolul-e necessities, and give him freedom to work for fame, he would speedily attain it ? But it is not only with respect to literature that. this feeling is common. Men employed at the desk have been known to sigh for the chance of distinguishing thsmtelves at the bar or in the pulpif. There is a sense in which the reviewer's remark is true of literature aB of the bar, and every other profession and occupation. A man of genius wiil have a better chance if he is also a man of. moderate means. But if the reviewer intended to warn off all poor men from literature, ha was doing no good service to his country. The poor men of letters of the past — Shakespeare and Goldsmith, for instance — have added some lustre to English literature. And if they had lived in these days, and sent their work out through a good agent, they would have reaped a fair reward.