New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-23
LITERARY NOTES.

have been metaphoricaly told 10 t,Ne tneir perni.
cous books away from the library shelves. II
seems incredible that this should be true, and the
library ought to put itself record In the matter
at once. The objections some people nave brought
against "Trilby" were long since swept into the
limbo of trivial things. and why Mr k-pling should
provoke the criticism Of any Board OF Education
under the sun is Of those things which are past
finding out.
Mr.. Warner has some ironical things to say in the
March Harper" about the kind of book which 10
nowadays called strong These Things need say.
ing over and over again until people get rid OF the
cant which accepts trash literature because the
trash happens to be intense" or something OF the
Sort Much temporary fiction relies for Its whole
effect upon the audacity OF its situations and above
all upon their Intense gloom ITO admit natural
sunshine and the laughter OF the world into the
pages" saws Mr.. Warner. would be the very re-
verse of strong 1t certainly would not be tragic
And what we want is tragedy. Why not? Life Is
full Of comedy, some Of 1t faded ana mournfu
enough Why not have tragedy In our literaturef
There Is a dignity In tragedy-the dignity OF death.
It has come about that the novels and stories which
are 70 III our leisure hours and cheer us In this
vale OF tears have become what Is called tragic"
Rut Mr. Warner protests that most or this trag.
edy Is utterly without dignity, that II falls TO ac'
complish any uplifting purpose. and with this con-
clusjon many readers will certainly agree. There 10
nothing more ludicrous than the way In which
thousands of people to-day flock like sheep after the
sef-apponted leaders who announce that 70 De eci'
fed one must be narrowed. III they were 10 put
their narrowing powers at the service OF an IN.
telllgibe IDEAL as IN the classic tragedies II they
vera 10 show some consciousness OF the laws Of
beauty. these leaders might be borne But tneir
works end in cyncism and darkness They have
no stimulus for the reader, no charm. man OF
authority and genius. like Mr. Hardy can iead the
mind through painful channels to some sort OF SPIT
final repose but the average novelist and writer
and out of season leaves the impression that
strength" for him is mere indulgence IN things
which wholesome authors prefer 10 avoid.
The literature of the parodist is already consider
able In bulk and least one vast anthoiogy mas
been compiled by an English editor, but new book
is 10 appear on the subject, and 1t VIII ann 10 DC
az once popular and erud.te In scope 1t is by Mr.
Arthur Shadwell Martin and Is 70 De caiieu On
Parody" TIE publishers are Henry Holt q 90.
The book will present an essay or parody anu Z
selection extending from the ancient Greeks and
Romans TO the present day. many OF the carrier ex-
amples being works that are inaccessible 70 most
modern readers.
The scribners have in press new volume Of
stories BY Mr. Richard Harding Davis, one OF the
tales being devoted 10 Van Blbber parsonage
about whom Mr. Davis has not had anything 70 say
In a long time. A new book by MI Buhher' 'e.-
sey Street and Jersey Lane" is described as col
lection OF urban and suburban sketches Inc VOL
ume VII. exploit Mr.. Burners humorous vein 10
Coma exten, hut a few Of the stories said 10 be
ot n serious character The same publishers VIII
bring on, another book by Eugene Field IL u
called THE House." and relates the adventures OF
an impractlcable astronomer and his wife IN the
building OF a home.
Some caustic observations have been provoked IN
England BY the dedication which Mr. william
Michael Rossetu has prefixei TO his recent edition
Of Christina Rossetts unpublished poems. Inc
book Is inscribed to Mr. Sw.nburne, and the editor
~ tho volume goes on TO call him generous
euoglst OF Christina Rosse.t. who hailed MS genius
and priced him the greatest or living britsh
poets" This is no doubt based on MT. Rossetts
familiarity with his sisters Judgments concerning
Mr. Swinburne. but, one Of the critics IN LONDON
declares: 1T has to be remembered that very nuch
n, VIVA, he (Swinburne) wrote must have been In
fnitey abhorrent TO Christina Rossetu and Is II
decent 10 dedicate TO a man VINO openly reJee's
Christianity a collection OF Christian poems! ihe
point recalls a remark OF Lowells. made long ago IN
writing apropos OF Mr. Swinburne TO friend Ihs
church Of poetry Is founded upon rock. ne sald'
and not all the smutchy back doors OK hell can pre-
vail against It. 1t seems curious that the name OF
the man who could elicit this sentence should %
associated with that OF poet Ike Christina KOS
set,i OF course Mr. William Michael Rossetti takes
a different view OF the matter. do many others
and recently one more eager adorer OF Mr. Swim
burne's muse came forward TO prove that his
ethics had been unlmpelchable since the indiscre-
tons OF his youth. But while there Is the faintess
shadow upon Mr.. Swinburne's verse he IS deoarred
from the honor OF dedication as that In ques-
ton Furthermore. II IS an lmpertinence Tor MI.
Rossetti to dedicate the book 10 anybody.
The fortunes OF posthumous literature. when tnat
literature takes personal turn. are MADE 'he
object of similarly severe criticisms In the !ast
number OF "Macmillan's Magazine" The writer
h. 90 tha LOT tor uh
up ninc-,enths OF our current biographies tell no
story beyond tie very bald that they need nor
have been written and should not have been kept
AS though this not enough TO discourage mo
ardent editors of memoirs. biograph es, epistoiary
remains ana on. another weary reviewer
charges down upon the Dictionary OF National
Biography" and while praising the virtues OF that
monumental work insists that biography is only OF
value when II Is confined to the history OF those
who. in any way, are really great. IT Is Tar
better both for the dead and the survivors that
the immense majority of those who I'LL cemeteries
should only have tombstones, and on those tomb
only the dates at which they arrived ana
departed" All OF this is as old as common sense
but II is particularly interesting to note at this
time, for II indicates healthy reaction In LONDON
against biographical! works that are useless Lon
don is the great centre for the publication OF this
kind of material and when London begins TO turn
II is a good sign.
the Chap-Book' mas increased the huthpef Vi
its pages and issues a manifesto at the same Tine
With the change the editors hope 10 make the
magazine "a better representative OF the younger
writers, not only OF this country. but OF England
and France we'll 1t will make its readers ac-
Quainted with the cleverest OF the young men, and
while pursuing this delightful mission It Will main
tain 1.-The highest standard OF taste and Judgment
This is encouraging to the readers whose knowledge
OF the older men has been dimmed OF late and II Is
amable to bring out the "ceverest" aforesaid. But
II THE Chap Book has experienced a change or
heart and has concluded to abandon clever men for
the ccverest, why does 1t print In the very number
which marks It's evolutionary leap the absurd writ
Ing of Mr.. Max Beerbohm? Because he would Ike
to be the "mystagogue OF the dandiacal body" and