The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-10

WOrKB OF MS Jlfno.
The Jesuit Bernardino Stefynio, was one
of the most distinguished of the dramatic
writer's of the Society of Jesus He wrote
comedy in Macaronic Latin, called "Macca-
ronis Sforza, but he ordered it (when he was
dying) to be burnt, as being of too gay o |
character to survive him. 1t did, however, |
survive, and is about to be published under
the editorship of M. Edelesland du Merel. |
Only fifty copies will be printed at the low |
price of six francs each.
The AtbeRgum says:-Marie de France |
says in her 'Lays" that King Alfred had
translated the Fables of Esop, and she had
done SO too. DIR. Mall, who is over here
copying our Museum MSS. of the 'Lays,"
the best known, is very anxious to find this
translation of Alfreds. We sincerely hope
he may, but nothing of the kind is known to
Anglo-Saxon scholars of this generation, or Of
any prior one of which we have records. In
deed, we believe that no earlier English trans
lation of Esop than that published by Cax-
ton exists which is somewhat odd, consider
ing the fame that the book must have had in
the middle ages.
Burns seems to be as popular in Germany
as in America. Freiligrath deliciously rem
dered some of the Scottish poets lyrics in the
edition of Freiligrath's Poems published in
1852. Now, however, Mr.. Adolf Laun has
published, through the house of Oppenheim,
of Berlin, the whole of Burns songs and
ballads in German. They are, for the most
part, exquisitely rendered. Text and tune
are singularly well kept together. 1t would
| be hard to say whether Freiligrath or Laun be
the more happily accurate; but the formers
version of the wooing of the audacious Find
lay cannot be excelled. AS a literary curiosity,
| moreover, this little book is to be COM
| mended; its uses to students of German will
| be found of the utmost value if they compare
| each translated piece with the original.
Mr. Z. w. Ashbee has now produced
| seven Of his careful fac simile reprints of
| rare tracts of the middle period, including
''The Assyse of Breade, 1910; ''The Prophe-
sic of Mother Shipton;" ''The Wyse Chylde
of thre yere olde;" ''The Actors Remon-
| STRANGE" 1G48; 1.-THE stage-Player's Com
| plant" 1G41; Archy's ''Dream," 1G41; and
bartholomew Faire," 1641. He proposes
| to issue next two works of John Taylor, the
| Water Poet-his Wandering to see the
| Wonders of the West" 1649, and Carriers
Cosmographie," 1857; ''The Ordinance for
the utter abolishing of all Stage Plays" 1647;
| Edw. Webbes Travels 1890; '"The Debate
| between Somer and Wynter;" ''The Merry
| conceited Humors of Bottom the Weaver, -"
and the first printed English book that con-
| tains any notice of America, "Of the newe
landes and of ye people founde by the Mes
sengers of the Kynge of Portyugal named
Emanuel" about 1921 A. D..
DR.. f. H. Stratmann, of Kelfeld, who is
| well known by his excellent Dictionary of
Old English" 12O0-15OO A. D., his contri-
buttons to an English dictionary, etc., has
| produced the first part of his edition of The
| Works of Shakespeare, edited according to
the first printed copies, with the various read
| ings and critical notes. DR.. Stratmann says:
| Ut is strange that among SO many editions
of Shakespeare there is not one that gives
their original form. Every editor thinks him
self entitled to alter the text according to his
time and fancy. genuine Shakespeare,
therefore, is a want which by the present
edition shall endeavor to supply" There is
clearly room for such edition, as but few
quartos 1T ana BE- hAXe prints Of the
old English enables him to support many q
reading and spelling that the modern editors
have hitherto altered Moreover, the Doctor
keeps honestly to old spelling. For instance,
in his first part, which consists of Hamlet, he
prints ''peebles," act v. scene l, l. 2, 8, fol
pebbles" (Which the modern editors Of
course adopt;," and in line l79 has 'chop
falne, instead of which ''all the editors arbi
trarily print chap-fallen." The ''modern edi
tor" nuisance is suppressed in this text.
The Athengum says:-Autograph letters
even those of eminent persons-do no
seem to be very highly valued in France. o.
looking over the list of a collection for sal
by regular dealer, we find one of Beranger'
letters offered Tor hVe francs. A note b.
Napoleon's private secretary, De Bourrienne
is set down at half that price. A letter writ
ten by the famous General Cambronne, il
1922, contains this passage: 'When 70
three-f e-fourths of the time during twenty-fv
campaigns, one has only had the sky for
roof, the inclemency of such circumstanc
has much contributed, with my wounds, t
, deprive me of the vigor necessary for so
der" This request for leave to retire
valued at 4 francs. For 81 francs may
. bought letter from Chateaubriand. On
from the ''terrible Davoust, in which he says
Q ''It is the finest reward for Frenchma
/, to be noticed by our beloved and great MOI
y, arch, is valued at 10 francs, at which sum
note of La Harpe's is also priced. Half tn
sum is asked for the autograph Of FlOriaI
S and one of Guizot's is offered as low as tw
J.. francs for twice which sum you may posses
n bit of the handwriting of Kant; and for
! francs may have note written by Meyerbee
The highest price set on the first Napoleon
handwriting is only francs less by two tina
S the charge for the autograph of the DIT
IS dOrleans, who was so long our prisoner aftC
" Agincourt. A dozen francs suffice for IL
. autograph of Marie Antoinette Louis IL
Sixteenths is ready to go at francs, an
/ Louis Philippes at II franc. The earle
l. known autograph letter of Theirs 1S22, ''RI
o ct Hotel Montesquieu") is valued at franc
Q The highest sum in the collection is % franc
Is for a letter from Washington, giving
drunken valet weeks notice to quit b