New-York tribune., 1893-11-26

XR,ii1l
| w" W<+AEJ rental house. both OF
MA dy,TPF Mommsens younSe r
VII NF/ brothers, Tycho and
~ August have become
widely known. the one
as n phologis. and the other as an archaeologist
The first three volumes OF Mommsens great
| work .Roman History" appeared while he was
professor of law in Zurich and Breslau. The nth
volume was not published until 1875. and the fourth
is still In manuscript form. II was the Romah
History" which assured Mommscn's fame and gave
him immortal place among the worlds greatest
historians He is a man of unusual Industry. De
spe the active duties Of his calling he was found
time to play prominent political part. ana was Il
Liberal member OF the German Rcichstag from
1879 to lSS2. For time he also Editor OF the
"Schleswig- -Hosteinsche Zelturg" Owing TO his
advanced age he spends comparatively little time in
Berlin now preferring to live in Rome In the hope
Of finishing his history.
\ sonnet. originally brought out in news
paper. and In an unpublished letter assigned by
Coerdge to Wordsworth. has lately been reprinted
for the first time Here 1t Is:
I ind It written OF simonides
That travelling In strange countries once he found
For When when. n wh R psn he Caused sec @ due oSseques
To be performed. and paid all holy fees
on board ship then ready for the seas.
Remained behind the ship the following day
Act sail. was wrecked. and all board was lost.
Who sang In ancient Greece his loving lay.
Saved out OF many by his piety.
Or Henry NJ Field has written n new book OF
travel. which the ScrIbners abou, 10 bring out
under the title OF The Barbary Coast" 1t de-
scribcs. OF course journey In Alglers. Tunis and
Trlpoll.
That particularly clever novelist. Lucas Malct-
who in private life is Mrs. Harrison. daughter OF
Charles kingsley-has finished new story. II is
TO bear the strange and suggestive title OF "Thc
Power Of the Dog" They are the words OF the
Psalmlst. save my soul from IN. lion and my
darling from the power OF the dog
What American literature particularly needs is
In the opinion OF Mr.. Charles Dudley Warner
Criticism. we have thrown away" he says In
the Harper" "or tried to throw away. trad-
ton. We are growing In the habit OF being SUI
hclent unto ourselves. We have not Philistnism,
but We have something else. There has been
name for 1t yet invented. Some say 1t Is satisfac
ton In superhcisty. and they point to the common
school and to Chautauqua: the French say II is
satisfaction in medIocrity. At any rate. 1t is a
satisfaction that has large element OF boastful-
ness In II. and boastfuness based upon n lack
OF enlightenment. In literature especially n want
Of discrimination. OF fine dscernment OF quality.
1t liz habit OF looking literature as
we look at Otner thtngS. literature IN national
life never stands alone; II we condone crook
edness In politics and In business under the
name Of smartness. we apply the same sort OF test
that IL. the test OF success-to literature 1t is
the test OF the late Mr.. Barnum There is In It a
disregard OF moral we'll OF artistic values and
standards. You see 1t In the press. In sermons
even-the effort to attract attention the lack of
moderation. the striving to be sensational In poetry
In the novel to shock, TO advertise the performance
Is on strain No. this IL PhilIstln-
ism. ii Is sure. also that 1t IL not the final ex-
preston OF the American spirit-that which will |
represent Its life or It's literature. We trust 1t Is
A transient disease. which may perhaps call By |
4 transient name-Barnumism.
Four books by Dumas hitherto untranslated are |
10 appear In the new library edition OF his works |
These are "Olympe de Clcves' dealing with the
Court OF Louis XVI. THE Companions OF Jehu"
md The Whites and the Blues" 1.-TWO Napoleon
and THE She-Wolves OF Machecoul''
the Louis Philippe period.
Some interesting "reminiscences OF Daniel Webster
iave been set forth by the Hon. Robert c. Win
hrop for the benefit OF the January "Scribner." In
ne same number Mr. John Drew will discuss 1.-The
life OF the Actor"
Her Lord and King" is the somewhat bread.
nd-b buttery title OF the new novel which the author
4 "Dodo' Is about TO present to the world
olume OF his shcs stories. to be called ''Sx Com
non Things" s 80 coming from the press
Mr.. Benson is an archacologst as well as n
ovelIst. and intends to spend the coming winter
n hard work at Athens. In spite OF ''Dodo." NOR
idity Is the last thing to be imputed to him: he
healthy and vigorous young man. with a
trong love and great ability for athletic games
With the hling OF Francis Parkman's will and the
onsequent conveyance OF his historical MSS to the
Massachusetts, Historical Society and OF his books
Harvard. the personality OF the historian fades
carer than ever to those who knew him. and lons
be regretted is that winning figure of the
nrewd and kindly scholar.
NJ. Paul Nerlaine. the leader OF the Paris Deca- !
ents is about to visit England and VIII lecture In
xford and In London. He will be an object OF ,
Irosty to the literary folk and the subject OF {
any newspaper paragraphs-and then the tide or
ngsh life will close over NJ. Verlaine and he win
. as II he were not.
Two volumes OF the essays OF Professor Ernst r
lr,lus are announced. The first will contain the I
lthor's monographs on the history OF antiquity {
The last instalment OF the late NJ. Taine's "Ori-
nes de la France Contempornlne" Is passing J
rough the press and his widow Is correcting the y
oofs. The volume which deals with the clergy v
NJ nearly completed by Its author; only a couple u
chapters are lacking. u
Miss Ethel Arnold. sister of Mrs pumphry b
ard, is an uncommony brilliant talker and 1t has "
ng been supposed that she could II she would b
lite remarkable books. She is about to prove h
nat she can do In this line In a volume to be
lied "Platonics." d