New-York tribune., 1895-01-20

isbing than those of the redoubtabe kaa. Inc
mere fancy OF a great white snake IL enough 10
make the reader curious. with such superb s.rohes
~ reat,ve Imagination Kipling is sure to lavish
unon the conception 1t is bound to become treas
ure Of forest lore.
Mr. Stanley J. weyman. the novelist pracfised IN
London as a barrister for about ten years anu WI"
fair success. He never really 'ikeu Ills p'
however. and poor speaker
Mr. Weyman writes slowly. He CONSIDERS ''o'-
sand words day sufficient; He hunts once =" 49,
during the season: Is an unmarried man; ana 'Ves
with his mother and sister.
II is reported that In Paris at present the Ma
poleonic literature does not seem to interest 'n pu"
lie so much as pictorial revivas dealing WIFE '"e
first Emperor A work which is having prodigious
success Is Napoleon Raconte par TImasc' OF
collection in album form Of copies OF portraits MS
torical paintings. caricatures miniatures Dronzes'
coins medals, etc. representing Napoleon ana MS
actions This album contains five hundred reproduc-
tons OF which twenty-five are "hors texte'
Who is this Or. Holiness" asked lady OF
w-EngIand bookseller recently. according 70
The Boston Literary Word; i've never heard
OF him. but his wife MARY J. HolmeS writes
lovely books
Equally funny is New England story-one which
s perhaps not as new 1t might be--told by Poet
Lore" The country village store, WHICH co"'"'''
the books OF a circulating library as well as bacon
and shoes is the scene. A Boston Lady, gancing
over the books asks: Have you Browning" The
clerk answers regretfully. and not knowing just
what kind OF an article Browning might be: NO.
We have not" Then with animation But we nave
backing and bluelng. and We have man VINO does
whiting We occasionally do pnking Would any
OF these do?'
The late Philip Gilbert Hamerton added himself
to the list OF authors who have heartily acknowl-
edged the benefit OF wIfey influence. Indeed. ne
said upon one occasion, my belief Is that without
such influence I should never have become known.
Mrs Hamerton's before her marriage was
Eugenie Gindriez. She was the daughter OF a
French legislator. Hamerton was only twenty
four when they married and both were poor
Il ls understosd that with the Procession is the
u,.e Of Mr.. II. 3. Fuers new Chicago novel.
In the new edition OF Mrs Brownlng's "sonnets
from the Portuguese" just imported by Charles
Scrsbners Sons We find some romantic notes con-
ceTnng the origin Of these beautiful sonnets. Eight
;ears before his death Browning told the story to
a friend with the understanding that some day 1t
might be public. The time have
arrived" says Mr. Gosse "Uhen there can be no
possible lndlscreton In recording very pretty cpl
sode OF literary history. During the months OF
their brief courtshp. closing as all the world
knows In the clandestine flight and romantic we'd
ding OF September l2. 1886 neither poet showed any
verses to the other. Mr.. Browning in particular
had not the smallest notion that the circumstances
OF their betrothal had led Miss Barrett into any
artistic expression Of feeling. As little did he sus-
pect 1t during their honeymoon in Paris. or during
their first crowded weeks In Italy. They settled at
length In Pisa: and being quilted by Mrs Jameson
and her niece in a very calm and happy mood the
young couple took up each his or her separate work
Their custom was. Mr.. Browning said TO write
alone and not show each other what they had
written This was rule which he sometimes
broke through but she never He had the habit Of
working In a downstairs room. where their meals
were spread. while Mrs. Browning studied In room
on the floor above. one day. early IN lH'. their
breakfast being over. Mrs. Browning went upstairs
while her husband stood at the window watching
the street IN the table should be cleared. he was
presently aware OF some one behind him. although
the servant was gone. II Mrs. Browning. who
held him by the shoulder to prevent his turning 10
look at her and at the same time pushed packet
~ papers into the pocket of his coat She tod him
to read that. and 10 tear II mp II he did no, ike
Il. and then she ned again TO her own ROOM
Mr. Browning settled himself at the table. and
unfolded the parcel 1t contained the series OF SON.
nets which have now become so .lustrious. As he
read his emotion and delight may be conceived
Before he had finished II was impossible for him 10
restrain himself and rega rdess OF his promise he
rushed upstairs. and stormed that guarded citadel
He was early conscious that these were treasures
no, 10 be kept from the world; i dared not reserve
70 myself he said the hnes, sonnets written In
any language since Sa.kespeare's.' But Mrs Brown
Ing was very loath indeed 10 consent TO the publ
cation OF what had been the very notes and chron-
,cle Of her betrothal At length she was persuaded
to permit her friend Miss Mary Russell Milford. to
whom they had originally been sent In manuscript,
to pass them through the press. although she abso-
Miaa
ton that they shorld appear In OF the fashion
ao.e annuals OF the day. Accordingly small vo.-
une was printed entitled 'Sonnets by f. b. B
Beading No, for Publication lS7 an octave OF
Il pages.
when II was determined to publish the sonnets
I'm the volumes OF 1880 the question OF title arose
The name which was ultimately chosen. sonnets
from, the Portuguese was invented by Mr.. Brown
ing AS an ingenious device to veil tho true author
ship and yet TO suggest kinship with that beautiful
lyric called Caterna TO Camoens. In which so
similar a passion had been expressed. Long before
he ever heard OF these poems. Mr. browning called
his wife his own little Portuguese. and so, when
an. nronosed Sonnsts Translated from the Bos-
nan.' he catching at the happy thought OF trans
n, ed replied No. not Bosnan-that means moth
ins-but from the Portuguese! They are Caterlna's
sonnetsr And so In half Joke, half a conce
the famous title was invented.
The frat OF the three volumes OF j. j. Jusseraud's
Literary History OF the English People WI. be
brought out by the Putnams next month. The same
publishers will soon issue new edition OF Mr.. I.e
C;allIenne's Book Bills OF Narcissus. The author
has rewritten the book and made considerable add-
tions. -
An acquaintance OF Tolstoi says that the Russian
writer is one Of the most profound scholars In Eu-
rome having not only a complete knowledge OF
European literature. both ancient and modern. but
an equally complete knowledge Of Asiatic. HE Is
n yoracious reader" 1t Is added. and after he was
nfty wears OF age ne learned Hebrew in order to be
able TO study the Old Testament more fully His
favorte English author is Matthew Arnold He Is
a man OF the very widest culture and attainments.
but he In anxious TO share his knowledge with other