New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-09
LITERARY NOTES.

Mr.. Ruskln has written an epilogue of considerable
| length ard mpor lance TO be attached to the new
edition OF Modern Painters"
Mr. Howclls's novel Annie Kilburn" will be
published in book form by the IIarpcrs next week
1t IS said that he has lately received letters from
people bearing the actual names of Annie Kilburn
the Rev. Mr. Peck and Mrs. Munger.
Mr. Eugene Field IN a grave discussion Of the needs
Of American literature, advises Western terateurs'
TO begin booming each other.' The woods out
this way he adds, full of epic poets and nov
cii-is, but hitherto every fellow has been so busy
roasting every other fellow that nobody has had a
chance to acquire temporary Immortality. We
have too many ccusOrs; what we need Is ccnsers
Shakespeare wouldn't have been half much adj
veltlscd II he hadn't belonged to cOtere that took
a genuine delight I'm laudng its members. Jonson,
Greene, Peele, Marowc, belonged TO that same set,
and they spent about half their time writing scken-
Ing pulls Of each other Tradition has It that they
were smart men yet we notice that none Of our pub
sLcls dares print their books nowadays. cor
tain glamour envrons the memory OF Shakespeare,
yet when you come right down to the facts In the
case, ono OF Bronson Howards comedies, one OF
FARLEY Campbels melodramas, one OF Reginald
dc Koven's operas will fill Chicago theatre when
Hamlet Richard Ill. wouldn't draw any
body but thograph ticket holders and the newspaper
critics.
Dropping TO a later period, Mr.. Field finds that
ADDISON steele, Budgc Tickcll, Pope, Spence.
wifi and Arbuthnot formed mutual admiration
-ocicty par excellence. II they lived In Chicago at
the present time they would be whacking away at
each other with sandbags, and each would be Won
dering why the America and the Sunday papers
could lower their standard TO print the others
compositions. Western ltterateurs proud lot I;
this fresh prairie atmosphere fills man fun OF con-
ndencc and makes him loah to depend for favor upon
anybody Yet the Western lltterateur has pretty
fnll share Of business instinct, and II he could be
convinced that there was business in the policy
Of harmony and cancellation lie would probably be
hasty 10 change his pumage from that Of the bald
headed snipe Of the valley to that of the sadvoced
dove Of Pamassus. We have not elaborated the
scheme at all but We have thought that It might
be a clever idea for our authors, poets, essayiss,
etc. to organize themselves into a sort of bcncv-
olent and protective association, the specific object
Of which shall be to disseminate tafy about the
Individual members thereof
William Morrls's forthcoming poem, Tho House
Of the Wolfng," IS possibly intended to Illustrate the
authors socalsiic views. 1t deals with the life OF
the Gothic tribes their way through Middle Eu
rope and pictures the melting OF the individual into the
society OF the tribe 1t is said that Mr.. MoTs's
poetry brings him handsome yearly income. How
many other modern poets can say that}
Plenty OF frn In the publishing business, NJ
received only $3.50 for the original edition of King
solomons Mlnes' the publishers have made 800 900
out of tie book. This Is business" Why should
the author and hts friends be aggrlevedl Mr. Haggard
,hould have made a better bargain, and undoubtedly.
In the future Mr.. Haggar Will do so. These inc
qualities of Profit VIII by-and by teach authors TO
change their me hobs of ok publ'c irlCn Mean
while they have right to blame publishers, and
must quietly submit TO tho pan OF making their
successful books compcn-a those publ shers for
The losses incurred on Other peoples unsuccessful
books.
Reform methods OF publication will need careful
tests before being established Mt Haggard, a.
country squn', WITH 50 inc, might have tried ex-
perimcnts win saf -. Why shouldn't MN who
can afford it publish hi, own book. taking the
rish.7 n he woum IA any other business enter
prsel If this became the custom wouldn't .cwsr
and better booEs be pnhshcll And wouldn't thu
be- blessing to the reading world! These
merely queries not opinions.
To comfort those who lament Mr.. Hsggalds
inadequate share OF the profits Of his own book
may mention that while Mr.. Anstcy paid only
1850 for his "Vlcc-VerSa," MessrS. Smith, Elder &
Co.. on finding It ccssfuL sent him check for
- $50 Whether they REGARDED this as charity or
busire=s" IS not ated.
joaquin Miller. who Is living in California, is
writing a novel. His work interrupted lately by
his accidentally sending bullet through bis hand.
Kathleen O'Meara the author Of Narla7 and The
Salon Of Madame Mohl,' Is dead. She was an Irish
woman and a very agreeable and clever one.
Ms Humphrey Ward explicitly states that there
l. no portrait whatever in Robert Elsmcrc,p OK
cent the obvious and intentional one OF Henry Grey
otberwlsc the late Professor Green. Green was
oulte a. noble a man as Mrs. Ward has pictured. 4
friend writes Of him: After spending hour with
him. / always felt ! hal under the influence OF
superior being and away with a higher Ideal OF
fc' One Of tho last books read by Professor Green
was The Journals of Caroline Fox" d" would rather
lave been MN than Carlyle he said 4" he seemed
To have been such an extraordinary good man."
An amusing instance OF hero worship Is related In
London. IL concerns Mr.. Gladstone and Is told Of
A worlinman. The latter not long ago entered
public library and asked for a book. On being cues
Toned as 10 what he would like, no replied that he
wanted "'Omcr.7 The assistants next inquiry was
whether he would have Creek text or translation 10
which he received the following reply don't know
nothing about Greek 'un. what wants IS TO read
what Mr. Gladstone reads After half on hours
reading with his fingers stuck into his ears, to insure
against Interruption he said he thought IL was rum
sort Of stun and went out lie has not since TO
turned n finish It,
Mr.. Gladstone should be deeply loved by authors
for, as supersti,lous people say he brings mcho
IFS paper on Robert Elsmcre" gave that book
bOom'-it was nothing less and he was tho means OF
presenting John Inglcsant7 to an admlring world
Nr. shorthouse, who had been egg upon VIZ TN
OF " John lnelcsant7 for many years, submitted the
MS to two friends and desired them 10 read 1t carefully
through and express hoir opinion to whether II was
worth public alton some time later his two critics told
him that although the work interesting. they