The Washington critic., 1885-06-24
LITERARY News NOTES.


''PovERrY CoRNER.-A City Story" 10y G.
Manville Fem, published by the Casscll
Company (Limited), New York, and sold
in Washington at Brentano's, IS a good
story, and told in very clever manner.
1t is filed with exciting incident, and the
numerous characters are drawn with much
strength and originality There is, of
course, the pair of young lovers, dill.
gently pursuing that regulation course of
true love which leads them, through
much trial and tribulation, TO a final
happy union. But IS not essentially
love story. The reader frequently loses
sight of little Patty and her heartache in
the more stirring adventures of the other
characters The chief charm of the book
however, lies in the beauty and quaint
ness of its description. What could be
better, for instance, than the portrayal of
ID Wragg, Naturalist and his sur M
unhappy musings of Jared Pellet in the
organ loft, whittier he has gone TO prac
tice, and the equally unhappy endeavors
of the elbow boy" to amuse himself while
waiting for his master to commence. We
congratulate Mr. Fem upon the pro
duction of a work at once so meritorious
and so certain of n warm welcome from
the reading public,
Hdrpe's Monthly for July has, among
new novel by w. ID. Howells, which prom
ises to be extremely interesting; also an
amusing short story by Robert Burdette.
Lippincotts Magazine for July contains,
in addition to the instalments of two ex
cellent serials, number of interesting
shorter stories and articles and the usual
monthly gossip.
The "Biogen Series" now in course of
publication by Estes & Lauriat, Boston,
under the editorial supervision of DIR.
Elliott Coues, Is intended as q compilation
Of short and pertinent essays by writers of
recognized eminencc upon questions OF
economic reform or of historical research
in religion, science and philosophy. The
disquisitions being thus presented in q
form to catch the popular eye, will be all
TASTE and stir new channels of human
thought. The first of the series was the
''Biogen" of DR.. Coues; "a Speculation on
the Origin and Nature of Life, which was
followed by "The Daemon OF Darwin by
the same author, which will be remem-
mortal address before the National Medi-
cal College at Washington in October, 1882
This has been followed by "a Buddhist
Catechsm, According to the Canon of the
Southern Church. BY Henry s. Olcott
president of the Thcosophical Society, the
first American edition Of work of which
many thousand copies both in the vernacu
lar and in English have been put in circu-
lation throughout Burmah and Ceylon.
1t is the only succinct exposition of the
beliefs of the Sinhalese Buddhists which
has ever been presented to the reading
public of the United States and is pro-
fusely annotated both by author and edi-
tor.
The Pctersons of Philadelphia have
published new and cheap edition of
Kathleen one of Mrs. Frances Hodgson
Burnetts best stories
Appleton e Co. have added to their
tasteful parchment series volume Of
extracts from the prose writings of Jona-
than Swift, containing a portrait of the
great satirist, with preface and notes by
binding are particularly neat, and the
literary work of the editor done with ex-
cellent Judgment The book will be found
at Brentano'S.
81. Nicholas for July opens with an in
teresting sketch by Edward Eggleston, en-
titled "a School of Long Ago" It also
contains an article by Lieutenant Freder-
ick Schwatka, on 'The Children of the
Cold" and in "a School Afloat' Ensign
Gibbons of the navy and Charles Barnard
explain how patriotic American boys arc
made into practical American sailors
The frontispiece, entitled "The Pet Fawn,"
is from drawing by Mary .Hallock Foote,
and there is q number of bright, short
stories and poems by Laura II. Richards,
Irene Putnam and others The following
is Helen Gray Cones contributions
M THE LAND WITHOUT NAME.
Z Where the Sun sails bold on the Sea of Gold
Past the Violet Islands fair,
And the ragged shapes of the Rosy Capes,
And the Castles OF the Air
Can you call Alright all that country bright
That is washed by waves like hameg
II is the coast admired, t is the cline desired,
OF the Land Without Name,
And the way to go, VI You fain would know,
Is to charter the Crescent Ship,
All of silver pale with a cobweb sail
And merrily does she dip
There's a q ew of Hopes at her filmy ropes
And on board that ship offame
Many.a longing Dream seeks the shores agleam
OF the Land Without Name.