Birmingham state herald., 1896-11-08
THE LITERARY WORLD.


 Maurice Maeterhinck. the Belgian sym bolist, has declared symbolism overdue" and is about to adopt new style of work.
 Messrs. G. P Putnams Sons have in press a new edition of The Last Days of KniclSerbocker Life in New York" by the late Abram c. Dayton, fully illus trated
 California is reasonably proud of Miss Juliet Wilson Tompkins, who lives near San Leander and within an hour and a half's ride of San Francisco. Her greatest success lies in short stories, though from early childhood many poems have come from her pen, which during the last few years have found ready &C., ceptance. Just at present she is at work on light opera.
 Harper Brothers have a number of new publications just out for winter reading and the young people as well as older ones will find shakespeare the Boy" by William J. Rolfe, far from dull, as it gives splendid sketches of the home and school life, games, sports, manners, and customs of the time.
 The November Ladies' Home Journal contains an account by ex-Mayor A. Oak ey Hall, of Jenny Lind's first appearance in America, in the "Old Castle Garden in 1850, and of the marvellous enthusiasm 1t aroused. This will be received gladly by all its readers. for even those who never heard the sweetvoiced singer love her name and character
 It is-a pity that Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett has, in her last works, changed her style of writing, for they can never be aS much admired as the tender, touch- ing romances which she wrote in the be- ginning of her successful career, in the little brick house on the banks of the Tennessee. Her latest book, "A Lady of Quality" is not even selling well in Knoxville, her home city, where she should have found her most lenient critics.
 Eugene Fields daughter, Mary French, known as "Trotty" among her intimate friends, is a great success at Chicago 'at homes," as reader of her fathers poems, and New York society will prob ably also have the pleasure of hearing With Trumpet and Drum" and Little Boy Blue'' as he, years ago. taught her baby lips to say them.
 Henry T. Coates & Co.,, Philadelphia, will this year add to their Household Edi- tions of the English classics, "The Count of Monte Cristo," by Alexander Dumas, in two volumes. Ten Thousand Year,o by Samuel Warren in two vol umes. "Ingoldsby Legends" by Rich ard Harris Barham in two volumes. "Gii Blas."s by Le Sage, in two volumes. "Don Quixote," by Cervantes in two volumes, and "Tales From Shakespeare, by Charles and Mary Lamb, in one volume, and "McCarthy's History of Our Own Time" two volumes. These Household Editions may be recommended for their good type and paper and serviceable binding.
 It was long ago admitted that there was nothing new under the sun, and that especially of. the art of book making there is no end But Charles Whibley's "A Book of Scoundrels," published by the Macmillan company, Is anything but commonplace. He describes the careers and achievements of certain notorious malefactors who have been chosen for presentment on account of their style and picturesqueness. They are of all ages and several countries, and that va- riety may not be lacking, Cartouche and Peace, Moll Cutpurse and the Abbe Bru- neau come within the same covers. Where it has seemed convenient, the method of Plutarch is followed. and the style and method of two similar scoun- drels are concentrated in a parallel Jack Sheppard in the storeroom of New gate, reproduced from an old print, serves as frontispiece.
 The Macmillan company will shortly add to it's remarkable fine collection of biographies and editions of collected works an entirely new addition Of the "Works and Letters of Lord Byron," ed- ited by w. E. Henley. It is to be com pIeted in twelve volumes, of which the letters. dairies,, controversies, speeches, etc. will be contained in four, and the verse in eight volumes of medium size. with portraits The first volume, con taining his letters from 1894 to 1S13 with a portrait after Phillips will be publish ed very shortly and will soon be followed by the first volume of the poems, with a portrait after Westall. There has been a long period of neglect of Byron's po- etry, so that we are already beginning to feel a reaction in it's favor. which prom ises to be steady, and 1t is agreed that Byron's letters public and private, with their abundant spirits and easy charm, are among the most delightful in Eng fish.
 Henry T. Coates < Co, Philadelphia, announce flor immediate publication, "Ftre-Side Stories Old and New" col lected by Henry T.. Coates. This inter esting series vii be published in three sixteen mo volumes. with photogravure frontispieces, in attractive binding.
 It has been the purpose of the editor to make collection of short stories that will be representative of the best of the new and old schools of story writers. A number of modern favorites will be