The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-10-12
Literary Notes.

( The literary section of the Institut National
Genevois has offered a prize of 500 francs for
the best French rendering of four German bal
lads by Schiller, Goethe, INLAND and Burger
M. Elisee Reclus is going to bring out ten or
twelve volumes giving description of the sew
eral countries of the globe. The work will be
illustrated by two thousand maps.
Bret Harte's stories have been translated in
to the Norwegian. His new novel will appear
in England and Australia simultaneously with
its publication in Scribners,
The London Academy says: "Mr. Swim
burne has nearly completed new dramatic
poem of abont the same length as ATLANTA in
Calydon,' and like it founded upon subject
from Greek mythology. 1t will be published
by Messrs. Chatto & Windus about Christ
mas
Roberts Brothers are making ready gift
book which promises to be one of the most
tempting issues of the year. 1t is entitled
1.-THE Shepherd Lady," is by Jean IngeIow, ,and
will be beautifully illustrated.
Among the many curiosities of Mr.. R. Fl.
Stoddard's library is copy of Lambs "Speci-
mems of English Dramatic Poets,'' which has
on the fly-leaf an autograph letter from Lamb
himself to William Hare, editor of the "Table
Book" Mr.. Stoddard has had fac simlie of
the page made for the Bric-a-brac books, and
it forms an illustration of the volume on Lamb.
Hazlitt and others.
MIR. Howell opens new vein in his 'Pri-
vate Theatricals', which begins in the No
vember Atlantic. The characters of the New
England farm people and the summer board
ers are presented with a relish of quantness
which will charm all those who have looked to
Mr.. Howell for unaffected American novel;
writing.
The prospect of the publication Of Mr. Emer.
sol's new volume of essays, that has been
promised again and again within the last five
yeas, is really Frightening. December is now
fixed for its issue; but we shall hardly venture
to expect it till: we see it. The proposed title
"Poe.ry and Criticism" has been. abandoned
and new one adopted. The volume will in
clude old essays and new.-Literary World.
The London Academy characteristics Hans
Christian Andersen as one of the most blame
less of human creatures. A certain irritabil-
ity of manner that amounted to petulance in
his earlier days, and which doubtless arose
from the sufferings of his childhood, became
mellowed as years went on into something like
the sensitive and pathetic sweetness of a dumb
animal. There was something in his whole
appearance that claimed for him immunity from
the rough ways of the world, childlike trust
fulness. tremulous and confding affectonate-
ness, that appealed directly to the sympathy of
those around. 1t thinks the one least pleasing
side of bis character was his singular self
absorption. 1t was impossible to be many min-
utes in his company without his referring in
the naivest way to his own gre,tress. The
queen of Timbuctoo had sent him this: the
pacha of many tails had given him such an
order; such little bov in the street bad said,
"There goes theEgreat Hans Anderson" These
"reminiscences were incessant, and it was all
the same to him whether little boy or great
queen noticed him so long as he was noticed.
This intense craving for perpetual laudation,
no matter from whom. was strange and NOR.
bid characteristic, to be traced no doubt to the
distressing hardships of his boyhood