The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-09
LITERARY CHIT-cHAT.

| THE WALTER SCOTT centenary celebration is TO
DO opened at Ednburg on the 18TH OF July. There
have already been gathered there for exhibition the
cradle In which the great novelist was rocked, the
silver snufr-box used by him. Meg Dod's punch
bowl, the Queens Body Guard suit he used TO wear,
the original MSS. or some OF his works and large
number or portraits Of Scott and his family.
( THERE ARE Few LITERARY wants more felt Than
! the need Of good American biographical diction-
! ary Except the meagre and unsatisfactory COM
| platOn OF the late Dr. Alien there Is really no
dictionary OF Americans worth the name. Mr.. r. s.
Drake OF Boston, has in press ms attempt to supply
the vacuum In "Dictionary of American Bio
graphy." to contain IL, 900 names, including both
| living and deceased persons.
GEORGE SANDS new novel. "Francia" now ap-
pearlng as serial In the Rerue d. DouI Nondes,
brings the distinguished author $40 per page AS
each page OF this periodical contains about 500
words the compensation is at the rate OF eight cents
word, and, should the story run to 400 pages,
Madame Sand VIII receive the handsome sum OF
$4,000 $3.50
Mr.. CHARLES LANMAN, OF Georgetown, ID. G.,
has received Commission through an agent OF the
Japanese government to prepare volume the
history and resources OF the United States TO be
translated and circulated in japan. That wonderful
people appear determined to know all about
America and the Americans
The SAFETY of the great national library Of
France during the mad reign OF the Commune is at
tributed the discretion anu firmness OF its sub
ordinate officers. M Taschereau, the nbrarianin
Chief Quilted his post after the instruction
broke out, and retired TO Versailles leaving NJ. de
Laborde In charge. The Commune appointed M.
Vincent rs head of the library. who however, left
Laborde and the other employees in charge, and
confined his exertions to the Undertaking OF sum
OF TO- 000 out OF funds entrusted to him from the
Communal treasury for library expenses. This dis
covered, M. Vincent was removed and NJ Reclus APP
pointed in his place. He signazed his accession by
demanding that all the assistant librarians should
| give in their adhesion to tne Commune. This
| slxty-hve of them refused to do, recOg.
| nizng the Versailles government as lawful.
| Communal decree at once removed the
recusan:s from Office, but they declined to desert
the library came daily to the tables readers, and
| kept an eye on the new management. M. Recus
| after few days. attempt TO carry the library
| without experts permitted some OF the old assist
ants to resume their places without adhesion to the
| Commune government. Once restored, some OF
them never left the library by night by day until
the safe restoration OF the Versailles government
and no attempt to burn the noble cole OF over
| one million volumes was made.
MRS. HENRY WOoD whose earliest efforts at ovel
| writing were hawked about London without finding
| purchaser, Is said to have received over one hun
| bred thousand dollars from publishers for her
! fctlons since 1851. when "East Lynne' was first
| published. Ten thousand year for woman is not
| bad.
EDWARD LEAR'S latest book, called "Nonsense
Songs, Stories, Botany and Aphabets,' - IL repub.
! lished by James Il. Osgood l. Co., of Boston, and
Is full OF fautastical pictures with laughabe accom-
| paniments.
THE LATEST ISSUE Of the Spenser Society. which
was organized in London In 1867 Is "A HANDFUL OF
Inv pot,fn 4,
others reprinted lin black letter. from the original
edition Of 1884 This highly curious volume OF early
songs and ballads s one OF the very rarest books of
the Elzabethan age. only copy of 1t being
known to exist, and this one lacking leaf, which
forms hidt,,s UGlde dgteadus In the reprint or
these quaint old ''sonets and histories space per-
mits us only one brief specimen
Diana aud her darings deare
Through woods and waters cesre,
The eaues were gay and green,
And pleasant to be seen;
They went the trees between,
So long that At the las. they found a place
So pure and fare a bath neGer was
Found many yesre.
We have not seen 1t noted by any OF the ndustrl-
burrowefs into Shakspeariana that this OLD vol
ume contains the following, which suggests ODhe-
LAS There's rosemary. that's for rcmembrancc'':-
Rosemarie is for remembrsnce
You present In sight.
This printed just twenty years before Hamlet.
HARRIET PRESCOTT SPOrrORD will soon publish.
through Osgo0d h Co., a volume OF New England
| Legends" to include Captain Kldd the Salem
witchcratt, the Burning or the Charestown Convent
and other stories, told in her weird and romantic
STYLE Several OF these sketches appeared IN Frank
Leslte's illustrated Newspaper, year two since.
| KAY & BROTHER, of Philadelphia, have in press
| commentaries on tile Law OF Married Women
| Under the Statutes Of the Several States and al
| Common Law and In Equity by Joel Prentiss
| Bishop, author OF commentaries on the Criminal
| Lawr and the Law OF Marriage and Divorce"
| Anew "Manual OF Commerce. by $. Ii. Browne
is in the press OF Bill Nichols Co., OF Springfield
Mass.
j. R. OsGooD Co. will issue "A Dictionary OF the
Characters OF Charles Dickens, bv Gilbert A. Pie o.
| Of Washington. This will supply key to the scenes
| and novels In which every one Of the novelists
! creations appear from Job TrOtter down 10 Mr..
| Crisparke, and, though not q concordance. cannot
fail to prove highly useful as an index.
| CLAYTON REMsEN d HAFFELFINGER, Of Phila-
delphia, will soon bring out any Roses: The
! Romance Of June Day." by the favorite Southern
author, Mrs. L. Virginia French.
NEW PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED
From d. Appleton & Co.:--"Melapnysics. or the
Philosophy OF Consciousness. phcnominal ana
Real, BY Henry L. Mansel, q. ID. flames Cor
don's Wife, Novel.
From Harper h Brohers:-"rhe Island Neigh
bors.n novel OF American Life. BY Antornette
Brown Blackwell. "Reindeer, Dogs and snow