New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-20
LITERARY NOTES.

Mr. Alfred Austin's tragedy of Savonarola Will
be published by Macmillan & Co. early In the au-
tumn. The action of the drama passes in Florence
between April. 1892. and May, 149S, or from the
death of Lorenzo the Magnificent to the execution
of Savonarola. The drama has been written Win
view to stage representation.
A third edition of Mr.. Oscar Wildes poems mas al
ready been called for in London. ana hooerts
Brothers are preparing second edition lor this
country. In England the book has been both
praised and condemned by leading critics ana
writer's 1t is said that the author received compli-
1nentary letters after the appearance OF bis book
from William Morris Mr. SwInburne, Robert
Browning. Matthew Arnold. Mr.. Gladstone and
others.
A pretty and Enthusiastically ornamented book has
inst been issued in London by Longmans. contain
ing the "Wisdom and Wit of Lord Beaconsheld,"
In commenting the book, The London Daily NeWS
saws: "The title for once is not misnomer. and
political opponents well as political friends will
probably admit that few volumes have been pub
lished for the last half century which contain so
much vito leave the rest of the description nm
discussed in order not to get into controversial
NATTER
An anthology of Irish poetry will soon be pub
lshed by James r. Osgood & Co., under the title
"The Poets and Poetry of Ireland" 1t is Ivy Alfred
N. Williams, who has supplied the volume with
historical and critical essays and notes Mr. Will
Jams is editOrally connected with The Pr0ridcaee
Journal. The collection of the material has been
the work of years and the book will include speci-
mons not only of the bardc and Jacobite Celtic
poetry, but of the peculiar characteristic and orgi-
nal street ballads and peasant poetry in which Ire
land is rich and OF which no collection has ever
been published
The publishers of HArt have projected "BbiO-
theque Internationale de Tart" or a series of art
books on the famous artists and famous collections
OF Europe which will awaken the keenest interest
I4fspt lor
the direction of NJ. Eugene Muntz the well-known
writer on art j. w Bouton viii have the handling
OF this series in this country The first of the series
is devoted TO Alfred Stevens the celebrated Belgian
painter and Is nearly ready, sample copy having
already been received by Mr.. Bouton. 1t contains
biographical study of Stevens by Walter Arm
strong. The second volume will have for its sub
ject Les Della Robbia .; the third 'LEnsegne-
ment dies Arts en- France; the fourth LES Muses.
d'Allemagne"; the fifth. LES Precursors de la
Renaissance; and the sixth. q" Claude Lorraine
the author of which has had the benefit of mass of
new materials
The Russian Governments according to Tie Pal
MAI Gazette. thinks of taking hand in the pub
fishing business. In order to encourage the love
of reading and wean the peasants from the vOdki
shops If is proposed that the Government should
publish popular gazette and that the voiosts
should receive and distribute every Sunday and
holiday three or four copies in each village where
the villagers are to be assembled to listen to the
public reading AMI discussion of its contents. The
Russian press is engrOsscd with the discussion of
tins well-meanng but somewhat impractcable
project The P0riadok insists the imposSbity
Of publishing newspaper which could be welcomed
by the Orthodox the Catholics, the Ras1olnilli. to
say nothing of the Great and Little Russians the
Esthomans the Finns the Poles, the Tarars and the
Arnenians but that difficulty could surely be sur
mounted by special editions. The paper might be
published and distributed, but the difficulty would
be to make the rustcs listen to its contents"
In the July number of The american Catholic
Quarterly Reoelo somewhat delayed in publication,
Mr.. Joseph A. Nolan. PHI. D., has interesting bio
graphical and critical paper on Richard Crashaw,"
poet who holds high place among the lesser
singers OF the seventeenth century, but whose
works are far less known at the pre- sent day than
those of many inferior writers. Crashaw belonged
to the school of Herrick, Waller Carew and
Cowlcy, distinguished for ingenious cOncets. elab
crate articles, careful Workmanship and a certain
refinement of thought which degenerates at Zines
into obscWity and fantas tic atcctations But
Crashaw according to Mr. Nolan surpassed his
fellows in true impassoned feeling perfect insight
into nature, powers of description the 9ieva-
ton OF his themes, and the strict purity of his inn
agination. "By later poets Crashaw used and
then abused. Pope. in Eloisa TO Abelarl Dor
rowed from Crashaws tender but minor poem of
'AleXias: the Complaint OF the Forsaken Wife of
Salnte Alexis, and from other poems of the same
poet meanly took ideas; hut In his unfair and
unjust criticism he overlooked all Crashaw's greater
poems and all the good things of the lesser poems
Coeridge was generously appreciative; but Cole
ridge, not having POpe's strong hatreds and NEAR
prejudices, was fitted for true criticism. Il
is poor criticism which. in spite of Crashaws
power, finds no impassoned originality, but only
strained conceit or obscuring inversion. 1t is NJ
injustice to the others OF his class to rank Crashaw
above them; for he excelled them in Imagination
i'll delicate emotion, in originality and in power o
expression From Crashaw only Pope, Youn9
and lesser poets but Milton drew something
Shelley too, has many smilarites of idea or of ex
preston; but though Shelley may have known era
shaw. did Leigh Hunt, it is not probable that h
consciously borrowed" The curious extracts accom-
panying the article we'll worth study and they
derive especial value from the fact that Ora
shaw's works not very accessible.
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