The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-24
LITERARY CHIT CHAT.

IHE AHeHRuln reviews TIE second NUMBER OF
George Eliors "Middemarch,r wnicn 1t says is "ful
OF subtle humor, eacn character being stereoscOpic
In its distinctness."
ANOTHER NEW BOOK oa "Mexico Under Maxi.
milan" has appeared in Lendon. 1t " by Captain
J. j. Kendall, and while adding little TO eur previous
knowledge OF events, Is Interesting chronicle Of
personal experience.
CAPTAIN MAYNE REID, whose New York maga'
zine, On,card, proved short nved and expen-
sIye an enterprise has broken out in London with
as prolific q pen as ever Hisatest romance, "rhe
Finger OF Fate, is In two volumes and, according
TO the AttenRunl, possesses scarcely redeeming
quality" 1.-THE plot Is poor and improbable, the
characters are either uninteresung vulgar, the
style Is bad and the political dlsquisi,ons rdicu-
lous."
M. LIrTRE has Just published curiousfy learned
and interesting work, entitled Medicine CT de.
cins.'
NEW WEEKLY illustrated paper is to Ne pub
ltsned at Madrid, under the title OF I'll americana.
1t Will be devoted chiefly to Spanisil-Americsn lit
erature and to South American interests. Hector
varela ana Mr.. CASTELAR, will be the managers
THE Saturday RepieW says or Commander
Mus,ers' new book, CAT Home with the Patagoal-
ansn that 1t is full OF spirit OF reality and llyell
ness that never flags
THE PUBLISHERS of the Revue des De,tr Mondes
are about to print complete general index to that
work. which has been for forty 1.-Two years ldentde
with the best literary workmanship IN France.
GENERAL JUDsoN FITZPATRICK Will dip into litera-
ture In a friendly way, in book on tine Cavalry
OF the United States" 10 be issued by j. M. Stod-
dart Co., Philadelphia
Ex-PREsIDENT WooLsEY, venerable but active
minded as ever, Is az work on textbook of po-
litcal economy.
DIR. $. S. CoNANr has devoted almost ten years Of
rol.1 thA nnnH nf
Proverbs, translated by himself, which Will soon be
issued by Sheldon & Co.
THE London Times denounces the costly and
absurd British practice of publishing novels in
three volumes at q guinea and a half O set. lt
says:-"T three volume system has become an
abominatiOn ana curse, and 1t Is the duty of
every critic to bring against 1t bell, book and
candle. 1t s deusion which originated no one
knows how, and 1t Is continued for the benefit OF
no one knows whom. IL neither profits him that
gives HIM that takes, for authors and publishers
gain not lng by 1t, and readers heavy losers"
THE Pail Mall Gazette says apropos OF the reprint
ing and wide sale IN London OF John Hays CLANS
Breitmann' &C :-'.American authors have had Il
happy time in England lately. Especially fortunate
have been the poets or America, ana they most lucky
who have least deserved the good opinion OF the
world.u
HON. ". II. SEWARD Is very busy With an amanll-
ensis preparing for the press OF the Appetons his
Voyage Around the Woyld.' The same publishers 1t
is said, will bring out Hon. James Brooks "Circum-
navigation OF the Glope' when the manuscript Is
ready
TIE London BOOKSELLER congratulates the people
on the results of Gladstone's pluck in defyng the
House of Lords and carrying the repeal OF the paper
duty as a ministerial measure some years ago. 1t
has not only reduced the cost to the public OF all
newspapers aud Ela2aznes, but IL has enabled the
publishers to furnish ruled copy books with printed
heads at only penny each thus dtifusing educa.
ton cheapy.
THE GROWTH OF our professional law reports IS
something enormous, and bids fair TO become alarm
ing. Thus we are to have BgelOw's "RepOrts OF
Life and Accident Insurance Cases Determined In
Courts from January, 1871, to January, 1872" in a
formidable octave volume, covering one year only Of
only one class OF decisions. AT this rate the Bench
and the Bar will soon be swamped with their own
learning.
THOSE WHO call the days we live In degenerate
anu modern writers coarse and abusive should take
leaf out OF the literature OF CEN
fury ago. Bishop Warnurton, In one Of his
| books, called the pious Romano "an exc.
| cradle scoundre.' His correspondence abounds
| with such terms, applied to well-meaning divlnes,
| as ''dunces,n ''wretches," ga worthless crew."
abandoned lbellersn and ''senseless, pronigate
scribbers.n He reached the climax OF vitupera-
ton when, In the House of Lords he apolOgzed to
Satan for supposing him capable OF inditing ohm
Wilkes pamphlet.
FIFTY UNPUBLISHED MADRIGALs by Tasso.
written to the famous Blanca Capello, have Just
been gwen to the press AT Florence.
DIR. W. b. CARPENTER, the eminent Psychologist,
has written very interesting ard ingenious
paper on "The Theory OF Common Sense' in the
Contemporary ReuieU for February.
Mr.. A. ID. CARLISLE has published In London o
| volume entitled "Round the World in 1870" which
the English journals praise fresh, vigorous and
| interesting
A NEW QUARTERLY MAGAZINE. to be entitled
Naudl Science, will soon appear In London, under
the editorship OF E. J. Reed late Chief Constructor
| of the Navy, author OF "Our Iron Ships,n &c.
Mr. FURNIvALL writes to the u,enHunt that all
the inventories of the estates OF deceased persons
| filed in the Prerogative Court IN Shakspeares
time are in existence, and among them must be the
| inventory of the personal estate and effects or
| William Shakespeare, including, perhaps, some
| mention OF his copyrights. 1t must awaken til G
| wonder OF American students that two centuries
and half OF Engishmen have neglected to find
out anything from this source Of information
among their own archives, if indeed 1t exists.
MR. w. WINwooD REApE, author Of Savage
Africa and other books, VIII soon publish "lnc
Dark Continent which viii attempt to apply the
Darwnan theory to the full extent TO religion and
TO history.
Mr.. SAMUEL SMILES, the widely.read author OF
elves OF the Engineers" "Sef Help and other
works, is suffering from paralysis.