The New York herald., 1873-09-16
LITERARY CHIT-CHAT.

THE Pau Mall Gazette pronOunces Mr.. W. d.
Howels 'Cbance Acquaintance" to be bright
and truthful book, but adds that as Novelist his
range is very limited.
THE PUTNAMs will publish for the Christmas
holidays q volume Of spirited etchinQs among
Colorado scenery, by Mrs. Greatorex, whose
"Homes Of the Oberammergau" was so widely
admired. 1t is said that Mrs. Lippincott Grace
Greenwood) will write the text for the etchings
AMONG THE PAPERS found in the Bastle, now
edited by M. Ravaisson, will shortly appear
startling document, showing that Racine was
summoned before King Louis XIV. as accused OF
having robbed and poisoned La Duparc cele-
brated actress, for whom he composed the part OF
AndrOmaQue and who was his mistress till the
time OF her death, in 1888. The accusation coming
as 1t did from the infamous woman Voisin, tried
condemned and executed as enpOtsonneuse, could
not be entertained for moment; but 1t heavily
weighed on the exquisltely sensitive mind Of
Racine till he died, broken-hearted, in 1909.
"SUMMER DAYS IN CALIFORNIA" by Mrs. War
terstOn, win appear this fall.
Nh. JENKINS t"Ginx's Baby'D and the essayist
Fitzjames Stephen, both ran for q seat in Parlia-
ment from Dundee, and both were beaten by
nobody named Teaman.
CHARLES READE's latest novel, "a Simpletop "
is composite story, in which he makes no con-
cealrnent OF the sources whence he derives charac-
ters and illustrations, but parades them In q long
list q authorities. This shows him rather SEN
sitive to the charges OF plagiarism 80 freely made
against his recent novels. The story itself is
highly sensational. II 1t were not 1t would not be
Charles Reade's.
A Book THAT PROMISES to be very entertaining
is the autobiography Of DR.. Granville whose prac.
tice was great not only in England, but In Russia
and St Petersburg and at all the German spas,
concerning which he wrote several books. One OF
his eminent patients in later years was Lord Pal.
merston, whose life he saved at the time of the
cholera by the use of o heated smoothing iron ap-
piled to his spiue. Sir Henry Hollands charming
"reminiscences will probably be eclipsed by the
proofs OF frankness which abound In the forth.
coming volumes.
In SEVERAL RECENT ENGLISH ELECTIONS the com.
bnation OF beer and Bible has been exceedingly
ludicrous In East Staffordshire Alsopp the fa-
nous brewer, was the tory candidate, and in the
windows OF one OF the drinking places was
banner bearing the device OF Bible, upon which
was inscribed the following lines -
Holy Bible. book divine,
mne rss'So; o .e Teasaysh s whenee nSe nrt mine
Mine TO tell me what lam.
And underneath :-"Shal we have this blessing
taken from usS No. Then vote for Alsoppp
THE EMPER0R OF GERMANY has granted liberal
subvention to the eminent geologst, DIR. Won Rich.
to.en, for the publication of the scientific results
OF his travels In China and Japan.
CURIOUS DISCOVERY, relating to noted char.
acter Of the last generation has just been made In
the Public Record ONCE. During the examination
of chest containing manuscripts and books
whose existence had been overlooked, numerous
documents belonging to William Cobbett were
turned out. Among them are piles Of letters ad-
dressed to "Peter Porcupine,n in 1925 lxom an
American correspondent; a vast mass Of BRIEFS
bills OF costs, &C.. and the manuscript OF an Eng.
lsh dictionary, arranged for the press.