New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-25
LITERARY NOTES.

w.. r,,,nese Ambassador in Berlin has just pup-
iished in German review long o'i'''"i o.
rhirose noetry with many extracts neatly trans
lated
Mr. W. Gosse the author of the recently pub
So ro,nmo on GRAY in the English Men of
letters series is engaged in editing Tor Mac
MILAN complete edition of Gray's works.
Dr scbliemann's next work on the results of his
excavations at Hissarlik last winter Is TO be pun
lished simultaneously in German and IN English MI
Karl Blind has contributed a chapter on lIoJ"n
Ethnography."
The Uarpers are bringing ont pretty little vol
rme of New Games for Parlor and Lawn ac-
COMMANDED by few old friends IN new uieSN
The antbor Mr. G. b. Bartlett has arranged ms
material with much taste. skilfully combining III
ororv dramatic. mathematical, magical anu lhe-
chanical games.
Bismarck maintains his dislike to the new-fasn D.
io,cd mode of spelling his native language ho
won't read German books in Roman characters y"
tbo oround that he must deal economically with the
time left at his disposal by health and business;
and he finds that he requires eighty minutes TO
read the amount in Roman which only taxes MN
m hour when printed more rTeGcao.
Nj. Edwin Arnold's forthcoming poem is entitled
"Pearls of the Faith or Nlams Rosary, "-oeihg
the Ninety-nine Beautiful Names OF Alan" WIN
comments in verse. This poem which Is a long one
treats metrcally of the life and religion Oh Ma
bomet from the standpoint of an Indian Mdssul-
,oou The tenth English edition of Mr. Arnolds
Light of Asia" is now passing through the
press.
President Garfield. a short time before he was
Uounded. sent pleasant message to William Black
EXPRESSING his regret that the novelist bad ended
cod of Dare" so tragically. There IS
,yaqody enough in the world" SAID the man whose
III, was so soon 10 go out in irightful suffering
heroically borne This and much more concerning
Mr. Black is related in charming illustrated
article which is to appear in the next number OF
Hdrpp'S Magazine.
An exhaustive History Of Philadelphia" re-
tembling somewhat the notable Memorial history
of BOSTON. is in course of preparation by Messrs.
Thomson Westcott and J. T. Scharf Some speci-
men chapters lately issued by the publishers L. H.
Eyerts & Co., show that in research, construction,
printing and illustration the work VIII be one OF
uucb excellence and value. Mr.. Westcott and
Mr.. Scharf are known as annalsts of good ability.
The forthcoming series of biographies of dlstln-
cuished women which is to be edited IN London Dy
MIR. J. II. Ingram will, be entitled Eminent
Women" The volumes will all De written by
women. and those already Arranged are chiefly
based upon original unpublished material The
carly volumes of the series will include George
Eliot by Miss Mathilde Blind; Emily Bronte
bv Miss Mary Robinson George Sand" by Miss
Bertha Thomas; MARY Lamb" by Mrs. Gilchrist;
and Maria Edgeworth." by Miss Helen Zimmern.
The volume of Miss Mittord's correspondence
which will he published by the Harpcrs to-day
contains that lively ladys version of Carlyes con-
yersation with j. T. Fields concerning WASHING
ton go sir ye're an American ? quoth the self
l.
sufficient ScOtchman. Mr.. Fields assened. AL
that's wretched nation of your ain. It's all wrong
Ii always has been wrong from the vera beginning
That CRETE mon of yours-GeOrge" did anyone I'M
der fine sun ever dream of calling Washington
George before D." your CRETE mon George was a
moDstrous bore and wants taking down few hum
dred pegs" Really, Mr.. Carlyle replied Mr.
Fields you are the last man in the world from
whom should have expected such an observation
Look AT your own book on Cromwell What was
Washington but Cromwell without his personal
ambition and without his fanatlcismF En- SIT
responded Carlyle George had neither amolt"n
nor religion, nor any good quality under the sun
George was Just Oliver with all the JUICE squeezed
out"
Mr.. Howels's dangerous attempt to oXalt the
school of fiction to which he and Mr. James belong
is lust now the chief theme of discussion among
literary people The Boston Courier, by tine way says
of that school that its prominent features are ex
IRENE fidelity to details great elaboration OF dell
cate effects sghtness of plot, and the minute study
of mental characteristics and the editor ADDS as a
sort of return slap for Mr. Howelss depreciation of
Thackeray that as distinguished from the broader
and stronger style of that great master this work OF
the new school is painfully self-conscous, though
graceful ignoble though fascinating. 1t seems
rather as portraying with Photographic mnuteness
the weakness and meaness of mankind than as dis
II haflar In fpfnH
there is scarcely attractive trait developed from
frat to last. 1t is very clevery done, but work
of art il is certainly neither beautiful nor elevat-
ncn The writer in conclusion declares his belief
that better phase of fiction is beginning III this
country-Mr George Cable at least representing
broader and more idealstic school.
In the forthcoming volume of Miss Mitf0rd's cor
respondence the younger generation will be
prised to see the importance which in that amiable
writer's time was attached to franks" To obtain
a frank would IN those days 10 have been one
of he main objects in life and one finds Mrs. Troll
lone writing to Miss Milford concerning letter of
great interest and importance that she would in
close if she knew where to get "a frank; but that
being unable to do SO, she tTanScriDeS portion OF
IL The letter in question was from Macready. and
il had reference 10 Miss Mitfords tragedy of Rien
zi,n which Mrs Trolope had asked him to bring
out One of Miss Mitfords correspondents, Sir w.
Elford, announces to her discovery he has made
on the subject of writing letters to the effect that
the power of doing so is regulated by the writer's
distance from the metropolis: a person who lives
within forty miles, for instance possessing that
power in the proportion of eleven to two beyond
one who lives two hundred and twenty miles from
it ; and so on. 1t appears however from more than
one of bis letters that their frequency was in some
measure regulated by the writer's power of getting