New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-21
LITERARY NOTES.

TIL. Harpers will soon bring out Professor John
Nichols Carlyle a new volume IN the English
Men OF Letters series. No volume has been pub
Nshed In this series since 80
Mr.. Hall Game thinks that the most noticeable
thing about modern fiction is It's lack OF Invention
Its observation" he says, as very remarkable iu
decd Pictures OF manners, descriptions OF scenes
rcproductons OF local dialects, these are quite won
dertu In the novels OF today. Perhaps there never
was a time when the secondary qualities OF English
fiction stood so high But except in few instances
invention It's very best quality, docs not stand h5h
and passion is not great in 1t. The selfsame s'oiy
Is told ten thousand times. the same characters arc
used 10 develop it, and the same motives inspire H.
The spirit OF modern fiction. he is sorry to say Is
cynicsm There must be something In the spnt
of the time he adds, (which answers or appeals
to it. and that partly, OF not entirely accounts
10 me for the success OF some modern DOORS Don
take things too seriously, laugh you can at most
solemn matters If YOU daren't laugh try TO sneer,
but do it meekly and syly. That IS the only message
with which too much writing Is 'sair holden DOOM
But TO take no higher view It's poor sort Of policy
CynicisIn is like envy. the blight OF genius. Good
work has never lived with 1t and never will. 1t can
not last either The big heart OF the world IS Ike
The heart Of a babc-as simple and easily touched.
but only by sentlment-hOnest, healthy sentiment
know there is a little band OF able younger writers
to whom that word is like the red rag TO the bull.
They call it 'beang' and heaven knows what else,
and try to escape from the fabby thing into sort
Of frantic paganism that sits them rather strangely
Their splendid energy Is thrown away-they need not
be In hurry. As Mr.. Buchanan says: There is
sentiment In literature In these days to fly away
from. l wish there We could very we'll do
with more of the spirit OF Dichens.'"
Balzac's habits when in the fever OF authorship
were strange For months at a stretch he would
60 to bed at In the evening, be called at a. m.
& haI .oO ftnr IiCbt
write till p m, see few friends, and take bath
or 90 out; then dine, and then bed
Mr.. Frank r. stockton has written a ghost story
under the suggestive title of "The Philosophy OF
Relative Existences." 1t is 10 appear In the next
number Of 1.-THE Century"
The experiences of Mr.. Bigelow and Mr.. Remington
In Russia to be descrbed-with illustrations-in
forthcoming numbers Of Harper"
F. d. Millets series OF papers describing his long
panoe voyage down the Danube Will be concluded In
the August "Iarper." They have been collected IN
. volume and this the farpers will publish mmcdi
ately. II will contain the illustrative drawings made
during the voyage by Mr.. Mllet and Mr.. Alfred
Parsons.
Several proof-sheets Of wordsworth's poems, In
Guiding some OF "The Excursion" have Just been
sold In London. In some Of them are important al
terauons made by the poets hand.
Mr.. Pnero's farce, THE Cabinet Minister fills
clearly printed volume Of 1873 pages, Published By
the John W. Lowell Company. This piece was orgi-
nally acted in london, at the -. james Theatre,
with the brilliant and cOmlcal Mrs John Wood In a
conspicuous part. In New-YorlS 1t performed at
J,n,vis THEATRE The hurnor OF II IS satITcal and
the humorous satire Is directed against convention
atty vugar1ty exravsgan artificial llfe the af'ec-
tation OF love for Nature and the afcctaton OF
plainness The author wished 10 inculCate simplicity
and sincerity in welldoing. ard he has sought to attain
his object BY casting goodtcmpered rdicule. In easy.
pungent dialogue, upon social forces and individual
characteristics that are detrimental 10 hight standard
of life.