The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-05
LITERARY CHIT-CHAT.

LITERARY CHIT-CHAT.
WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT Is ut present engaged
on popular History OF the United Statas.n He
win be assisted by Mr.. Sydney Howard Gay. Tina
work Will begin with the earliest authentic recordG
and come down to the first century OF American
independence.
THE COMMUNIST GENERAL CLUsERET has begun In
the S,oiss Times Of Geneva series OF letters on
the Paris Commune.
AT THE RECENT SALE In Paris OF M. Pauthier'a
Chinese library the trustees OF the British Museum
made some valuable purchases among which,
were several works on the geography OF Central
Asia, and number OF books having an important
bearing the historical and classical literature Of
the Empire. The books, as 0 rule, fetched very
high prices; one, In o single volume, containing
illustrations OF the people OF the nations tributary
to China was sold for less than LOO francss
and 1t may safely be said that every work letcheo
It's full value.
THE Athengum says :-"It Is not creditable TO tina
nation which holds India that the History OF the
Mahrattas' should be allowed to remain out OF
print. second edition, completed down to the
annexation OF Soltara, is urgently wanted, and We
hope that the attention which has been drawn to
the matter by Mr.. James Taylor's publication of
Grant Dun's letter may lead to an cation de lux0
being brought out"
HERR GAIL ELzE OF Dessau, author OF the life OF
Byron, has In the press an edition. with a copious
introduction, OF Samuel Rowley's play, "When You
See Me, You Know Me; or. The Famous Chronicle
historic or King Henrie the Eight" 1t Will 20
published In this country by Messrs. Williams d
NOrgate.
MR. WALTER THORNBuRY is going to lecture on
Hoborn and its associations, beginning with Fur
nivaps lnn and Charles Dickens, and ending with
the Blue Boar Inn. where Cromwell ripped from
the saddle the concealed stser VI Cnarles the FIRST.
TnnEE-FuURTns OF the circulation OF American
public libraries s made up OF works Of fiction.
MR.. W. Q. HAzLIrT has published, under the title
OF .'Lambiana," many uncollectcd letters, papers
ana scraps OF Charles and Mary Lamb, Illustrated
with drawings Of their various residences.
MISS AKIN, Thomas Cariylc's niece, has edited
for Macmillan the publisher. collection OF Scot
tish songs. Mr.. Carlyles part III revising and cor
rectng he proofs has been SO thorough that 1t Is
said to be virtually his work.
MR.. J. R. blanche has prepared "The Cyclic
padia or Costume; or, dictionary OF Dress regal,
ecclesiastical, civil and military, from the earliest
period in England to the reign OF George the
Third.n The volume VIII be profusely illustrated,
Mr. LESLIE STEPHENS "Hours in Libraryn Id
just ready in London.
SELECTION FROM JOSEPH q. CoGswELIs cor-
respondence is to be privately printed In Boston.
The author win be remembered as the late venera~
BILE librarian OF the Astor Library.
THE ENGLISH LITERARY JOURNALS are full OF ar
rlcles lately about Chaucer and Shakespeare. Five
or six rival reprnting societies are in full blast,
giving the public the works OF all the earlier Engs
llsh poets. II there is half much study OF thesa
authors as there is writing about them, this Cnau-
Ger ana Shakespeare epidemic may be fruitful II
beneft.
Mr.. WILLIAM s. BROWNING, uncle OF Robert
Browning, the poet and author OF the "History Of.
the uuguenots.n died recently in London.
TIE LONDON ACADEMY pronounces Max Mullcr'6
discourse Christian missions, with It's introduce
ton by Dean Stanley, to be q reform step In the
emancipation OF Christianity from the priesthood,
ceremonies and dogmas that have overgrown 1t.
The work deals plainly with the failure OF modern
missions among the heather.
LORD CHIEF JUSTICE CocKBuRN's work on
"Juniusn is, it Is said, COMPLETED and will be pub
llshed in September. He processes TO have dis.
covered the secret OF Junius.
MEssRs. LoNGMANs are preparing for publica-
ton, In four volumes, with portraits from tho
originals In the possession Of the imperial family.
and fac-simies oil letters OF Napoleon H. Napoleon
Ill, Queen Hortcnsc, &c, "rhe Life OF Napoleon
ILL.,, Derived ron State Records, Unpublished
Family Correspondence and Personal Testimony"
by Blanchard Jcrrold.
The MARCH NUMBER OF the St. Pauus Magazine
determined to discontinue 1t.
The ssIICHBoRNE NUMBER OF the Graphic, the
letter-press OF which, by the way, was written by
Mr.. Moy Thomas. Is said to nave attained sale or
over ZOO 000 copies
PROSPER MERIMEEs famous 'Inconnue" is be-
neved by many to be myth like the "Clara
Gazel," whose dramatic poems Merimee invented,
and pretended to have translated from the Span
lsh.
A ROMANTIC WRITER In the cornhW Magazine
draws a tragical picture OF the white slavery OF
servants In English houses. The wretched female
servants we are told, live under me ground, or
else under the roof and are treated as II they had
no rights beyond food lodging and wages. Even
the iood is Inferior TO that OF the family.
THE GERMAN PHILOSOPHER, FIcHTE, has been
honored BY a reprint in English OF his mature OF
the Scholar,n vocation OF Man" and "Doctrlne
or Rehglon,p with memoir by Dr.. William smith,
"TBg ENGLISH PEAsANTRYn is the title of q new
work by Mr.. r. @. Heath, author of srhe Rom nca
OF Peasant Life." The book deals with the general
condition OF the English peasantry.
MACMILLAN 4 co. will publish shortly uniform,
with Mr.. Freemans "old English History "lls.
tory OF Scandinavia" by Miss Otte
PROFESSOR DOMINGO CoMPARETTI OF Pisa has d,
the press q work on Italian iolk love. stories
songs, &C.
UNDER THE TITLE OF "Shakespeare's plutarch,,
Mr. Skeat Will edit, with introductory notes ana
glossoria index, those entire biographies ana sent
tered passages from Sir Thomas North,s transla-
ton OF "Putarch" which Shakespeare drew upon
In 30 many OF his plays.
THE PRESS threatens to become n power In Con.
scahtnopie. me nrst part OF comic Journal, lie
fotschtnelte, appeared on the 2lst ut IT'S 10 De
published twice week in French, Greek, Turkish.
Armenian and Huaarian.