New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-31


NEws-vARIOUs FRESH PLAYS.
| BosToN, Dec. 29.-"The king is dead, long
live the king" The book season Of 1870 ended with
Christmas eve 1t Is already time to think and tax OF
the books OF and the private Offices OF the Pupnsn
ers hum with mysterious consultations with men OF not
concerning the results OF which shall be able 70 wrlte
You definitely in an early letter MeSsrs. James os-
good 4 Co-for we may well get used to the unfa-
mliar title--are preparing very strong list OF ne"
books Messrs Roberts Brothers do rot pause long to
take breath but will have four books In January begin
ming with George Sands "Snow Man." the titles OF
which have been already mentioned in this correspond
ence They have also added TO their two
entirely fresh thngs-a novelty Berhold Auerbach
publishing seraly in Germany under the title OF MI
mienweizen" and which WILL of course be called "Mum
nv Wheat when issued bere-the reference being to
the fresh and prolific grains Of wheat found in the sepu
chers of Egyptian mummies several thousand years od
and novel, "The New Pentecost," by New-Yo,k lady,
not entirely unknown to literature whose name Is not to
be disclosed least at present Messrs Lee Shepard
among many other things, are getting ready for the
rapid issue OF complete edition of the novels OF the
Swedish writer, Mrs Sophie Schwarz spare you the
| titles as there thirty-two OF them,
The general verdict as to the bookrade OF the year
now closing Is that Is fully to either OF the two pre-
yious years in the amount and prOftabeness OF bust
ness done. though the popular taste has tended 10
cheaper class OF books than before and more volumes
have been sold for the same money. The condition OF
the trade is entirely healthy, and all the Boston pub
fishers and dealers greet 1871 in excellent spirits.
There is considerable interest felt in the January num-
Der Of The North American Reriec, which ia to appear
with extraordinary promptHess Tuesday morning. not
only on account OF the pquancy sure to pervade the
whole number under Mr.. Henry Adamss edtorshp. but
for the Hon. Jacob D. Coxs paper political Reform
which Is sure to revive to extent the discussions
started by his retirement from the Cabinet and 70 call
| out comment from the press Of the whole country
The announcement the retirement from business OF
Mr. James T. Fields great surprise to people here,
even to those intimate relations with hs house. for
the secret had been very vigorously guarded Tie trade
will miss Mr. Fields, but the public the event will
make very little difference, since he will continue to edit
Tie Atlantic, and probably viii be able to give even
closer personal attention than he has done heretofore
and the host Of authors who his friends VIII retain
their relations with the reorganized house. Of which MI
| Osgood will make admirable and energetic head.
wide circle Of literary people here were shocked by
the death OF Prof Z. j. Cutler of Harvard COllegethe
result Of overworked BRAIN like much OF the NOR
tality OF the day. He one OF the keenest critics
among terati and to his extremely fastidous lite
rary taste probably due the fact that he himself pub
lshed little. His small volume Of poems on the
war contained some grand lines. AS a professor his
bright w.t. in his days of health made him very popular
with the students.
The Traveller Of this city is extensively advertising the
publication next Monday Of its eighteen column review
OF 1870 by Mr. Hazewel OF the pet literary pheno-
mena OF Boston, a man with the historical faculty as
abnormally developed the arthmetca in Zerah Col
burn, the musical in Blind Tom--a man who HIS
reviewed the events OF every week every Saturday
the paper and has done similar work
In other journals, who crysalzed the events Of the
decade in seventeen pages OF iHarpers Monthly and
whose habit 1t is to write OF this sort Of matter at
sitting without reference to % note authority at the
rate of a newspaper column in forty-two minutes.
MATTERS
The FBoston Art C1rb has had open FOR the last ten
days q little exhibition OF paintings, in its
Boyston-st-the paror floor Of an ordinary dwelling
house. The collection includes the Elijah OF Wash
ngton Alston Of which mention has already been made
in this correspondence its purchase in England by
two ladies OF the Hooper family flor tho Art Museum
which is to be. II large painting with much larger
proportion Of landscape than Of Elijah. Indeed,
casual glance might fail to discover either the prophet
or the ravens who bringing him meat The desert
scene is very boldly and vigorously painted, making
what artists call very strong picture" but what to
ordinary eyes, uneducaed In aesthetic mysteries, IA
altogether too strong not TO say too rough for admr
ton Then there "a lions head by Rubens several
French pictures of the modern Partisan school, and one
or two by each Of the principal Boston arstswho worl
mostly in landscape-besides halfdozen framed studet
by the pupils OF Mr. William Hunts young lady class
Another exhibition which has been opened here for
several weeks, aud which IL not to be so briefly de
serbcd is that OF tho so-called "Schwabe Galleries"
which occupy, after various miNatons, costly
dwellinghouse Of the principal streets Of the
Back Bay This is the mos mysterious OF Boston insJ
tutOns. Ask any BostOnan about 1t, and he becomes
mysterious at once whispering various tales of phlan
thropy and swindiug out OF whica it is impossible TO
make consistent story. Early In the there
to the surface here funny little German, radically
untidy-to put 1t in the most polite terms-n his per-
| sOna appearance, by name L. A. Schwabe This sur
name is pronounced in syllable in two, according
| ue1a
| would put it; and In those days there was pre-
| fixed to 1t the title Of Count. This parsonage
was first heard from running about the Ste
| House, the newspaper offices, the artists stu
dos, and the framemakers shops; and 1t was said
that he being German nobleman Of untold wealth. art
struck the heart with wonder and admiration at T.
herosn OF the Union volunteers, going TO establish
gallery of portraits OF the fallen, painted by the best
artists to be formed al his expense and In due time
given the public In those wild days or war we be-
leved everything and this tale with all kinds Of mag
nifcent additions from time to time, told by all the
newspapers, and found to doubt OF dispute IT,
The Count went on, rushing about the streets and climb
ing stairs with resisess energy, pouring out his gushes
OF enthusiasm into every giving great orders 10 the
artists, comforting with hundreds Of bereaved families
about photographs and 80 FORTH looking as II was
worth about twenty-five cents and thought ii 'rava
CANT TO spend that for SOAP but nevertheless paying ont
money for his project with liberal hand, and never
asking the public for assistance.
Thus for months and years Then there began 10 be
whispered and at last into print, suspicious that
there was humbug In this gigantic tribute TO heroism
Exactly how this humbug could be made TO pay was a
mystery and remains a mystery sl. Certainly only
ingenious and original mind could conceive such a
scheme as device for profit But it said. at first in
a whisper and then out loud that the founder Of the
national gallery very slow about settling some bills
that firm OF frame-makers had been obliged TO cue
him. and had only succeeded in getting back their goods
that this artist aud that had refused have do
with him; this bereaved family and that had paid
him large OF money for pictures and frames which