New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-30

=
level In quality-of course In quantity he has not
yet had the opportunity-with Matthew Arnold and
Tennyson" And here Is Mr.. Watson proclaiminy In
a "pome" addressed to Mr. Richard Holt Hutton:1
And not uncrowned with honors ran -
Ny days. and not without a boast shall, end! n
And vert not thou my friend? -
This fond appreciation of another would 60,
TO show that the greatest men do not pass through
life without their due meed-or-or can II be that
these two lords OF the earth are not as great a.
they think they individually and taken to-
gether? As the little boy says in the story OF The
Blue Pig" HE would have three thousand fits II
he had to believe IT.
Mr. John Foster Kirk. the historian, who has not
made many contributions to literature OF late. has
written a study of Macbeth" for The Atlantic"
IT Is reported that the biography OF Richard
Brinsey Sheridan which Mr.. Fraser Rae 10
engaged will astonish readers by the vast amount
of interesting and entirely new material on which
II is based. When the rather .azy Moore wrote his
life Of the dramatist large numbers of letters and
other documents full OF personal and private de-
tails we're overlooked deliberately neglected by
him. Some OF these papers seem TO have been lost
while In his charge. and after being in possession
OF an English dealer In autographs for some time,
found their way to this country. These, including
n collection OF the love-etters OF Mrs. Sheridan
Chen Miss Linley). were ultimately purchased By
them for examination in their beautifully hound"
folio volumes to Mr.. Rae. Both Mr. Rae and the
descendants OF Sheridan are fully convinced OF the
genu,neness OF these papers. They happily supply
missing links and explain many illusions otherwise
obscure in Sherdan's correspondence, also unpuo-
lished, which is now in the possession Of 'is great
grandson, Lord Dufferin. Another treasure found
by Mr. Rae is MS of part OF THE School for
Scandal" with numerous interesting corrections
and improvements in Sheridans handwriting
The author OF "Ideala" and THE Heavenly
Twins" is seriously -so Ill that her doctors say
that nothing but complete rest and change will do
her good She has been ordered TO give up all
work and to ravel; and it is possible that she may
in this direction.
In a brilliant and powerful article in The sat-
urday Review" accomplished English critic re-
sents the fashion in which Mr. Frederic Harrison
ranks Vanity Fair" with other less remarkable
English novels. I'VE believe says this critic.
"and are glad OF the opportunity OF saying II,
that Thackerays Vanity Fair is far and away
the greatest prose work in English literature .
work that stands with the 'Othello' and the Mac
beth among the greatest productions OF the
human intellect; work that has only one superior
In all literature, and that is the greatest book e'r
written. the Don Quixote.'" Elsewhere this critic
says: The morast must not judge the artist. but
II he Is TO be heard against him let us see to II
OF Becky Sharp seems to US as awful a punish
ment. and certainly conveys as direct moral az
the punishment OF David"
Mr.. Andrew Lang received from r. l.. Stevenson.
a week before the novelists death, a letter in
which the latter showed for the first time a certain
| anxiety about himself He said that he haunted
| by dread OF paralysis. OF a lingering mental
malady OF living longer himself. like Swift.
| This most unhappy fate for a OF genius. II 10
| good to know that Stevenson escaped
Mr. Lang notes that his friend took boyish and
exuberant delight in the success Of the new Edin-
| burgh edition OF his works. He busy with
| many plans for books. One OF these con-
| cerned a romance on the unknown. mysterious
| years OF Prince Charles Edward, for which, only
| month ago. Ms materials were sent out 10 him. ).
| Mr. r. L. johnson Is preparing for The Gen.
fury series OF paraphrases from the Verse OF .
! the Servian poet Email Iovan Iovanovch he 70
| assisted by Nikola Tesla. the electrician who fur
| nishes the literal TRANSACTIONS from his mother
tongue
There are some amusing anecdotes OF Water
| Pater In the Portrait" which Mr.. Gosse has writ
| ten FOR the last Contemporary" though some pas
sages in the essay calculated to give one pause
| For example Mr.. Gosse Is talking about SWIM
! burne and he says: To all young Oxford then.
| the name OF Mr.. Swinburne was an enchantmenI
and there used TO be envious traditions OF an up
| per window In Brasenose Lane thrown open to tho
summer night and. yelling forth from it, music
OF verse. which first outsang and then siienced the
nigh tingales protracting its harmonies unt as
| concerted the lark himself at sunrise. AFTER TINS
nigbfaIutin IL is comforting to read that i FIRST
| set eyes on Pater as he and MI Swinonrne
were dismountng from hansome cab II Is
| great pity that Mr. Gosse can so rarely say any,
! thing in plain firm prose When ne does III mo
present essay. he is quite interesting. Some OF MS
personal notes are worth reading. witness that on
! Pater's indifference to his contemporaries. The OK
| ford man never read Stevenson or kipans l
| feel from what hear about them." he said mat
| they are strong: they might lead me ant OF my
| path / want go writing in my own Nay.
| good or bad I should be afraid TO read klpIhg'
| lest he should come between me and my page
next time sat down TO write" Pater's "o"n
way is difficult enough for some OF ms realers 70
| grasp IL was much more difficult for him l
| recoect" SAYS Mr. Cosse. the writing OF inc
| opening chapters OF 'Mar!us. and the stress 'has
attended 1.-THE intolerable languor and fatigue the
fevers and the cold fits. the gray hours OF iaSs'uue
| and insomnia. the toll as at deep petroleum Wen
| when the oil refuses to flow. with practice this
| terrific effort grew less year ago was remind
ing him OF those old times OF storm and stress.
| and he replied, All It is much easier now II
| live long enough, no doubt shall learn quite 70
| like writing"
There Is a funny little personal anecdote told
OF a young writer in London which comes aprcpos
| of the commonplace air with which he and nh
| likes are enyeloped no matter how precious may
| be their precIosity. Some one was asking about
! member OF the Pater-and-water school. and won
| dering what sort OF a chap" he was. We'll
| III tell you" replied the person inerrogated' /
met him once 1T reception. and my impression Is
that II you to range dozen well setup
young fellows in a row. all In evening dress ana
all looking very s.eek--and were TO choose any
one OF them. 1t would be our friend n
Mr. Howells continues to feel an ardent ahth'' ~
| ton for the writings OF Mr.. James He says IN
'.The Ladies' Home Journal: II came to
| knowledge of Mr.. Henry James's wonderful "ork.