New-York tribune., 1885-10-23
LITERARY NOTES.

Mr., James's Princess Cassamassima" " will not be
concluded until August of next year. Meanwhile MISS
Murfree and Mr.. W. H. Bishop will contribute senai
stories to " The Atlantic"
Mr. Howes, now that he is leaving BostOn-in the
literary way-is learning the truth OF the prophet
adage. "The Howes stories" says "Ihe Boston
Traveller" remind one of the Newfork LADY crlu-
cIsm on poor Helen Harknes,s millnery-'hat hcr
bonnetssetmed all touch This is not saying now
ever, that there not finer elements III MT hoWeiiS
work than is recognized by readers who read only lor
the interest OF tae story and which can only be appe
cated attheir full value by critical observers lhere
is delicacy and grace that only literary stupdlty
could fail estimate at its true literary value Dut
there is something to be regretted when man has such
felicity of EXPIRE ssion and apparently nothing to eT
press This ia the failure Of HOwellss novels lhey
are the ingenious mechanism Of writer who has, by
sheer force of will made himself novelist but they
are not informed with soul they lack all psychology
cal movement and lack the immortality CT grea'
idea Mr. HOwells's novels are regarded by the pun
fishers as an excellent commercial speculation ana Us
such arc very highly esteemed He is an ideal man OF
business prompt, reliable and metAodlca "nen N'''
Howes announces that it Is his purpose TO Deg'n +"
novel at 10 a. NJ the 18th day OF the month anu -
complete it at specified ate, 1t IA an ahar lor "o
il is safe TO base exact calculations lhe m"ere-'
quality of genius the unknown element, the myseI'
GUS divine ncalcuable power, is not an element VI
the constructive work of Mr.. Howels. lie oaS ii's
forcs all in hand and he uarshals them ont al inc
proper times and seasons. This Is the adVan"o VI A
dustry over inspiration
Boston, however ought not to be too severe LOT r'
Howells is quoted by The Evening Record as say
;nc that he considered Boston society the best in the
world.
Madame Adam has written down some peisoh"i
rccollections for " Harper's Magazine"
reprint of the seventh London edition OF her
Maiestys Tower" by Hepworth Dixon, has lately
come from the press OF T. Y Crowen. The work VIII
probably long have a certain popularity for 1t is
anbc in snots and its subject of wondrons his
torc interest But it spasmodc careless and inflated
as was most of Nj. Dixon's work.
The " Life and Times of John Bunyan' an import
ant work founded on Official documents and records is
IN the press of Houghton Miitn Il Go. The author Is
the Rey John Brown Minister of the Bunyan Meeting
at Bedford England. The work is to be handsomely
illustrated
A neat and useful if not particularly handsome
edition of Carlycs Sartor Resartls has just been
published by Estes s. Lauriat
The Rev. Dr. Stockbridge, of Providence is engaged
in preparing, with copious biographical and bioilo-
graphical notesa catalogue of The Harris Collection
of American Poetry" the gift to Brown University o
the late Senator Anthony. The collection is vau-
able and important one and DR.. Stockbridge is wei
equipped for the work.
In "The Story of Greece" (G. p. Putnams Sons)
Professor J. A. Harrison, who has gone chiefly 10
Thucydides and Herodotus for his materials oilers
narrative simple but sufficiently picturesque to com
mend itself to the young readers for whom 1t Is IN
tended.