The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-08
LITERARY CHIT-CHAT.

Mr.. wRLPoRD says, In the last "Boskbuyers Y
that symptoms of famine In old books are palpa
bly, manifest in England. The supply OF fine and
rare books is quite inadequate to the demand,
which the hundreds OF eager American buyers are
contributing to swel.
FORSTER thus sketches q visit to Victor Hugo
with Dickens, In the Winter OF 1885, Dt G
Closed that day at the house OF Victor Hugo,
by whom Dickens was received with infinite cour-
tesy and grace. The great writer then occupied O
noer IN nsble corner house in the Place Royale,
the old quarter OF Ninon de pEnclos and the people
the Ceilings the Ss CARVINGS
out OF some palace Of the Middle Age, quantity and
grandly reminded us. Hugo was himself however,
the best thing we saw. Rather under the middle
size; OF compact, close buttoned-up figure, with
ample dark hair falling loosely over his close .shaven
face, never saw upon any features so, keenly in
tainly never heard the French language spoken
with the picturesque distinctness given to 1t hy
Victor Hugo.
MIR. FRoUDE win reply in preface to the second
volume Of ''rhe English in Ireland" 70 the critics
OF the first volume.
TRANSLATION by Mrs. Arthur Arnold Of Senior
Emilio Castelar's work, 'Recollectons OF ltaly,n
win appear shortly.
As A SAMPLE OF the present high prices OF old
English typography, 1t may be noted that copy Of
John Covers 'Confcssio Amantis," printed by
Caxton in 1893, was recently sold to London
dealer at f72O and resold TO an American collector
at about 1000
THE CENTENNIAL ANNIvERSARY OF the First
Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry will occur Novem-
Der II, 1874, audit Is the intention to publish mme-
diately thereafter complete history Of the COM
pany from Its organization, In 1774, TO the celebra-
ton or the centennial. int. o.3
{ Mr.. WILLIAM SrIaANr IL finishing his "Iife and
Opinions Of Hefne," which Will make two large
octave volumes. II
THE WORK which M. Victor Hugo is now COM
pleting at Guernsey Is novel, called 'Quatre-
vingttreize,n the scene or which is laid In the
second period OF the French Revolution. vle 7ba
MR. CHARLES SUTTON has written q History of
the New York Tombs; or, "reminiscences OF a
Warden.n
THE Pau Mall Gazette SAYS, apropos OF Mr.. Troll
lope's new Australian book, that "the colonial man
comes nearer being uninteresting than any other
variety OF the species" s.s.
SIR FREDERICK MADDEN, for many years at the
head OF the Manuscript Department OF the British
Museum Library, died lately the age OF seventy
two. He wrote largely on historical and anti
quarian subjects. tll 8E tg8
WHEN WALTER SCOTT was In Paris q curiosity
hunter bothered him for his autograph, and offered
to take 1t. with q sentiment, on the ny-leaf OF a
volume OF Froissart he had In his hand. Scott at
once wrote in the volume. "V0Q0 non nsdttre,
Walter Scott" and handed it back, saying to the
company, II have just acknowledged truth which
viii doubtless be turned against me-" In the
quaint and half bsrbarous pages OF this old chroni
cler he found the germ Of historical romance.
Mr. PELGRAvR, the weknown writer OF travels,
has been promoted from his consuiship at Trebi-
zonde to consulship in the West India Islands by
the British government.
THE PUBLICATION OF an unedited work OF Lamar
tine in the course OF March Is announced.