New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-22
LITERARY NOTES.


Harper's Weekly for August 27 win introduce
new serial story by that clever and industrious
novelist, Mr.. James Payn. 1t is called For Cash
Only"
A second edition of Over the Hill to the White
House "a poem which has made its way on other
than purely literary groGnds-contains gooo pol-
trait of President Garhelds mother
The Franklin Square Song Collection IS nearly
ready at Harper 81 Brothers. 1t Will contain Eoo
pieces. words and music, consisting OF ballads
HYMNS natriotic songs carols and childrens melo-
dies The book will be about the size of Hdipe''s
Magasine.
Mr. John ID. Champn, ir., has added Young
Folks Astronomy" to his series of useful books for
young people, published by Henry Holt Il Co. This
new work is simple and clear in statement and tho
illustrations and diagrams will assist the young
reader to thorough understanding of the simpler
facts of astronomy.
Mr. e. c. Granville Murrays "Side-Lights on
English Society,"" in two volumes, has been re-
ceived by Scribner s. Wexford. The work is IA Sc
ries social and satirica sketches in which types
OF London life and fashionable society described
III this authors chatty and lively STYLE The en-
CRAVINGS some 500 number, for the most
part amusing.
The new " IIughenden Edition +" of Lord Beacons-
fields novels and tales has been received by
ScTlDner ~ wexford. mere are clcVen NoiuiueS
handsomely printed and bound. which certainly
seem cheap at $50 for the set. The page has red
line border, the cloth is olive ornamented on the
backs with coronet and on the cover by the late
Earls monogram, tastefully done in blue. Each
volume has a vignette on the title-page, giving
views of Hughendeu Manor and its surroundings.
Macse's portrait of the foppish author of " Vivian
Grey" ornaments the first volume, and well ex-
ecuted copy of photograph of the plainly dressed
nf 10 tho
latter work, which completes the series.
OF the difficulties of acquiring a conversational
knowledge of Japanese The japanese Mail says, in
commenting on an aid to the study of the language
by Mr. Ely: 80 The great obstacle to successful
study of coloquial japanese the difficulty of OBJ
tanning access to anything written. Perhaps it is
for this reason that most of get beyond the
hating jargon celebrated under the title of Yoko-
hama pd0in.' We expect to pick up some toler-
ably perfect fragments by the AID of the
ear alone as is certainly possible with most
European languages. But here the attempt
almost invariably proves abortive. We detect
the salient points only of a dialogue and miss
the padding, that our reproduction no more por-
trays the original than n stray fossil recalls the
exact conditions under which it once existed. Most
dscouraging of all is the discovery that when one
has laboriously mastered the nominal half-hundred
Hira-gaaa hieroglyphics. a book written in this
character is still well-nigh utterly illegbe. But
this is purely matter of patience. Two or three
hours a day devoted to the perusal of japanese
novel will find reading with very Oerable facility
AT the end of "a month. An acquaintance with some
400 or 500 of the commOnest Chinese characters is,
of course an immense help; but even without these
there is obstacle that the commonest industry
cannot overcome. Still, from some cause other,
industry is not forthcoming, and people who are
on the verge of emerging from the pidgin' stage.
drift rrevocably back after two futile strug
giles"
To the cultivated English mind there is some
thing highly romantic In the association of high
class literature with a frontiersmans hut. CORE
spondent of The Pal Mall Gazette, who has been
travelling in the wilds of Texas. describes his
ception at pioneers hut where he found little
library of battered books, just as he might
find them in large proportion of the
cabins of the Far West He found his hostess Z"
stout hearty and cheerful old woman" q" asked
her how she contrived to supply herself with books
She said she occasionally sent money for that pur
pose To San Antonio, 40 miles away, by one of the
drivers Of the mail coach between that place and
Eagle Pass, the route lying near her door; and il
the way received such books she coulC
afford to buy and liked TO read. As it was Sunday
afternoon and day of leisure, she had been read
ing; and her book lying, still open. tn,
table as she had laid it down on our arrival Curl
Gus to what it was, took it up, and much to
surprise found it to be the secoud volume of Mid
dlemarch' asked her if that book interested her
She said that it did very much and that she ha'
read other works by the writer with interes
and pleasure She had not heard of George Eliot
death and. on being told of it, expressed her sol
row in simple and appropriate words. l read tn
other day of the inscription over George Eliot
grave it required to my mind quickeniug my al
prehension of the fitness of the words,
OF those immortal dead who live again
In minds made better by their presence"
DIR. John Hill Burton, who was born at Aberdee
in 1909. died, a few days ago, at Lothianburn, an
the notice of his death and of his notable literar
work occupied the space of six lines in The LondC
Times. DIR. Burton the author of History
Scotland and history of the reign of Queen Ann
which are works of lasting merit. His most note
work. 1.-The Book Hunter" is scarce and valuable
The author would never consent to have it r.
printed. 1t was published twenty years ago.