The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-20
/ LITERARY CHIT-CHAT.

THE REV. J. s. @. ABBOTT has expended the
latest efforts Of his historical whitewash brush
upon the character Of De Soto. D0dd Il Mead pub
lish the book, which makes out this cruel, ambi-
tious, selfish and corrupt Spanard to be brilliant
hero, slightly touched with insanity.
SAYS MR.. HAMERroN, in his "InteTectual Llfe,"
"a language cannot be thoroughly learned by an
adult without i've years. residence IN the country
where it spoken, and without habits OF close OBJ
servation residence OF twenty years is insuni-
cient" This Is not encouraging but 1t Is the truth.
Happily a knowledge which falls far short OF
mastery may be OF practical use In the common
affairs OF life. and may even afford some initiation
into foreign literature. Mia al.
THE FRENCH HISTORIAN, THIERRY, who died last
month, published his FIRST work fifty years ago, and
the proofs OF his last were brought to him ON his
death bed. 1t was an article In the Revue des Desr
Mondea -5 At4r af M 81
TEE HANDWRITING Of the late Chief Justice Chase
was very peculiar. He wrote singularly small
and almost feminine hand, which, however, he
turned on with great rapidity and nervous force.
His private letters (which were more numerous
than those Of almost any other public man who
nled stations eminent) were models Of terse and
clear English style.
THE LATE SAINT MARC GIRARDIN was not by any
means Of the most brilliant school OF French jour-
nallsts. His style was pedantc, and he could not
compete with Provost Par ldol's nimble satire,
with Lemoinne's easy common sense, or with
Weiss pal adoxical, but lively pen.
WHO WROTE "BETsEY AND l ARE OUT" Is a.
vexed question as the authorship OF " Rock Me
to Sleep, Mother" or r'Beautiful snow" was few
years ago. The latter was claimed with equal
positlveness by lady, Mrs. Akers. ana by J. W.
Watson, who Incorporated it In his collected
poems. And now comes another lady writer, Mrs.
N. s. Emerson, and claims the ballad "Betsey and
Are Out" so widely published by viii NJ. Garlic
ton as his In Hd9pea'S and in book FORM as her
property, written In 1869, and loaned In MS. copies
to friends She charges Mr.. Carleton with q
s1iterary piracy" and with printing her poem as
his own In a "mutilated and Feeble FORM" And 80
the battle OF the books goes on, and the ballad,
which has no poetic merit, but is marked by
certain rude force and simplicity is multiplied by
rival publishers each advertising his wares as
genuine. f HTs
KATE FIELD will gather her occasional papers
into volume under the indefinite title OF sHap.
Hazard"
THOSE INTERMINABLE NOVELS by Richardson.
'Pamela,n "Clarissa Harlowe" and "Sir Charles
Grandson" are to be reprinted In London in cheap
editions. 1t is doubtful If the modern world will
find time or patience to read them. We should as
soon think Of reviving 'Parthenissa' or Sydney's
sAfcadia." is
JAPANESE LITERATURE is not abundant Twenty
four books were published in Japan last year, OF
which nearly all were TRANSACTIONS With one ex.
cepton they relate to what were tillately, foreign
subjects. Seven were TRANSACTIONS Of foreign ele-
mentary works on chemistry and physics, four on
geography, two on American history and three on
civil law.
SIR w. FAIRBA1RN, whose works on iron ship
building and the strength of materials are authorl-
ties, says that 'ff you double the length OF ship
you weaken her jnst onehalf And the evil does not
stop here because II the cargo capacity be enlarged
in the same proportion, and used, the ships
strength Is diminished four times. What are
called clipper ships are not SAFE"
Mr.. THoRoLD ROGERS whose books on political
economy and "Histery Of Agriculture and Prices"
are well known, Will stand for Parliament in the
liberal interest.
BOMBAY CONTRIBUTES to the Vienna Exhibition
complete set OF all the native newspapers printed
IN that country-thirty-six in number.
y THOSE CHARMING WRITER'S, MN. Erckmann and
Chatrlan have published another OF those tranquil
and beautiful stories Of real life for which they are
famous, under the title Of lies Deux Freres.n