New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-23
THE LITERARY CONGRESS.
NOTED AUTHORS ABSENT.

IPRoM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oF THE rRIBUSE.l
LONDON, June 12.-It may be within your memory
that an International Literary Congress was held
last year in Paris. under the presidency OF Victor
Hugo. 1t sat for week, talked good deal, and IN
the end passed number of resolutions about liter
airy property. copyright and kindred matters. 1t
completed also some kind of an organization, and
voted tomeet in London this year. IL has met ac-
cordingy, and is getting through certain amount
of work. of which the practical good remains
TO be demonstrated. Such attention was
given TO the Congress last year was due
mainly to Victor Hugo. He delivered an
address at the ChAtelet Theatre, and presided
in person over some Of the business meetings Of the
Congress. The London public were encouraged to
hope that the great Frenchman would cross the
Channel in order TO resume his duties here. But he
has not come. | doubt whether he ever meant to
come, or gave anybody any night to stir mp expec-
tations of his coming. There was more chance OF
getting VI. Jules Simon an inferior but still rather
shining luminarY. He too 10 detained by pressing
political duties. Then il SAID that Mr.. Tenny-
son would take the chair report which was from
the beginning incredible TO those who knew any
thing of Mr.. TennysOns habits and his horror
of publio assemblies He did, however, al
low the use of his name, on what Is styled
the English Reception Committee SO did Mr.
4
Stephen. after some urging. Now reception COM
mittee is good thing, but IL raises the question
who is TO be received If it had been Victor Hugo
or jules Simon well and good. Bat it turns out
that only one foreigner of real distinction has
thought il worth while TO come to London to attend
this Congress- Nj. Edmond About, and NJ. Edmond
About is by means III the first rank OF French
authors Next in notOriety to About stands
NJ Adolphe BelOt, a prolific writer OF nasty
novels, and then crowd of more or less
respectable nOnentities. really cannot see name
on the list OF men actually present which think 1t
at all likely you would recognize if l mentioned
il. There are some worthy persons among them'
but they are not the kind of people likely to effect
great literary reforms. nor was it needful that the
most eminent writers of Great Britain should have
been called on to welcome them.
The moving spirit of this present gathering is Mr.
Blanchard Jerrold. or him you have perhaps heard.
A copy or two of his bulky volumes on the late En-
peror of the French may have crossed the
Atlantic. He is personally / believe, a very
Tespeetable individual, but his work IN lit
erature is not respectable He has made it his
business to compose a abored panegyric on one OF
the worst of this generation, and on political
system which is stepped in infamy. dare say bis
views on literary property are sound, but II Is odd
to find him standing as the representative OF Eng
lush literature. The oddly is not less because Mr..
Edward Jenkins takes place by his side. The
executive work Of the Congress being in such hands,
II is difficult to expect very great results from their
deliberations. Delegates are present from various
countries They are called delegates by
verient fiction. but it does not appear
that they are delegated by anybody but
themselves. Anybody may be a delegate. certain
number of names are down for the United States.
They have the charm of novelty, but, as rule, 10
other discoyerable recommendation. The only one
known to the public is that of Mr.. Edward King,
Journalist of excellent reputation. Germany sends
half a dozen nobodies, and other countries do as
we'll OF the English celebrities, whose names fig
re on the committed, not has taken part in the
proceedings II it had not been for Mr. Blanch-
ard Jerrold's energy, it may be doubted
whether sessions would have been held
NJ all in London OF would have attracted
any notice. But Mt Jerrold managed to get his
Congress talked of in advance in the London papers,
and its deliberations are reported from day to day.
+houOh briefly. Some of the members are asked TO
dine with the Lord Mayor tonight III company
with members of tho international Telegraphic
Confidence. They are invited also to visit STRAIT
ford next Monday, where worthy Mr. Flower offers
them hospitality of some kind. And they may go
TO Oxford, if they lke-as nOn-members also may,
on the same terins-by paying their railway fare
Professor Bonamy Price has offered to show them
about the placo-eXpectIGg, perhaps, to receive
some of those distinguished guests who have pre-
ferred TO stay away looked in upon the delibeTa-
lions of this body Yesterday. Mr.. JerTold was in
the chair and reading letters from various people
declining TO come Victor Hugo did not even con-
descend to explain why he stald away, contenting
himself with saving it was impossible for him 10
leave Paris and seizng the occasion to express his
cordial sympathy with the objects of the Congress-
Mr. Browning did as much NJ. Edmond About was
looking ON and saving nothing. Mr.. King was there
bnt soon departed. Mr.. Conway was among the
lookers-on so was Mr.. Henry Holt, the NeW-lOrk
publisher whom have never yet found time to
thank for the letter in which he took the trouble TO
enliobten my ignorance in copyright matters
Orion Horne sat on the platform so did MI James
Cotter Morrison, author of the interesting >" Glb-
hon IN the English Men OF Letters series. Mr..
KIeinan, English manager Of the great French pub
fishing house of Hachette q Co., among the
audience. and presently said few words
explaining why more publishers were not
urosent Mr.. Fraser Rae and Mr.. L. ID. Finlay
sat hard by and among the 100 persons in the hall
of the Society Of Arts recognized no other EDglsh
face Presently Brazilian assembled the tribune
and began reading what threatened to be long
paper about translation. and L silently stole
away.
Cambridge has had brilliant week ofh. having
summoned number Of eminent men to receive
her honorary degree of LII. ID. The list comprises
Mr.. Browning Mr.. Huxley, Sir Frederick Leighton.
Mr.. Spottlswoode the new President OF the Royal
Society Professor Stubs, the historian; Mr.. JUS
lice Grove, Professor Henry Smith, the Oxford
mathematician Mr. Sorby, President Of the Geo
logical Society, aud two functiOnares OF the
British Museum Mr.. Bond, the new Librarian, and
Mr. Nevton the keeper of Greek and Roman an
tiauitles. There are ten in all, but it is not
TO be supposed that Cambridge makes her honors
cheap by linging hem lightly about. Shehas given