The New York herald., 1872-12-08
LITERARY CHIT. CHAT.

THE ESTIMATED WEALTH OF the most eminent
writer's OF France, oil OF whom started in life with
out anything, is as follows Victor Hugo, 600 OO0f
George Sand, nearly twice ~ much; Emile de
Girardn, 4, ,bCO, ,OO0f. Adolphe Theirs l.C0o OoOf
Alexandra Dumas, hls, 400,0oo. Edmond About
250,000f Alphonse Karr, l0o,0o0t Jules Janin
75O,0O0f Edouard Laboulaye, l0o,o00!.; victoren
sardou, 300 Ooof. ; Theophile Gautier died million
naire and the widows OF Scribe and Ponsard hive in
afiuence. But the widow OF the celebrated Proud
hon has to exc out precarious living as washer
woman.
TIE Popular Scientific Montnlp published by the
Appletons and EDITED by Professor Il. l.. ioumans
IL making itself a name by the value, freshness and
interest OF it's articles. The December number has
twenty articles by English, French and American
SCIENTISTS ana Is liberaly illustrated by wood en-
cravings.
A CONSPICUOUS EXAMPLE OF the men who, while
diseharglng official duties under the English gov
ernment still find leisure to cultivate literature is
Sir Arthur Helps the Clerk OF the Privy Council,
Office from which he derives Gl,1o0 year. sir
Henry Taylor, the author OF "Philip Won Artevede,r
has e., 900 year OF the senior clerks at the
Colonial once; and Mr.. J. w. Kaye who began his
literary life as the editor OF the Hd.on Journal,
issued by Messrs. Smith, Elder n Co.. ana whose
works on Indian history are so highly valued is
the political and secret secretary AT the Indian
once. Or. DaseDt, formerly suh-edtor Of the
Times, writer OF bad novels and good transa-
tons from the Morse, is the second Civil Service
Commissioner at salary OF Gl,200, while
Mr.. william Michael Rosett the poet and
critic, has fs00 year assistant
retary at the Inland Revenue once. Mr. W.
Rathbone Greg, who succeeded McCullocn, the
political economist as the head Official at the
Stationary once, enjoys 1900 a year; while Mr..
Herman ma Mt
Under Secretary at the INDIA once Mr.. Cation is
Director OF Works at Whitehall; Mr.. Frank Buck
iahd has t1OO year az an Inspector of salmon
Fisheries, and Mr. Lionel Brough f6o0 az an In
| spector oi Coal Mines; Mr.. +. I. Pagrave is an
Examiner at the Education Councll Once, aud Mr.
| Matthew Arnold holds the post OF Inspector OF
Schools; Mr. c. Pennen, the piscatoral writer,
gets $500 az the Inspector of oyster Fisheries,
while Mr.. J. Gaisher ana Mr.. Edwin Dunkin do
not get more between them for inspecting the
stars; Mr.. Henry Reeve editor OF the E0iabusyh
Reoie,o has a very snug berth; while Offices are
also enjoyed by Mr.. j. r. Planche, Sir 7. Dnnus
Hardy, Mr.. 7. Walker, Mr.. G. Scharf ana other
writer's whose names are less familiar to the
general public.
PURE FRENCH NOVEL Ong desderatum, Is
found in "Fleurange, by Madame Augustus Craven
winch is a charming historical fiction, containing
among other things, delightful description OF the
imperial Court OF Russia
CHARLES DICKENS lived and worked always at
high pressure and died at last OF over-strain. As
Mr.. Forster says OF him, 'he did even his notings
III strenuous way" One day he was wet through
thrice and dressed four tines another, he walked
eighteen miles in four and half hours In broillng
sun. Living at Genoa one winter, he dashed over
to London in the most inclemcnt weather riding
night and day. and back to Genoa again for no
earthly reason but 10 try the effect Of reading
''rhe Chimes" on few intimate friends. His dash
into the edtorship OF the DdAy Means and out of
It again within three weeks was highly character
stic OF the man.
PATRICK DONAHoE, who lost not less than
$3.50 600 by the great Boston fire. had his PiiOt
newspaper again cast out by the flames, which
really seems like adding insult to injury" Mr..
Donahoe dclares he don't want to hear any thing
about PhGnixes and the like; he don't want TO
rise from his ashes agan-not hel Twice in a
fortnight Is quite enough
LEE h SHEPARD lost forty sets OF stereotype
plates by the fire, and among them some OF their
most rapidly selling books, as well OF books not
yet put into the market; but with genuine Boston
energy, they have already got to work and re
stereotyped the burned books most in demand.
MRS. HENRY WOODS last novel, 'Within the
Maze" gets rather rough handling at the hands Of
the English literary reviews. But it is quite
readable as her other works, whereof Peterson
Brothers, Of Philadelphia publish the startling
number OF twenty-sx.
AND Now the Reverend Hollis Read puts forth his
own History OF the Devil or, satan in Human Ar
fairs," which E. b. Treat, OF New York. will print
How happens 1t that the clergy know so much
more about Satan than other people2
THE LETTERS, PAPERS and manuscripts OF W.
II. Prescott the historian, were completely
destroyed by the Boston fire. During the absence
in Europe OF the members OF the family into
whose possession they had come these vaiuabies
were stored "for safety in one OF the fine granite
warehouses consumed by the tremendous GONNA
grafton
AMELIA b. EDWARDS In a recent novel. talks OF
her hero "gOng backwards and forwards between
the courtyard and vineyard like an overseer In
Massachusetts cotton fcfd!' Wen up in American
affairs, you see.