New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-30
LITERARY NOTES.

In an English three-vOlume novel, recently
pubshed, La ROchefOucaulds celebrated saying
There Is something not dispensing to us In the mis-
fortunes OF our friends" ia transformed into the follow
ing luel upon human kind: " Nothing delights man
so much as the mlsiortunes OF his friehds.'
Robert Rail1ess biOgrapher, Alfred Gregory,
states that the Sunday system, OF which Rakes
was the founder may said to have originated In the
Gloucester jais one OF which consisted or part OF
Gloucester castle, portion built in the reign OF william
the Conoueror. Long before John Howard began his
work for the improvement OF prisons Raikes had been
aborng among inmates Of this castle, the condition
of which was most wfotched and mad been accustomed
there to teach Gospel truths These phianthropc Ia
bora led directly. Mr.. Gregory says, to tho sunday
school work. He gives letter from Raikes IN when
Rakes remarks that the utility OF sunday-school was
frat suggested TO him by group OF miserable little
wretches whom observed one day IN the street where
many people employed In the pin maHufactory reside
He was told that II DE 20 pass through that street
ON Sunday IL would shock him Indeed 10 see the
crowds OF children who spending that sacred day
in noise and riot the extreme annoyance OF all decent
people" He Immediately determined to make some lit
liz fort 10 remedy the evil Having found four per-
sons he says who had been accustomed to instruct
children M reading, engaged TO pay the SUN they re-
oured for receiving and insructng such children as
should send 10 them every Sunday Tue children were
10 come soon after 10 IN the morning and stay TIL IL
thew were then 10 q and return nj l, ana after
reading lesson they were TO be CONQUERED 10 onueh
eatechism TN half after o. and then 10 be dismissed wth
an Injunction home without making noise anu oy
no means 10 play in the Streets The rst schOO was
Oened az Gloucester In July, 1880 Mr. Gregory me-
morris published here by A. D. t. Randolph q 70.
There is probably no class Of literary work
which has called out such vigorous protests from anti
duarians and literary with deep reverence for tho
great authors as abrdgemcntsi and yet 1t would be
hard for any one get away from the fact that IN this
busy modern world real necessity exists for something
OF this kind Life short for tho average man to do
all that It now requires OF him. and thon nd time In adj
ditIon to read such novel Carasa" or " Grand
isop" TO know the old dramatts ~ he knows Shake
speare and peuse ell the pages OF our English poets
in complete editions. Long agoit seen how neces-
sary Il Is TO have abridged collection OF English
poetry and many hands have attempted to make one
acme with very Indifferent success, others on plan that
did not cover the whole field still others without nen-
ton Of covering the field OF English literature historic
ally Indeed there practically collection which doss
this latter but readers will he glad learn that there
IA bright promise OF from the hands of Professor T.
IT. Ward Matthew Arnold, Thomas Arnold, Dean
Church W. MintO +. W. GOsse, and many other men OF
emnence I'm nglnnd. IL will comprise TOUR stout vol
umes OF 500 pages EACH two OF which are just ready NJ
Macmillan Co.'S. They cover the poetry produced be-
tween the time OF CHANGER and that OF Dryden. The
others will follow probably in the Winter They are re-
nrnted here by the American branch OF the house, and
In style follow tho London edition. The selections from
each poet prefaced by outline or his me- ana an
| essay on his genius and Ills place iu literature