New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-20
LITERARY NOTES.


Miss Firth daughter of the welknown London
artist has written volume OF poems. WHICH VIII
shortly be published.
Mr. Edmund w Goose is making selection OF the
best English odes from Speuser to Swmburne ana
will write critical and historical preface for the
volume.
Mr. W. W. Bailey, practical naturalist, Is pre-
pairing Botanical Collectors Handbook" discuss
ing outfit, fedwork. herbaria and botanical litera-
turc. 1t will be published by g. a. Bates, of Salem.
Mr.. WiiamL. Royal, late of Richmond, Va, but
ROW member of the Ncw-York Bar, has written
a Reply to A FOOLS Errand,'" which Il. >. Hale
& Son will publish next week.
DR.. Smes's new book on Duty" published in
this country by Harper & Brothers, is having wide
sale in England. 1900 copies OF the London edl-
ton having been sold on the day of publication
NJ. Emilio lola opposes the plan to erect statue
70 Dnmas the elder so long az greater writer's like
Bslzac remain uncommemOrated But II such
statue is erected he would like to have the nserip-
tion read: TO Alexandra Dumas, because he was
y good fellow because he kept amused, because
ne was the father of Alexandra Dumas the
younger"
The auachronisn- hunter BAGS some game IN Lord
Reacousields "EBdymion." The author makes
Mrs. Neuehate in 1871, anxious lest the Ministers
should go out of Office before obtaining grant Tor
the observation Of the transit of Venus an event
which could not happen before 1874. Another
character complains of trouble III procuring
franks" for his letters two years after TIC aboli-
ton of the Thanking privil 90.
There is some humor am great deal OF useful
suggestion in Extracts from ChordaPs Letters"
which originally appeared III Tie Imericaa Mdchinisf,
and are now issued book form by the ItroprIetors
of that journal. The author is james W. See, OF
Hamilton Ohio. The purpose of tho book Is TO IN
duce machlnists to read more in their spare hours
The author says in his preface: " The Republic
owes it to ts mechanics that 1t pay the hire OF good
citizens and the mechanic owes 1T 10 the Republic
that he make himself worthy % a cltiZens hire, as
well as the workman's hire"
In recalling the following interesting payments
to authors The st. Jdmes Gazette saws that more
money NAV have been made by a single novel, but
probably no such pnce for the same amount OF
printed matter was ever offered as the GlO 900 paid
70 Lord Beac0nsfield for the copyright OF Endy-
mionp Washington Irving received 900 guineas
for the Sketch Book" che first of his works pub
Lshed in England for Bracebridge Hail." which
came out next, he received 1000 guneas, and for
Tales of a Traveller" 5000 guincas. from Mr..
Murray This last book came out IN 1924, the year
of the death Of Byron, TO whom Mr.. Murray paid III
all about FIT 600 for his different poems aud plays
Byron refused nj first TO accept anything but uti-
mately became more compliment; and for the
" Life Of Byron" Moore WAS PAID 1000 gulneas. In
the last century the gains of authors were uncertain
rather than slight DIR. Robertson cleared q 800
by his History of Charles "" Johnson stipulated
for only e2OO for his Lives of the Poets" 70 which
the publishers ultimately added another Goo. For
Rasseas be received f100; for his Dictionary
me raised Il, 800 by subscription. johnson sold
The Vicar of Wakefield for Goldsmith for $50
Mas Bnrney parted with the copyright Of
"Evelna" for 600; while for that of " Cecilia
her second novel, the publishers said TO have
given her 60 600. aud by Gambia" her third
novel she is rcputed TO have made more than
$1,000.
Mr. Cartoons latest Issue OF Josh Billings. Cook
Rock and Pictorial Proverbs is also the latest H.
lustratiOu of the great misfortune which that
writer's bad spelling has been to his reputation.
Among the professional humoriss 1t IS doubtful If
any one has compressed more wit and wisdom INTO
sinilsr soaco Freed from the vuigarity of tine
spelling. the general reader VIII be sur
prsed to find how clever many of the
savings are. Here, for example, are Il few
., those accompanying :he cuts The man VINO
gets biz twice by the same dog is better ADAPTED for
that kind of business than any other" " There Is
great deal of religion IN this world that IS like
ife-prcserver, only pat on at the moment of imme-
date danger, and then half the time put on hind
side before" Experience is a school where a
man learns what a big fool he has
been" "The man who doesn't believe in
any hereafter has got drcadfully mean opinion
of himself aud his chances" " There are Two kinds
of fools in this worid-those who can't CHI lnce
their opinions and those who won't" A good doc
tor is a gentleman to whom We pay three dollars
visit for advising Us TO eat less and exercise more"
"Out III the world men show Us two sides to their
characters; by the firesldc only one" The world
is flling up with educated fools-mankiud read too
much and learn too little" Every man has his
folies and oftentimes they are the most interest
ing things he has got"