The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-19
Literary Notes.

Mr.. Edward w. Box. who keeps
himself pretty well informed on matters
relating to authors, has been at some
members of that profession on the sub
ject of receiving letters from unknown
persons. Mr.. Howells likes TO get let
tiers of praise and sympathy, but ne
the majority of letters could be made
"self-answering, he thinks. II would ada
much to the pleasure of an author
life. Miss. Jewett distinguishes between
letters of interest and those Of curiosity.
The former she likes the latter she
disikes. Mr.. Cable thinks that the
great bulk Of letters written to authors
is the result of idleness. These he does
not like but spontaneous burst OF
appreciation is always welcome Mrs.
Burton Harrison's views are not UNI
like Miss Jewetts, and the sum ana
substance OF Mr.. Bok's answers is that
intelligent, earnest letters are welcome,
and that impertinent and silly letters
are unwelcome. one might almost nave
guessed this without reading the docu-
ments in the case.
an interview with MIR. Howells from
The Illustrated American, makes the
author of "Silas Lapham' say In dls-
cussing English authors Their work
is not honest work. Tney do not take
il seriously, as authors 90 in the other
countries in Europe, and as we are
doing here; and when / say we, mean
such writer's as Henry James Gable and
Miss Mary +. wil.in..
Mrs. Flora steel, who follows Mr..
Kipplng as a writer Of India, Is describ-
ed as IAN elderly lady OF optimistic
sation and a praiseworthy taste Tor
cookery" Her husband has held an
Important civil appointment IN the run
lab.
Coleridge had in his possession an inter
esting collection of letters from the
Poet Coieridge, and from Wordsworth
and Southey.. They are said to cover
but "it is not known whether Lord Cole
ridge made any testamentary DISPOSE
ton of these letters"
Miss Clara Clemens, or MARK Twain's
daughter" as she is usually called. says
that "papa's" bore her. Il haven't read
half he's written" she once contded
10 a girl friend. "and what | have read
didn't interest me in the least ] am so
tired, too Of being noticed and asked
to be introduced TO and 50 forth, JUST
because | am the daughter of the great
American humorist. Papa IS the incest
thing in the world as papa, but, Oh dear.
do wish he wasn't famous"
Ouida has found new home for her
self at the villa Massoni, at st. Alessio,
near 1nccd.
There is movement in Great Britain
for rescuing ancient Welsh manuscripts
from oblivion. Some of the private libra
briSs of North Wales have magnificent
manuscript collections. 1t Is estimated
that there exist about a hundred manu-
scripts of one Welsh classic alone-the
work of Dafydd ab GWilym, the famous
medieval Welsh bard.
Prof Hjaimar HjOrth Boyesan has
recently completed novel on which he
had been engaged for some time. Ii Is
a careful study of peculiar and inter
cstiny side of New York life, with
cunOusiy complex character for the
heroine. 1t will probably appear In the
fall.
Much more attention IS paid i'm Eng
land TO the training OF teachers now
than formerly, but they have still. II Is
believed something 10 learn in this re-
Srcct from the Americans. That. at
least seems 10 Lave been the opinion
OF the GilchriSt trustees who dispatched
Miss NJ. Hughes and Miss a. Bramwell
10 this side of the Atlantic TO conduct
series CT Investigations on the subject
Their reports have been embodied in
a volume, which Messrs. Swan SOnnen-
schen will shortly publish under the
title of The Training Of Teachers IN
the United States"