The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-17

Her many friends and admirers win hear
with keen regret that Miss Mary j..
wilkins has been Obliged to suspend a'l
work owing 10 ill-htultn Her coma '..l
is not at all serious. but Dc LH- B. No
thought advisable that she lay side N.r
pen and take u good long rest Tier na. I.
jerome: A Poor Man. which was fI
have been commenced in llarucrs EIIIr
in July, will not appear before January.
Three-fourths OF the books ARE writ n.
but il will now De- laid aside until Ais5
wilkins feels iu good working trim again.
The author Of "Ihe Heavenly Twins
has another bOOd ON the stocks WHICH
may possibly see The llcht in che autumn.
There has been longer interval DO sarah
Grand s case than usually follows on t.I
issue Of a chef d'oeuyre. The worst ~
making a big success at starting ls iN1
difficulty OF scoring "a second, blt 30 rH
a decent interval 10 is not insuner3 .e,
Some of our nOyciisis are so greedy t..y
refuse the public tine 20 digest what tI.y
have written. Sarah Grand was asked ,le
other day IL she intended to follow lna
example of Marie COr.lli and pose la Au
injured author. She answered that If H15
not at an likely.-LoudOn Literary World.
Tolstoi Is said 20 have great confidence
I'm the theatre as am educational institute
ton. but till lately Doe had not been ln-
side one for thirty years. Last December
he went. I'm company with his SOD. in $500
his own play, "ihc Power OF DIrAutsa-
a
the top gallery, hoping thus 90 nrn Ne
his incognito Unfortunately. however,
the audience happened 10 Doe small. ana
some one I'm the heaven recognized hInl.
Immediately the word was passed around,
with the result that many moro eyes were
directed towards him than towards l.f
stage. TolstOi made no ehort 20 hide hI'
annoyance. and quietly slipped away iN-
wards the end OF the play whom tN'
audience began 10 c'amor Tor the lN-
thor" When the curtain was rnus down
on the last act the cries for the author
were so loud and persistent that tha
manager was OBLIGED 90 appear and In-
nounce that the Count had ieit Che thea
tire
In a recent number OF the Spectator
there Is a description or tne laie Mr. D.
J.. StovensOu's library af hailim1. Tho
writer Mr.. A. vs.. NaEaGy. expected 10
find woll-thumbcd editions ~ the ciasslcs
I'm ''tba original tongues" hut Instead no
found Bohns TRANSACTIONS. ana was
amazed. Il had always thought he
saws. that stevenson must have been
good classical sehOlar. and bad an Idea.
formed 1 know not how or whence. that
a great stvle-aHd surely his may ls
Justly called so-nccessitated "a close ana
intimate acquaintance with classical au-
tbors" In this respect Mr. Mahafy
shares a common superstition. Why
ebould n be thought that a writer cam
not Do master Of his native tongue with
ont knowledge Of Greek and Latin2 Not
10 sneak OF Shakespeare and Burns. there
have been many masters OF style who had
not so much as "A speaking acquaintance
with classical authors Mr.. Stevenson. ac-
cording 20 his own confession had nttla
or no Greek. Homer IN the original WAS
beyond him: and his case Is yet another
confirmation Of the truth that one may
be n charming writer ana know compare
lively little Of the ancientS. save through
the medium Of translation. The clnssics
help. but they are not absolutely essential
The one thing needful j. natural taient,
and that Mr.. Stevenson had in abundance.
But II Is not 10 be supposed that Mr..
Stevenson was not a well-read man. THAT
chiselled and jewellei style OF his was
not got without wide and varied rea fins.
or French literature he had nm intimate
knowledge. and naturally Mr.. Naha0v
found a considerable collection OF French
works IN his library History also. both
English and French. was well represent
ed. but, curiously enough. there were
few books OF Scottish literature though
Mr.. Stevenson was a profound student
OF Scottish poetry and chronicles No
mention Is made OF novels. but Of the
poets. old and new, Mr.. Stevenson seems
10 have been an assiduOus reader Mr.
Mahany was privileged 10 examine some
quarto volumes. containing descriptions "a
diary form OF Mr.. Stevenson's many yoy-
ages. Doubtless these Will one day be
published. The Publishers Circular.