LITERARY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2402, 15 March 1900, Page 63

LITERARY NOTES.

— Messrs Chatto and Windus will publish shortly Mr John Hollingshead's neAV book, "According to My Lights."

— Constables isoue in two neat and handy volumes "Men and Women," by Robert Browning. To each volume there is a frontispiece.

— Messrs Macmillan have sent out a new edition of Captain Francis Younghusband's "Soul".' Africa of To-day," originally published in 1897.

— "The Unchanging East" is to be the title of Mr Robert Barr's new book, which Messrs Chatto and Windus have in hand for early publication.

—Mr Francis Watt is contributing to the forthcoming number of the Anglo-Saxon Review a study of Sir George Mackenzie, Lord AcU'ocate under Charles II and James 11, the "Bloody Advocate Mackenzie" of "Wandering Willies Tale" in "Redgauntlet."

— The work on church architecture, on which Dr Spence, Dean of Gloucester, has for some time been engaged, will be published by Messrs J. M. Dent and Co. under the title of "The White Robe of the Churches."

— Messrs Kegan Paul and Co. Avill commence a new series of monographs, which Avill be known as "The Westminster Biographies." The initial volume on BroAvning has just been completed by Mr Arthur Waugh, Avhose design has been, in common Avith the purpose of the series, to present in short compass pictures of some of the great personalities of our time.

—To the .great masters in painting and sculpture has been added '"Raphael." by Henry Strachey. There are a number of illustrations.

—Mr H. J. Mackinder, the editor, is contributing the first volume of Mr William Ifeinemann's new geographical series, "The World in 1900." "Britain and the North Atlantic" is the subject chosen.

— "The Lost Continent" is the title of a new book of adventuie by Mr Cutliffe Hyne which Hutchinson and Co. are to publish. — Miss Annie C. Holdsworth's new novel, "The Valley of' the Great Shadow," is in the hands of Mr William Heinemann, who also has in preparation a novel by Mr Thomas Nelson Page.

— "Bismarck and the Foundation of the German Empire" has been added to the Heroes of the Nation series (Putnam's Sons). The author is James Wycliffe Headlam. — Mr Joseph Hatton has just returned from a visit to Southern Francs and the Italian Riviera. He brings \vith him some "notes of colour" for a novel Avhich is to appear in 1901.

—In the January number of Pearson's Magazine there is a short story of Indian life by Rudyard Kipling, entitled "Garni : A Hostage." The hero of the story is a dog. — Messrs Macmillan have issued the first two volumes of their new "Library of English Classics" ; Bacon's "Essays and Advancement of Learning " and Sheridan's "Plays." — Mr Ernest Vizetelly has altered his mind oA"er the matter of Zola's new novel, and Avill prepare an edited translation with an introduction for publication by Messrs Chatto and Windus, under the title of "Fruitfulness."

— Messrs J. M. Dent and Co.'s "Haddon Hall Library" series is being increased by a volume on fox-hunting. Avhich the Marquis of Granby is editing, and another on cricket and golf, which is receiving similar attention at the hands of Mr G. A. B. Dewar.

— Messrs Pearson haA'e secured Mr Julian Ralph's account of the South African Avar. Tho correspondents have been severely trammelled this time, and their books, Avhen they appear, Avill be practically new. — Messrs George Newnes (Limited) will shortly publish a neAv and comprehensiA'e Avork on "The Art and Crait of Gardenmaking," by Thomas H. Mawson, garden architect. It will make a handsome quarto volume, and will be profusely illustrated. The book Avill be published at cue guinea. — "Moira O'Neill," whoso verses haA r e appeared in Blackwood's Magazine, is about to publish a volume, entitled "Songg of the Glens of Antrim." Moira O'Neill, who has spent a number of years on a ranch out West, is, of course, a native of the Sister Isle.

— Messrs Dodd, Mead, and Co., the Avellknow American publishers, announce a new edition qi Mr SAvinburne's complete poems, revised and arranged by the author. The Bookman thinks it probable that the poet may prefix a new essay on his work to this edition.

— Mr Round is preparing for press a volume of studies in peerage and family history on Avhich he has been engaged for some time past. Among them is one Avhich deals Avith tho origin of the royal house of SteAvart, a problem Avhich, it is understood, he has at length succeeded in solving. The volume Avill be published early next year by Meesrs Archibald Constable and Co.

— Mrs Meynell has written tho "Ruskin" volume for Messrs Blackvvcod's Modern English Writers".

—Mr T. Fisher Umvin Aviil add to his, "OA-erseas Library" series a volume of sketches of negro life in Jamaica, by Mr Noel de Monlagnac, and another of life among the natiA-es of the smaller Pacific Isles, by Mr John Gaggin. "Negro Nobodies " and " Among the Man Eaters " are the respectiA'o titles under which these works Ayill appear. — Friends of Armenia will greatly enjoy reading the 138 pages of "A Brief Memoir of Ida Moilinger. who, under the American Board of Missions, laboured for the Armenian People in Asia Minor, and in England pleaded for their Orphans," by Elizabeth Boyd-Bayly, author of "Jonathan Merle," "Alfreds Holme," "Zaehary Brough's Venture," "ForesUvyk," "A Bit of Wool," etc., etc. (London: Jarrold and Sons.) — Miss Beatrice Harraden has already planned and sold her next story — sold it, as far as serial rights are concerned. "The Fowler" has had a large sale both in Britain and in America. — The Dickens collection of the late W. R. Hughes, of Birmingham, is to be sold in its entirety. It consists of over 3000 items, of Avhich as many as 300 are first editions of Dickens's works, and upwards of 50 bibliographical volumes.

— Like so many t other writers, Mr Anthony Hope took to fiction on realising that a cail to the bar does nol necessarily mean a liA'ine; Avage. It is simply and solely to a. "brief" famine that Aye owe one of our most brilliant novelists. — The Marquis of Lansdowno, the Secretary for War, is a great student of ancient and modern literature; indeed, his fa/vourite recreation is reading the works of the great authors. — A history of Bagdad may soon be expected from a writer so exceptionally learned in Arabic lore as Mr Guy Leslrange. Most people derive their mental picture of the great and glorious city from "The Arabian Nights." No regular history of it exists in English. — Mr A. E, Fletcher is retiring; from his

position as literary adviser to Messrs Wartr,, Lock and Co., and will reside in the country. ' Mr Fletcher will continue to write and lecture. Mr Coulson Kernahan will succeed himl' at Messrs Ward and Lock's. Mr Kernahan! 1 has worked for years in the service of that firm.

— The Bookman hears that Mr Hall Cainef has been exploding what he calls the profit fiction of the drama. So far his dramatic rights of "The Christian" have not brought him as much money as his book rights in the stoiy. Plays, he says, which make a fortune for the author are very few and far between. In most cases a really successful novel pays better than a moderately successful play.^

— A new series of volumes dealing with the history of France during the Second Empire is announced by Hutchinson and Co. They will be written by M. Imbert de SainfcAmand (the author of the series entitled "Famous Women of the French Court"), and tha opening volume will be called "Louis Napoleon and Mademoiselle de Monti jo."

— A new and attractive edition of the au-thorised-version of the Bible has been issued by Eyre and Spottiswoode, under the title of "The Young Scholar's Illustrated Bible." This edition is printed in readable type, and is neatly bound. It is light and handy, and will be in every way acceptable as a giftbook for young people. The special value of this issue consists of the full-page illustrations, of which there are 32, and explana-toiy notes are given of each.

— The new volume of Messrs Bell's, Handbooks to English Literature is "The Age o£ Johnson, ' by Mr Thomas Seccombe. Me Seecombe has been one of the most accurate and thorough workers on the great "National Dictionary of Biography." where, among many splendid contributions, his Life of Smollett stands out among the most distinguished.

— • Duckworth and Co. have arranged to publish Ibsen's "Love Comedy" in their series of "Modern Plays." The translator is Professor C. H. Herford. But, although the English version is ready for the press, publication may be delayed till March, since Ibsen himself insists on seeing every letter and comma of his works which are' issued to the public. — The new edition of Professor Masson'a biography of "Chatterton" (Hodder and! Stoughtou) will appeal to many. It has been revised and added to. The late Lord Elibank first lent and then gave to Lord Eosebery, when a boy, Professor Masson's volume of Essays, in which the appreciation of Chatterton. originally appeared. "I sup* pose," said Lord Rooebery in later years,, "that every appetite for bocks finally SndC something that is absolutely congenial to it, and at that time and in oonstant rereading ever since that book of Professor Masson's has had a charm and an inspiration for ma that very few books have ever had."