The Portland daily press., 1883-09-05
PRICE THREE CENTS.
8 uthors and Their Books.


Mr. Swinburne's present work is an essay
upon the last portion of "Ia Legende des
Siecles."
Voltaire's Commonplace Book in
which he jotted down notes and sayings
which struck his fancy, has just been pub
lished in Paris.
Mr.. Wilkie Collins is engaged on new
novel, which will be ready at the end of the
year, and will be simultaneously published
in number of periodicals.
Matthew Arnold has been granted PEN
sion of ESQ, in recognition of his poetry.
This will come in very handily to man who
is only sixty-one years old, Notwithstanding
he has competency.
Miss Kate Greenaway has prepared new
holiday volume for children, entitled "Lttle
Ann and Other Poems, by Jane and Ann
Taylor. Messrs. Routledge & Sons are to
publish the book.
The first number of the Macmillans new
magazine will contain a story by William
Black, "The Supernatural Experiences Of
Patsy Cong" Miss Yonge will contribute
10 the magazine a novel entitled "The Ar
mourer's Prentices."
The splendid library of the late Mr.. Cross
ley, of Manchester, England, consisting Of
10000 volumes, will be sold in London in
November, together with great collection
Of pictures and rare engraviDgs.
The success of the publication of Dick
ens's Pickwick Papers in Pitman's Short
hand Library has induced the publishers to
add to the series "Tom Browns School
days" The text is printed in easy report
ing style and fully vowelzed.
Mr.. B. Briefly, one of the best-known con-
tributors to the Manchester press, proposes
in the early spring of next year to visit the
United States and Canada, where he will
give public readings, and on his return to
England will write an account of his travels.
DR.. John Guthrie's essay on "Alcohol
and its Effects upon Man" has been pub
lished in the Seaside Library, and in this
form its startling statements will reach thous-
ands who would never see the more costly
volume.
A new biography of Charlotte Cushman
is being written by Mr.. Joseph o. Lunt, Of
Boston, who, it is said, has in his posses
sion much new and important material. 1t
will be published at once by the author un-
der the title "Charlotte Cushman; the Ac-
tress and the Woman"
Mr.. William Blacks forthcoming novel il
to be entitled "Judith Shakespeare; Her
Love Affairs and Other Adventures" Mr..
E. A. Abbey will illustrate the story, the
scene of which is laid at Stratford-upon-
Avon, and which is to appear serially in
Harper's Magazine. The first installment
will be published in January.
A gentleman Of Halifax, England, under
took some time ago to distribute at his own
expense, certain amount of temperance
literature. This free circulation has already
reached the enormous number of 5000 600
tracts. As many tracts have been sent out
as would supply tract to each family In
Great Britain and Ireland and leave mil
lion over.
The very valuable ''Concise History OF the
Persian Language" left almost complete by
the late E. II. Palmer, has been finished and
made ready for the press by Mr.. Guy Les
TRANCE. 1t will be issued by Messrs Trub-
ner, Londons The interesting life of Proi.
Palmer, by Mr.. Walter Besant, will be re-
published in this country by E. P. Dunton
& Co. Sir Arthur Gordon is to write a
book on the Fiji Islanders. He has Just
returned from visit to the islands.
Thomas Whittaker's list of juvenile books
for the Fall season includes ''A Loving Sis
ter; Story for Big Girls" by Mrs. W. T
Hayes, whose previous efforts in "PIincess
Idleways" and ga Domestic Heroine'' ara
most excellent for growing girls; "Not My
Brown; The Three C6ams, By M. L. IL Rihd-
ley, author of "Our Captain and ''Stories
from English History" by Louise Creigh-
ton.
The series of papers on '"The New Era in
American Architecture" announced last
year as in preparation for the Century, has
been largely increased in value by many IL
lustrations of recent architectural work, and
will appear in the coming volume of that
magazint 1t is announced that those pa
pers will present drawings and popular de-
scriptions of public buildings, churches,
commercial buildings, city and country
houses. the aim being. to include the best
work of American architects.
The scene of Mr.. George W. Cables new
novel, CDR. SEWER" is laid in New Orleans,
the time being the eve of the late civil war, a
glimpse of the beginning of which is said 10
be given in the closing chapters. Besides
The creole types, of which Mr.. Cable Is
known as the originator in fiction, this story
Is said to present variety of characters Of
different nationality, drawn with Mr.. Cables
we'll known insight and sense of humor.
The novel will be an important feature of
the new volume of the Century, the first
chapters appearing in the November num-
ber.
Last summer, The Century Magazine
chartered schooner, and sent Mr.. S. G.
W. Benjamin, the present United States
minister to Persia, writer, and Mr.. Burns,
artist, on trip in and around the Gulf of
st. Lawrence. The result of the expedition
will appear in series of papers Of observa-
tion and adventure to be published during
the coming. year in The Century, which is
to include an account of Prince Edwards
Island, the east shore of New Bruins wick,
the west coast of Newfoundland, the Made
leine Islands, Cape Breton, ETC., etc. In ad-
dition to the interest of a salt water cruise,
as related by an experienced sailor and writ
er, the papers will also describe the scenery,
people, fisheries, and other aspects of this
very attractive and imperfectly known
region.
ga Newport Aquarelle' is now said to be
the work of Mrs. Julia Ward Howe. and II
is added that somsthing of sensation has
been created at Newport by its appearance.
The story is accepted as a lampoon on a
well-known banker, on a lady of especial
prominence in society, and on an unobtru-
sive gentleman who has devoted himself for
thirty years to his own amusement and to
Newport society. The book is generally
considered ungracious in its lack of appre-
citation of the social worth of some of New
ports most entertaining summer residents.
Shrewd guessers have whispered that these
are the faces behind the masks: August
Belmont, "Mr, Beltomme;' Mrs. Paran
Stevens, MRS. Fallowdeer;" Ward McAllis-
ter, "Mr. Gray Grosvenor;' Mrs. ]. B. Pot
ter, ''Mrs. Craig"
American Commonwealth" is the title
of new series which Houghton, Mifflin &
Co. announce to be brought out under the
editorial care of Horace K. Scudder, and to
include popular yet thoroughly accurate
history of such of the States OF the Union as
have contributed In any marked degree to
determine the form of the American gov
eminent, or have had any distinctive social,
political or economical history, The first
volume OF the series, which will be devoted
to Virginia, and will be published early in
September, is from the trained hand OF John
Esten Cooke, well known as one OF the lead
ing writers of the Old Dominion. Oregon
will be treated by Rev. DR.. William Barrowss
South Carolina, by Hon. William Il. Tref-
colt, formerly assistant secretary OF states
MARYLAND, by William Hand Browne, asso-
ciate of John Hopkins University; Penn
sylyania, by Hon. Wayne MacVeagh; Ken
tucky, by Professor N. 5. Smaller of Harvard
University.
For the past twelve months or so the book