The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-11
Literary Notes.

The short. alert, space figure and keen
face of the Autocrat nave been LOT 80
many years familiar in the streets VI
Boston that the possibility or seeing II, II.
Holmes no more could scarcely enter the
mind All those who were accustomed 10
the passig vision OF the poet In the Oi 10
Corner Bookstore, and on MS dah! wan
to State street, must still expect 10 see
him n living part Of our literary present
as of the greater days of the past. Ihou-
sands of his fellow-citizens, who knew
him by sight, liked to point him out 10
one another.
During the last year or two. when he
has not walked about much alone, the
puhic's glimpses OF DIR. Holmes nave peen
rarer. He was usually in his place at
Kings Chapel and literary pilgrims from
other cities liked 10 go there 10 see nm
sitting I'm that hgh-side pew in the gal
lery, often noddlng, as he humorously
confessed, growing Old, sleeping as peace
fully when an Oriental spoke as when
listening to New England man.
The symphony rehearsal Friday after
moons attracted him with much regular
ity during the season. He liked hearing
the concert a day in advance or the sat
urday night people, he would say, and
there was always for him the tribute
which Is paid to fame In the groups or
people ready to stand and gaze at MN
getting In and out of his carriage I'm Ham
ilton place. His appearance at public as
Sembles of any sort where he was eN-
pected to take part grew very rare. But
after his illness of last winter, DR.. Hol-
mes accepted great many of the
invitations, which were often more near
ly entreaties, to go about and he always,
naturally, guest of honor in many homes
and at many festivals OF clubs and So
cieties.
DIR. Canon Doyle considers Thomas
Hardy and George Meredith as the
deans of the literary faculty in England,
the legitimate successors of Dickens and
Thackery. He, like Mr.. Howells, con-
siders fiction a finer art to-day than 1t
was in the lifetime of ihe last generation.
The penny Dreadful" is not unknown,
as 1t seems, in Germany, where 1t bears
the characteristic title OF "Shudder Ro-
nance" 1t is not sold in the shops, but
is carried about from street 10 street
and village 10 village by an army Of col
shau' asserts that there are no fewer
than 1900 "Shudder Romance" colpor
tours, who earn their bread by the sale
OF weekly numbers of these novels in
Germany and Austria. 1t estimates the
regular subscribers at about 20,00),0OO.
These novels OF crime and horror are
not complete In one number, like those
I'm our comparatively innocent penny
novelettes. but usually run TO about 80
weekly numbers, and r1rely conclude in
less space than l00 numbers.
w. Clarke Russell who has won fame as
writer OF sea stories, suffers so greatly
from rheumatism that at times he can use
neither his hands nor his feet, and is COM
PEELED 10 dictate his literary work. His
home Is lear Bath, England.
A London weekly perpentrates the fol-
lowing appalling Joke: MIR. Kipling is be-
ginning TO take a deep interest n dairy
ing. Every morning he milks-but that
an 'udder story as Rudyard himself
would remark"
From the Publishers Circular IL Is
learned that the fever to be Poet-Lau-
re1te Is now raging in the poetic soul of
Scotland. The countrymen ofSBurns con-
slider themselves endowed by nature with
the gift OF song. and some of them are
not backward in announcing their opin-
ions. An Edinburgh gentleman has re-
Gently hled an application for the posi-
ton: and now his example is followed
by son OF Glasgow. The latter cand-
date gives fully particulars concerning
himself phys cally-size, age, weight. etc.
and states that he has never worn a
Kit. de "can write poetry under any
circumstances or on any subject, and with
such rare facility that, although ap
pointed laureate. all country orders will
still continue to be punctually attended
to-"