LITERARY NOTES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 17780, 31 January 1920, Page 3

LITERARY NOTES.

As a rule it may be said that successful writers of sea-verse are stay-at-homes; they express the rhythm and spirit of the seas according to the inspiration of their home armchairs. They sing Ho, for Devon Men! somewhere in South Kensington. Rear-Admiral Ronald Hopwood is how'ever, an exception to this rule, lie is a working, fighting sailor; proved second to none for stirring sea-poetry. A further volume by him, “The New Navy,’’ is to be published by Mr Murray at once. Lady Ritchie was Victorian writer, whose grace, charm and rare literary talent have done much to redeem the artistic virtues of that great and misrepresented time. Mr Murray is about to issue a volume of sketches, biographical and otherwise, from her pen. “From Friend to Frend” was put together and revised by Thaqkeray ’s elder daughter in the last months of her life. The Fighting Fifth is a regiment of which the man in the street is instinctly proud, for its truly glorious record has penetrated to the heart of the national consciousness; and yet its history of nearly 250 years has never been fully and reliably told until now. Miss H. M. Walker is the author, and Mr Murray the publisher, of “A History of the Northumberland Fusiliers,” to be brought out at once. The identity of the anonymous author of “The Vanished Pomps of Y'esterday” (Hodder and Stough ton), which has been so favorably reviewed by the Press, is now an open secret. The book is by Lord Frederick Hamilton, brother to Lord Claud, Lord George and Lord Ernest Hamilton, and uncle to the prelent Duke of Abercorn. The family seem to have literary tastes for Lord George Hamilton has published a volume of his memoirs, and Lord Ernest has written several novels and some historical works, as well as a War Chronicle “The First Seven Divisions,” which ran into many editions. Lord Frederick has been in turn Diplomatist, Member of Parliament, and newspaper editor. During the war he was attached as unpaid supernumerary to Scotland Yard, which may account for some of the details in his “P. J. Davenant” uctective stories.