The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-12-07
LITERARY NOTES: PERSONALS.

and Estes & Lauriat publish the volume.
These letters are included in no English
or American editions of Victor Hugo's
writings, and are in sense, autobiog-
raphic, affording an insight into some
phases OF remarkable career which
will be novel to most readers. They
were written mainly during a visit to
the Alps and Pyrenees and include MANY
charming descriptions of the scenery
and incidents of travel
Mr.. Justin Mccarthy does not care
for books of the Yellow Aster type.
woman We have had always with u.s."
he says, land we have known her long
time. We cannot change her much,
nor she US, and therefore I'm inclined
to think the modern problem novel a
waste Of power"
-Lafcadio Hearn, now a naturalized
Japanese citizen, contributes Notes from
Travelling Diary. to the December At
lantic. No one knows Japan better
than he, nor writes of it with more dis
elimination.
AT the present time a good cyclic
pedia seems to be necessary of life, one
of those adjuncts of a well.regulated
household that cannot be dispensed with
If its members are to mingle in intelli-
gent society and not appear ignorant or
foolish. The newest claimant for public
favor and everyday usefulness is John
sons Universal Cyclop@dia, Of which
the eighth and concluding volume has
Just been issued by D. Appleton & Co.,
of New York.
-Messrs. d. Appleton & Co. will pub
ish Immediately remarkably fine art
work entitled Annals of Westmi oeter
Abbey, by E. I. Bradley Mrs. Murray
Smith), with an introduction by her
father Dean Bradley. The book, which
has been in preparation for several years,
will contain nearly two hundred illustra-
tons by w. HatherelI, r. l., and Fl. M,
Paget. The head and tail pieces, rep
resenting interesting spots in the old
abbey, and the initial letters and en-
blematic cover, have been specially de-
signed by prominent artists. This sum-
ptuous volume gives the romance and
life OF the abbey, and does not deal with
architectural details.
The leading article in The Forum
for December is probably the cleareet
analysis of the present financial situa.
ton in the United States that has yet
appeared. The writer is M. Paul Leroy
Beaulieu. the distinguished French
economist, who lays down the "Condi.
tons for American Commercial and FL
nancial Supremacy" He says that there
is much surprise throughout Europe
that great nation like the United
States should allow it's development to
be trammelled by frequent and severe
crises, and that it should be either I'M
able to discern their causes or lack de-
cision to remove them from it's path.
He thinks that the failure of the Ameri-
can government to redeem it's paper
currency after the war was great and
vital error, whose evil influences are still
felt.
Conspicuous among the contents of
the December Atlantic is another of
John Fiske's historical studies. 1t has
for title 1.-The Starving Time in Old
Virginia. and is an important historical
contribution as we'll as delightful read
ing.
Other articles of interest are "a New
England Woodpile," an outdoor sketch,
by Rowland E. Robinson; "The Defeat of
the Spanish Armada" by w. F. Titon;
IAN Idler on Missionary Ridge" Ten
nessee sketch, by Bradford Torrey; BE.
ing Typewriter" discussion of ther re-
lation of the machine to literature, by
Lucy c. Bull; Notes from a Travelling
Diary" study of the new Japan. by
Lafcadio Hearn; and ITO a Friend in
Politics." an anonymous letter.
To read Professor A. H. Sayce's de-
scription, in The Sunday School Times
Of November %, of the disinterment of
OAO VI tAO iui6Oot anu 5LhLollobL VI Ln6
temples which still exist in the valley of
the Nile, is almost like reading chapter
from the Arabian Nights. AS the writ
er says, this temple "has sprung, as it
were, out of the sand at the touch Of a
magician's rod. Deep underneath
the ground on which we trod were vast
halls and corridors, and brilliantly
painted columns and walle."
Mr.. Leslie j. Perry, who is a mem
Der of the Government Commission en-
gagged in publishing the War Records,
has gathered a number of interesting let
tiers and Endorsements of President Lin.
coin relating to prisoners of war, and
they will appear in the Christmas Gen.
fury under the title. Appeals to Lin
coins Clemency.' 1t is said to have
been almost impossible in the early days
of the war to secure Mr.. Lincoln's con-
sent to the execution of soldier for de-
sertion, but later he was obliged to give
less attention to personal appeals. A
characteristic Endorsement is one found
on large bundle of papers covering a
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