New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-04-15
LITERARY NOTES.

,.,,,ohoY,, q, . writer for The Times Democrat Of
Kew Orleans the South s now coming 10 inc lron'
IA literature, her devotion to political oratoty ho'
absorbing her intellect nal energies as before the war;
The remarkable extent and richness OF tho sn'
has ut hand rarticularly noted
Professor Hsrys Forthcoming novel Is sad 10 DC e'cn
better than his first one.
The Brcntaros arc issuing neat little monthly called
Book chat It is full of literary gossip, pleasant
attracts from books and interesting suggestions 10
readers
The American novelist ia informed by The Worcester
Ga.re that American literature has got pey'ha ."0
STAGE when it must be coddlod or pcrsh Good' ""oo
SOME SHARP criticism is needed to wake up 'he s'ois
telers and the mos. famous OF chem need the spur ~
most The Gazette presents specimen OF what IL 'ohS
ia needed in the statement that We long ago po'eu
out that the men and women crea'eu W JANIS -,
utterly common place. differed In nothlhe ou' 'nen
names and lid nothing talk and da vale ana dawoe
and talk"
A correspondent of THE TRIBUNE quotes Mr.. RusKihS
,n tina, he had never received eny subscription
from this country for any Of his philanhropic under
taklncs-and adds that the English author has never
received anything from the thousands OF DIS DOCKS
repuhshed here. II any OF your readers says 'niS
correspondent to acknowledge their Indebtedness
10 him for pleasure they have received from MS wt'ne
md M the same time the he has nearest
at heart they do so by contributing ID 'he nc"
museum az Bewdey 1t Is now being pui'' "huci HIS
supervision ain the AIT treasures he n's
given to the public Subscriptions may he sent 10 .e
ftanorlshire Joint Stock Bank, Birmingham; 10 MT
George Baker. Beaucastle, Bewdey; or 10 MI ucoie0
Thomson Woodhouse Hill. Huddersfeld, England
tn, BrookIn Magazine for April contains series OF
letters on early marriages, written by well Known
women Most OF the writer's agrees that inc queslo" VI
the time marry must depend upon ciicuhsl'hccs al"
individual Developments few OF them believe III i"'o
marriages Mrs Lucy stone for example declaring tha'
ifahl from twenty nNc 10
thirty years This numtei Of the magazine begins tno
regular publication of the sermons OF Mr. Beecher ana
Mr.. Tamage
NJ Renan has lately contributed to the Rer"e des
Ic,r Mondes his opinions as 10 the composition anu
history of the Old Testament He declares that up to
the time Of David and solomon Hebrew literature was
almos: exclusively profane. 1t consisted OF l'oie''
son,s military narratives, and genealoSies, maih!
preserved by oral recitation Then came tne sccoSo
OF tho Northern tribes and resurrection OF inc oiu
pr ,phetc spirit with its dislike OF civilization anu love
of nomadic iie At this date number OF traditions ana
myths and ballads and historic legends were comhteu
70 writing in two separate books Probably very lew
copies were made-perhaps only one OF eaHh' ino
Romance OF Joseph" and the myths OF the c"itu'o
heroes Tubal Cain ana the rest were thns recon leu anu
beside the the actual histories were set do"
from the lips Of tradition The mass OF these two com
rations were more OF less Homeric in character ana
belong to Hofuers time some 900 b. G. The next step
was dou rcp,dnieeRt OF those old DOCKS no" long
lost One such reedtng and re writing was done III
the North by the Jehovist; this clifton Is the earor
He added sombre pessimsm and distIus OF civihz9d
H,a. n he,ef that men we're evil and deserved to be
DESTROYED as in the Deuge Who're traditions concted
the editor said nothing but both. The editor was
the greatest of the prophets" Meanwhile the south
was not idle An editor in Jerusalem also compiled
and altered the two old books. He contributed the
first verses of enesis NJ ReDan cannot quite forgive
Tho exceence of these verses because they contain
no myth they have been freely accepted by rational
isme mediocre" The remarkable narrative of creative
acts In Genesis on which Mr. Gladstone and Professor
Huxley nave dscoursing. is referred by NJ kenah
10 Bahylonan tradition. Such Babylonian LEGENDS OF
creation IA have reached u.s. unluckily. peculiarly
wild and savage The Elohist is supposed to nave sup
dressed these absnrdities.