The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-11-19
Gossip
About Books end Authors.

The Comte de Paris, who has just completed
the fifth volume of his work on the Civil War
in America, will finish the sixth and last dur
ing the coming year.
A new edition of the works OF Charles Dick
ems, to comprise thirty volumes and to be
called the Pocket Volume Edition. is an
nounced by Charles Scribners Sons as IN
press.
Alfred Tennyson is announced to contribute
to the pages of St. Nicholas two Chid-Songs,
written especially for it, which the editor hopes
to publish in the January number. We believe
this will be the first contribution Alfred Ten
nyson has ever made to an American maya
zine.
DR.. J. G. Holland, like most other literary
men, has his own peculiar methods OF compo-
sition. 1t is related that when he was at work
upon two books at once he kept each MS in
separate apartment, thus securing, IN gong
from one to another, complete change Oh sur
rounding and atmosphere.
The author most accused OF producing
"Irene, the Missionary" is Mr.. j. w. DeFor-
est.
Mr. Edwin Arnold has written to Roberts
Brothers of Boston, expressing his thanks for
the ''great compliment they have paid to his
Light of Asia in republishing it for Ameri-
can circulation $50 far from oblecting to
this he says, II think an author who writes
for truths and arts sake, and not for gain,
ought to be grateful for the enterprise and ap-
probation thus shown, and L sincerely trust
that YOUR faith in the poem will be well re-
warded 1t was the fruit of much study, ana
of a very serious conception of poetry as hne
art and it had here a notable success. shaii,
of course, be glad to receive whatever 1alr
share of proft may fall to my account; but L
;rolu To lplVn this VOQr gen.
ernus Judgment. The book is very nicely re-
produced and [ thank you for the copy for
warded."
The Atlantic Monthly for 1880 promises to
be better than ever-having serial stories by
Mr.. Howells, Mr.. James, and Mr. Aldrich,
three of the brightest and most attractive
| American story writer's now living, and all Its
other departments equally well filled.
The late Evert A. Duyckink told the follow
| ing story about Edgar A. Poe: Visiting a
| friends house near Fordham, Poe was ushered
| into room where DR.. Ward was sitting, and
the two We're left together. 1t viii be remem-
bered that one of Poe's most severe criticisms
| was on DR.. Ward, under the name of Flaccus.
| The mutual friend'' returned i'll hall an hour,
expecting to find the two in the condition OF
| the Kilkenny cats, and was surprised TO DIS.
| cover them engaged in a friendly discussion OIL
| the merits of Tennyson and Browning. Poe's
| eloouence had fascinated the Doctor.
| Mr.. John Ruskin is a man of great talent,
but possesses what, called by the mildest name,
are extraordinary opinions. Writing lately
to the editor of local English magazine he
said: "Young men have no business with
| politics at ALL and when the time is come for
| them to have opinions they will find all politi-
| cal parties resolve themselves at last into two
| that which holds with Solomon that rod IS
| for the fools back, and that which holds with
| the fool himself that crown is for his head,
a vote for his mouth and all the universe for
| his belly"
An interesting feature of the December
Scribner will be collection of Poems by
American Women, including contributions by
OH H. Celia Thaxter, Elizabeth Stuart
| Phelps, Louise Chandler Moulton, Rose Terry
Cooke, Sallie NJ. b. Piatt, Nora Perry Harriet
McEwan Kimball Anne Lynch Botta, Marga-
ret J. Preston, Mary Mapes Dodge, Elizabeth
| Stoddard. Adelaide d. I. Whitney, Mary
| Brady Emma Lazarus, Frances Louisa Bush
| nell, Annie r. Amman, Alice Williams Broth
erton, Elaine Goodale and Marie Mason.
| These, with long humorous narrative poem
by Elizabeth Akcrs Allen (printed separately,
with illustrations by Clum), it is expected Will
| give fair idea of the range and variety, ana
| incidentally Of the limitations of the verse
written by women in this country. The collec-
ton makes no pretense to completeness, but
only to q certain representative character, bet
ter seen i'll comparison, such as this AFFORDS,
than in single poems printed alone