New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-08
LITERARY NOTES.

Blackie standing In front OF the nre al ne lodge 4
Baliol, and shouting out with roll OF the famoV
maid and a toss Of the equally famous Wild white
hair; II should like to know what you oxford fs.
lows say OF me behind my back After a moments
pause Jowett replied mildly. I'VE don; mention
you at all
Soon after the late w. W. Story published Ms
charming little volume HE and She, a Poets
Portfolio" a lady went into one OF the most
cessfuI bookstores In New-York and asked for thc
book. The clerk in attendance replied MADAM,
we have none Of Haggard's books In stock
The incident was mentioned In letter to VI.
Story who replied: II much amused by the
story you tell OF the mistake OF the clerk Of -
A - In which he invests my She with tn
characteristics OF the very different. FAR more -
nous She OF Rider Haggard. II only remains
now for Rider Haggard to write He and com.
pletey obliterate As to the discussion wnethef
the He and She Of the Poets Portfolio are Great.
ures OF my brain, or flesh and blood feel most
hatered by the supposIton that they are real per.
sonages as this would seem TO. indicate That have
succeeded in giving them both some touches OF lie
and nature but they really have no existence e.
cept In the airy world OF fancy and imagination"
Mr. J NJ Barrie is more conscious OF his lmits.
lions than are some OF his feow-workers Of the
period At the repeated solicitation OF his journal
list friends, he consented some time ago to write
the life of the late Alexander Russell, Of the Scots
man." but he Immediately relinquisheh the tast
when he perceived that biographical writing lay al
together outside his particular sphere OF WORK
Mr. Owen Wlster did not begin his working lie q
a writer of fiction. He Harvard student
specially devoted TO music and accomplished
great deal in the study his graduation record
shows He even undertook musical career, and
made some preparation for 1t during visit In Eu.
rope: but he soon gave up the dea-fortunately foe
ooSb bic Gle Western sketches
Charles Baxter the early comrade and lifelong
friend of Robert Louis Stevenson, says that the
author in his university days was an immense
lover OF books and was always writing away But
somehow. Notwithstanding the vciveteen jacket the
Spanish cloak. and the poetic hair. we dd not look
upon him as a literary person. There was none Of
the pale cast Of thought in his character and in.
deed he at any time developed sucn a cnarac-
terlstc. He was simply a young fellow trimming
over with life and laughter; great reader but Q
desuitory one, and grinding student He
was a persistent scrbb,er, only, az say we thought
that he doing nothing more than wasting MS
time"
Mr. steyenson's unfinished tale, "weir Of Her
mston" Is to appear first In three numbers OF the
new MAGAZINE "Cosmopos." 1t will be published
In book form in the spring.
Mr. Harrisse's History OF John and Sebastian
Cabot" now on the point Of publication. Is drawn
largely from documents never before presented 10
the public The title OF the work IL 10 be John
Cabot, the Discoverer OF North America and Se.
bastian, His Son.
Nine Sarah Grinds new book will not be pub
lished Until next spring. She is a wise woman In
that she has allowed herself time for reflection In
the prep iratior of second work. Most noveists
are tempted to much and too hasty writing By
a first success.
Whit the Speaker Does is the title OF timely
paper which the Hon. Thomas b. Reed has con.
trbuted to a coming number OF The Youths Com
panion"
The latest documents In evidence 10 the talents
and character OF that picturesque young neryosA
Mile. Marie Bashkirtsef are not calculated 10 re-
store her in the judgment of those readers who or3
ago found her Wanted Journal tlresome and wi.
gar The anonymous letters which she wrote :,
Guy de Maupassant silly and in very bad tas;e
She seems to have desired in Maupassant the sane
interest in her which she thought should occup/
the entire mind OF every person OF celebrity Sd
might meet. Possibly 1t seemed to her one moFs
road by which she could reach Celebrity herself,
the thing she wanted most. But her corresponding
does not seem TO have felt that way all. lie had
many anonymous letters from many hysterca at
mirers. He answered them. sometimes. II amusel
him. But he had no real patience with the recpleniS
Of his extremely discreet replies. and II would
probably cause him TO turn in his grave could ~
know the posthumous notoriety which his amab!-
ty receiving through its association with TIRE
name Of Marie Bsshkirtsef.
The resolution OF the young lady to survive
in some way other was implacab!e, and one must
grant that her wish has been to some extent fuls
filled. She lives in print to this daybut spas
medically. sporadically; and the continuance OF h1
fame Is really due far less to her intrinsic qual
ties than to the love OF certain section OF the pub
liz hat ia BashkrtseH
profoundly morbid; her Journal private reve-
lation which had little in II to justify the publicity
which II enjoyed 1t is bad taste 10 confess even
to ones self the thoughts which fermented in Marie
Bashkirtseff's troubled mind; there is privacy OF
feeling In the soul as there is a privacy OF speech
on the lips-a thing Which this poor girl did not
seem to understand. Why cannot the public leave
her now In peace? Marie herself must have regrets
ted the correspondence with Maupassant. Its publ
cation is cruelty to her and to him. II satisnea
her craving for public notice but it adds one more
reason those provided by the journal for direct
and unrelenting reprobation OF her point OF view u
life.
There is to be beautiful edition OF The
Earthly Paradise" printed by Mr.. Morris himself
on his Kelmscott press. II is to be in eight vo.-
umes in a delightful size. intermediate between
the Quartos and the octavos. and the poet is busy
designing new series OF borders and ornaments.
Each volume bound In vellum will cost something
s..
NJ Paul Bourgeois new novel. "LIdylle TragQue.'
is longer than any OF his previous works. The
Is laid in the Riviera and the story ends un'
happily.
Some letters especially interesting TO lawyers are
| to be published in the January Century" They
were written by Wsbs.er. Writ and Calhoun. and
addressed to a lucky young law student and they
are packed with advice as to his course OF study.
The seventh and concluding volume OF the Duo
d'Aumale's 'Histore des Princes de Condo is near.
ly ready for publication. 1t does go beyond the
seventeenth century. The work has occupied i,s
author for more than thirty years. and caused hin