New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-20
LONDON LITERATURE.
ESSAYS AND NOVELS.

NEW NOVEL; POEM PROMISED BY swlNBukNE.
fPRoN REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TkibUNE.I
LONDON, Dee. 4.-The current number OF INC
Fortnigh.ly Rericc opens with "A Word on Alexander
DyceD by John Forster: biographical notice OF
one of the greatest of modern students OF Enghsh
literature Of the Elizabethan PERIOD aud certainly
IN MANY respects the best of modern editors of
Shakespeare. This notice is TO serve as preface TO
the forthcoming catalogue of the library which Mr.
Dyce bequeathed TO the South Kensngton Museum;
n very remarkable collection, which the richest
and most enthusiastic amateur could scarcely
hope to duplicate in these days Mr.. Forster
for the first time so far as lnow-does justice 10
MI Dyce's abilities and character and incalculable
services 10 literature. Ii may almost be SAID OF
Dyce that he led the way In modern English CRU
eism laid down-nct in terms but in practIoe-the
laws which should govern the editing OF old au-
tbors: and gave us series of editions which remain
rs models of conscientious aud scholarly Work.
need not do more than commend this notice to Mr..
Dyce's American admirers Of whom lie has long had
many among our best students and critics IN his
own department of literary labor. quote only the
sentence in which Mr. Forster sums up IN his skill
full way the distinguishing features of bis friend
Thoroughly prscticed in the language and customs OF
sbaEespeaTes day: tcit his mind pred resoring and
a6rer upon amending his Oig'na! an excellent CLASSIC
am9ster OF phIasoOOgy obsolete. to whom the olG
photography aud prosOdy were fanillari with good
tors have cxceed Dyce and very few have eqaaed hi
in OF identical OF analogous phrases and WORDS 10 te
settlement OF lines IA dispute.
The words have itacised are fit to be written in
letters of gold over the door of every library which
any editor of any classic any tongue ever enters
They MIGHT wen be inscribed as a tribute to Dyce
over that which gives access to the treasures he has
left for the use of all future scholars.
Mr. Edward A. Freeman, the historian, contributes
10 the same Review paper on 1.-The True Eastern
Question: as thoroughly auti-Turk as the Christian
who knows the Turk best could desire HIS IS
complete simpGcation of the mysteries supposed to
be in that awful phrase the Eastern Question:
The Turk must 90, or he must cease 70 be Igrs AS
he Is not likely 20 be Turk, ~ is enough 10 say
that 60 II does not follow iAat ne nee go al al
once. From serya De has gone already. Bosnia ana
Herzegovina have given him notice to quiz ana rom
them he must 20 90 once II VIII be time for him 10 90
eiye MIN notice to qut also But Bosnia and HerzegO-
vna have made up their minds that they viii get I'D OF
place is the true Eastern Question.
Mr. Freeman, whose authority is great on any
political topic he chooses to handle, has the adyant-
age on this of speaking from recent personal knowl-
edge He has just returned from trip to the lnSur-
gent districts.
If the acquisition Of the Telegraphs by Government
in America is still pressed its advocates may be adj
vised to read an article The IOrinighiJ by Prof.
Stanley Joyons on the Post-Ohice Telegraphs in
England and their Results Prof. Jevons is the
widely-known Political EconOmist-One Of the first
two or three living aud Professor in Ovens College,
Manchester. He says without hesitation that IA a
financial point of view the purchase OF the teiegIaphs
has been blunder; that the capital cost OF thom
has been at least four times what was estimated,
and that their purchase was procured or at least
promoted, by representations many OF which were
false. Mr.. Scudamore asserted that all existing
rights and properties could he bought for less than
S12,O00OOO. Two or three times that sum has been
paid and there are still claims Of unknown amount
t. be met. Mr.. Scudamore declared that the whole
cost of the required extensions would not exceed
100000. The actual cost has been several mil
lions the precise figure being unascertainable. Mr..
ScudamOre promised the country net annual
revenue Of from 100000 TO S1,S0OOOO from a
yearly traffic of IL OOO0 600 kilograms. The actual
traffic is 10000, 900 instead of 100000, and
the nominal net revenue lOnly nominal IN my
opinion) is $1S3O00 instead of the $3.000,OOO
which it ought to be according to Mr. Scudamore's
promise and the increase in the number # tee-
grams This revenue moreover has steadily de-
creased each year since the telegraphs passed into
Government hands Prof Jeyonss article is stuffed
full of facts and figures. The two or three quote
nav give the general reader idea of the financial
condition of the experiment. Those for whom tcc-
graphs have particular interest must be referred %
the paper itself They will find, should add, Prof.
Jevons's estimate of the present working condition
of the teiegraphs in England much more favorable
than most people who have 10 them would be
able TO give.
With the January number Of The IortnigaHg will
begin a critical survey of Home and Foreign affairs.
The English and American part of it viii be done, if
rumor may be trusted, by Mr John Morley the
editor of the review the Foreign by NJ. de Lave
Ieye the wel-knOwn Belgian economist and writer.
Their purpose is to discuss only such events Illus
trate the central movements of the time. Criticism
of this kind as is justly said the announcement of
the new scheme, to be instructive and efficient,
must be systematic and directed by fixed
principles This aim is one which Mr. Nor
lev is conspicuousy capable of accomplishing.
he is distinguished among English writers by pre-
cision Of thought, and 10y a scientific accuracy in
treating subjects of current interest. man OF wide
culture and wide sympathies radical and perfectly
free from any faint of fanatici5n LIE has given The
FortRighdy definite and conspicuous place among
English periodicals II is the review which any one
who cares to keep up with modern thought opens
first and reads most thoroughly
George Eliot's new novel 10 be story Of English
life. entitled Daniel DerCnda." MessrS. BlacliWoOd
are the publishers, and 1t will appear in eight
monthly parts the first Of them tie first of next
February. This is the way in which 'Middemarch
came cut Ii would not do for the ordinary novel,
for the ordinary novel is not bought but borrowed,
and nobody who bought the first part would buy the
second But "Middiemarclp was an exceptional
tool-a book which turned skeptics into admirers.
and 10 which this odd method of publication proved
perfectly adapted Doubtless there are people who
will be surprised 10 hear that anybody was at that
time sReptioal about George Eliofs powers a
novelist Nevertheless it was the fact. Tnere were
those who said that previously TO "Aiiddlemarch"
f..r r1. 81 ffYa