LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume 1, Issue 8, 14 February 1914, Page 1

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

A copy of/Kipling's latest book, "'Songs from Books," should "be added to'every collection; of Kipling's works. It was 1 a distinctly happy thought the author to ; gather together in one volume the numerous verses which have so frequently headed the chapters in ..his books. The new book may be had, of course, in' each of the four editions which Macmillan's'now publish of Kipling's works. - There are the edition : de4uxej'the price of.which I have forgotten; the new Bombay, edition at a guinea a volume (already over-subscribed,

and procurable only at a premium); the ordinary cloth bound crown octavo edition at 6/-; and last,, and in my opinion the best for the everyday bookman, the handy---sized pocket edition, in cloth and leather at 4/- and 5/(Englis.h prices').The ; scarlet leather of this edition, though limp, is much stouter than the limp leather of so many other pocket editions,, and.owing to the use of thin but opaque paper a complete set occupies but very small Bheli space. t ,_ The late Mr W. P. Courtney, whose death''occurred in December last, has been cpnfounded, so T notice, in more than one New Zealand and Australian paper with Mv W. L. Courtney, the editor of "The Fortnightly Review," wliose recently published volume ' of short stories, "The Soul of a Suffragette," etc., has'been so. cordiallv praised, ~; b y .the London reviewers. The late Mr Courtney was ;a.brother .of Lord Courtney of Penwith, and was the author Of several books on, Cornwall, whist and biography. He was an ardent bibliographer. His;-A-'.Secrets of*-,Qur;..National Literature;" a copy of which has long .been one of "Liber's" treasured posse's- ' sioiis, is'a most Entertaining work, dealing as. it; does. with tlie curious devices' by which many well-known British aiithors have misled the public as to their r'eal identity. '. ';' Mr E..8: Cunhinghahi'eGraham has a new collect; iio'u of stories and'sketches out with Duckworths. From English ■•reviews/ the book' would appear "to be -quite Ca/ua! to its predecessors, "Success," and ' "l4ogress," in Which this author has proved"himself 'So biillia-nt : a writer. 'As before, Mr 'Graham ' takes mosi of his subjects from Spanish, American; "arid Mor*" ocean scenes; and,, judging by the "Saturday'''Review;';' notice (December' 27), the stories' are ag'ain• iscd by that same mischievous contempt 'for the feeling;: of Mrs Grundy as was apparent in fepnie of. the • author'i:. earlier work.. Hjjs humour is always'irpn'jle,' 'and to many-'English readers 'irony 'is ; r a. most' aye bitciice; But those'who have read and enjoyed ;" Sy'c-; csss)'' are sure 1 to'"want Mr Graham's 'latest book, tlie :i titie'of which is "A -Hatchment," . despite the final j warning of the."Saturday Review," to, wit, "lie is far too close" to Nature, and though this quality ,'hncT his, brilliant wit wiil preserve his writings, his tone is lax, and liis manner, too, oli!'" too ; familiar for self-respecting readers.'' Most, of Cunnirighame Graham's books are, J may add, obtainable at 3/6 each in Duckworth's:Colonial Library. | Two of three of them are included in that excellent series, Duckworths' > " Readers' Library," at 2/6. All are non-negligible by those who care for the best in literature.

Mr T. Lindsay Buick flas been advised by cablegram that the copies of Ms forthcoming book, dealing with the signing of ''The Treaty of' Waitangi,'' were shipped by the Athenic^ which left London'on February "5. As it is just seventy-four years, ago'.'this.month since New Zealand became a British colony un.de.r"the diplomatic arrangement entered into witn the at Waitangi, Mr Buick V .narrative of how this interesting .event was brought abtst by Capjtain. Hobson and those associated with him should prove a welcome addition to our historical literature. The book has been printed by Messrs R. and R. GKtfk, of Edinburgh, and Messrs S. jind W. Maekay, Wellington, who are the publishers, hope to have it on the.market about the end of March. "Solomon Eagle 1 ," who is responsible for the literary gossip in "Trie' New Statesman,"• • has been busying himself in, collecting specimens of '' bad versegood bad, bad bad, and indifferent bad." A recently contributed; specimen's,, the late Poet Laureate's rein arks on Nature: '.ti,;;; ,! She sins upon a..larger scale Because she is mororlarge. Which is bad enough ran: all conscience. But some lines discovered by Andrew) Lang, on, a gipsy woman who fell ill, are even better —or worse: There we leave her There we .leave her • Far from where her swarthy kindred roam, In the Scarlet Fever, ' Scarlet Fever, Scarlet Fever. Convalescent Home.