New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-01
LITERARY NOTES.

MIR. Herbert Spencer has in the press a new
WORK which be calls Ceremonial insutatons' Mr.
Spencer will pass the Winter In Egypt
Tannvson will contribute two child songs to
G, y,.holas He writes them especially for Il; and the
editor hopes to publish them In the January number
Mr.. Louis Pagan, literary executor of the
late Sir Antonio Psnzzi. the Librarian Of the British
Museum will write Life OF Panizzi. and has just gone
10 Englan nd collect material Tor the purpose
Justin McCarthy's History of Our Own
Times Las reached In England thirteenth edition.
And only two volumes of the work have been pubsheu
at that The final two are now in the press ana VIII DC
out soon The success this work Is the more extra
ordinary from the fact that the Eoglish edition Is al
expensive one.
NJ. Ravaisson, in the tenth volume of his
"Archives de la Base. deals with the ancient question
OF the Nau in the Iron Mask aud his conclusion Is iha
this mysterious being on whose identity much discus
sion has taken place, sebasten dc Penanco1r,
Comte de keroualle. brother OF ,hat Mauau'c |""'
who was a mistress OF Charles H. -
Nr George G.. Mason's "Life of Gilbert
snatt is far advanced in the press at Charles Serb
ners Sons aud will certainly BE- out in time 10 take ''
place well up toward the front OF the long me o thirst
mas books As already announced II has been written
by Mr. Mason at the request Of Mss Jane Stuart the
artists daughter and based on entirely new material
Resides the biography there will be catalogue OF all
the artists works. with facts and anecdotes about each
picture in paragraphs beneath the titles The photo
rravure process will he employed TO reproduce tweNe
Of ihe porti;s besides which tbrce other illus
trations Will De given.
The Spectator cannot get itself to tolerate
the bad puns IN Shakespeare. IL wishes Mr. irving IN
takn certain liberties with the text OF" The Merchant
Of Venice" had taken and left out Gratianos
houd lest when sbylock is wheting his knife on tue
edge OF his shoe" thy sole. bu; on thy SOUL
harsh Jew thou msk'st thy knife keen,' and ASKS
whether this " nagrant vulgarity" could not ne us
earded "Itis asexecrable as the more remains be
hind with which Hamlet adding poor jon "a
der draws aside the arras have look al dead foo
mus" In The Spectators opiuion the poet oeSon"
was proud OF his bad puns
Miss Woolsey's edition of Mrs. Delany's
Autobiography and Correspondence" Is just OUT az
Roberts Brothers. II comprises two volumes ihiS
work has never accessible TO general buyers before
When published in England twenty years ago II COM
prsei several costly volumes 80 that its circulation was
naturally very limited At j. W. BoutoD's there Is now
AGONY of that edition with nearly 500 portraits OF emf
uent persons mentioned in the book besides views ana
fac similes added. which is valued at $3.50 Roeeris
who have enjoyed the bits Of humo fact and philosophy
that have appeared IN ,ea, PAPER naasr Ie ns hnS
In handsome book form. II Is now an open secret tht
,ne ', 1Sev orilnated Causeric has been widely
coped-always doubt with the credit lines tha' were
due TO IT,
Henry ,IameS's temptations TO write too much
have already been great and gentle reminders OF the
10 which he Is exposed by his success now
and then get print Here IL Colonel lig1nson, IN
The LITERARY World saying it is impossible TO deny that
he has suffered from the prouson OF his work. Much
OF his early writing he says to be sort OF sell
training the expense Of his readers IN which
each story has been hurried into print before the ik
was dry IN test II the pubca method SIN
Cuary reno ID from the long and lonely sellcfc;sin
Of HAWTHORNE" Haste in literary Workmanship Is ne
says. one OF Mr.. James, besettng SINS FROM ih ~,
other side tue water quiet word comes III me "a"
Mall Gazette Mr. James Is exception 10 the rule that
flttering demand for an authors books usually leads
10 betrayal of lassiude or Weakness, but he does
moi commit :" the common of running up hlnsy
productions suit the cxgencies OF the market He
contents himself with repubishing what he brought OUT
in America before he was popular IN England,