New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-19
LITERARY NOTES.


world that his poems and stories "are copyrighted
In this country. and their quotation in newspapers
elsewhere Is violation OF the copyright ia"'
carrying serious penalties" little man requires
protection OF this sort His works mean so much
to him In dollars and cents. and he cannot anoro
to be defrauded. But no one ever hcard vi ''o
great authors taking such precautions. Tennysoh
was shrewd business man. and looked careiuhy
TO his profits but to think of him as sending such
n prohibition as this OF Mr.. Kipng's around 10
the editorial offices Of London Is to do MIN less
than Justice. II IL often opposite ana useiul 70
quote "A man like Kipng. His work Is constantly
coming up for criticism. and study OF the thihs
IL necessarily strengthened by brief illustratioh
The fact IL 20 obvious that II would scarcely seem
to need clucidation but apparently the honorable
customs of the best men OF letters are dangerous
nowadays embracing when they least expect H.
"a violation Of the copyright law. carrying serious
penalties"
Mr. Fraser RAGS recent biography Of Sheridan
contains some acd illusions TO Croker whom he
blames for having given publicity to George ~
famous rather notorious deverance on the
statesman whom he once treated with aHectloh.
Now comes Mr.. Andrew Lang, in "CosmopoNs
and hints that Mr. Rae Is not so good an editor
as he ought to be. that George " was not the
mendacious cad that the Sheridan episode would
have seemed to indicate. that Croker, finally. was
not so bad he has been panted-at least IN
connection with the Sheridan disclosures Just the
same Mr. Lang admits that the 'Quarterly article
In which Croker printed the Kings version OF
Sherdan's last days justly dislked by Scott.
who wrote some letters the subject that Mr..
Lang expects to publish In his life OF Lockhart
next October. The matter is not one OF great mag
ntude after ALL but 1t will doubtless afford excuse
for some controversial writing within the next few
months
II is gratifying to lind that fairy lore, 40 easy
10 overay with heavy disquisiton. is receiving
sympathetic treatment from some American hands
Mr.. Leand's artess handling OF the most artiess
material in the world has recently been pointed out
in this place. Two American ladies. Miss Maoe
Fuller Blodeett and Miss Ethel Reed. have gone to
work upon some fairy stun I'm precisely the same
shirt Their publishers, Lams)n. Wolfe & Co.
have made really beautiful volume out or their
Fairy Tales Miss Blodgett tells tho tales and
Miss Reed illustrates them with delightful pictures
Where they both most admirable is In their
artlessncss in their enforcement of the idea that
the proper critics Of their book would he a group
of intelligent children. If the latter decided that
il was well done. then no older person would nave
the right to say word. The little critics should
not be too familiar already with fairy myths other
wise they would have the same trouble In coming
to a decision that must be felt by any student Of
popular tradition.
There is one manifest element in these tales
which could not have been thought OF outside CT
America. The royal personages so numerous In
these pages simply the child's neighbors. next
door across the street, of whom ne knows only
enough 10 stimulate not to limit his imagination
Occasionally Is led TO wonder If the author
herself is conscious of the perfection Of her democ-
racy II il almost the if she had just heard
of such personages kings. queens. princes and
princesses ard had attempted to describe them
forthwith If the process her tales suggest he even
partially unconscious. it indicates numerous posi-
bilities for the future The longer democracy per-
sists the farther children will be from realizing
the notions which they find in the ordinary fairy
tales In which royalty figures.
new anecdote Of Christopher North has been
nut in circulation one that Is not only new, but
authentic A feminine enthusiast was talking TO
the eccentric writer about his noble head; she
told him about his frontal development and so
on Finally, Kit replied. with "A result that can be
imagined: True. madam; in our village there was
only head bigger than mine. and that was the
village idiots"
A posthumous volume Of sketches by the late
H. C. Bunner. issued under the title Of THE Sub
urban Sage" by the publishers of the periodical
with which he was connected so long. reminds us
of the peculiar relevancy of the humorist. OF his
unerrng fitness. We have had funny men
who belonged more closely than he did to the time
in which they lived He better than local His
fun struck with the hour and to to THE
Suburbante and his Golf in this little volume
is feel that Bunner indeed. as his intimates
say he was instinctively sympathetic before every
interest Of familiar life The beauty of his work.
moreover is that. though it sprang from the hour.
it not for the hour alone. In its modest way
il is d perennial stream OF gayety that flows from
his pages He wrote and scores of pieces
like those Of The Suburban Sage" for the ephem-
eral columns of Puck" but they rarely failed to
carry a conviction that comic journalism was not
half so superficial. not half so ephemeral. as the
more dgnifed Of the earth would have
think.
1t is beginning to be whispered about that a GER
tain masterpiece by Mr. Richard lie Gallienne.
his Search for the Golden Girl" is really quite
tremendous. that 1t is by far his best work" How
threadbare the phrase is. But 1t must be needed
this time and we must wait breathless for tie
promised gift of the gods for in volume of Prose
Fances" the Dick Wilmington Of Song" as Mr..
Coulson Kernahan calls him. has done some things
which prepare the soul for almost anything. NJ.
Coulson Kernahan (was he not of the men
viewed In Mr.. lie Ciallennes Literary Log" p has
been reviewing the Prose Fancies." and. says he:
For the gem OF the book, however must turn
to A Seaport In the Moon This and the opening
chapter. A Seventh Story Heaven. are In them
selves worth the modest sum which the publishers
ask for the volume. A Seaport In the Moon is q
exquisitely beautiful fancy. Mr. lie Galenne was
In the right mood when he wrote ii. and when he Is
in the mood he is magician (sic) His page glows
Ike a painters palette with rich colors. and the
pictures come and go before like sunset pag-
eants AS write he says. the moon looks down
on me like a Madonna from the great canvas Of
tho Sky She seems beautiful with the beauty Of
all the eyes that have looked up at her. sad with
nil the tears OF all those eyes like a silver bowl
trimming with the tears OF dead lovers she seems.
Yes. there are seaports In the moon; there are
ships to take there"
We don't know the modest sum which the pub
fishers ask for the volume but this is no doubt
worth It. Indeed, should go further than Mr..
Couson H. Kernahan. should think the sum.
whatever II Is two shillings six. four shillings
and ten pence, none too much 10 pay FOR just that