New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-13
LITERARY NOTES.

Mr. George Gissing is bringing out new book
with a queer title-"Human odds and Ends" MI
H. g. Wells also gives unusual name to his
forthcoming volume. II Is Certain Personal Mat
tiers -
Mr. Joseph Jefferson has written new chapter
for his autobiography. and this VIII appear IN a
fresh edition Of the book which The Century Com
pany will soon issue.
The Editor OF "The African Critic has played
upon the other members Of his profession a huge
toke which many OF them have failed to see. Il
once thought" he says. "all my readers mao 4"
sense OF humor; but mistaken. some t"h'
ago as a satirical rcproof 10 certain OF nay con-
freres. who arc always discovering new hte'"iE
prodig.es who equal II they do not eclipse inc
great English classics, published an imaginary
review % purely fictitious book. ! called me
work Secrets OF the Weld. and IL rs au'Aor !
hailed the long-cxpected South African Bret
Harte.' Most people saw the Joke; some ola no.
and sent stamps. for addresses or letters hSu"i-
GENTLY stamped for particulars. NO" see some
of my South African Australian and America"
contemporaries are passing crtique or rs the'r
own This lapse on their part tells sad tale "'
human donrayity. and exhibits marked delciency
in literary perception"
A splendid edition de luxe OF Volta.re's can
dide"-in English-is coming ont in London. as
tinguishcd French artist has made about Sky
Nlustratl for the volume. end Mr.. walter Je'-
rold has furnished an Introduction and notes.
A volume dealing with William Morriss work
as writer has been prepared by Nir II. Buxton
Forman. 1t is to be called The Books OF Wi'ham
Morris: An Essay in photography
Joan Of Arc as literary heroine is becoming
rather tresome, but We are not sure that we o"4o
to lose her altogether ont Of the realm Of sentl-
mental history There is said to be danger ~
this, certain Frenchman having written BOOK
TO prove that the Maid never freed france from
the English and was not burned at the stake hut
married a man named Robert des Arihoise' ''''
a quiet life and died natural death.
Professor Max Muller. having completed his
recollections Of "Royaties.' now turns to the
celebration OF a class further than any other from
the throne to wit. "Beggars." Only In this paper
which is printed in the current number OF COS
,nopois" the Professor is fain 10 confess that at
times the mendicant gets astonishingly near inc
ferce white light" Nay. he tells of one genial I'M
postor who actually pretended to be on terms Oh
intimacy with the Queen Of Denmark, and worked
his scheme so cleverly that many an Engishman
was duped and contributed gladly to the support
of the presumed recipient of letters from Her
Danish Majesty. Professor Muller treats not ohiy
of the askers Of aims, but of those dubious lhoi-
viduals who take the long way round ana squeeze
money out of the public by various false pretenceS'
scoundrel and scholar, whose doings at one time
gained him worldwide renown. The portrait ioi-
lows:
AS spent good deal of my time at the Bodleani
wears as Oriental Librarian MADE some curious
acquaintances. The most interesiing was That OF
fame had preceded him There had been ful i
account Of his donss ana nisqInss or fl Of
Greek Mss. / had warned our hprarlahi me ~, ,
II O. Coke. and Il was amusing 10 watch tBe IVY
WIN heir began.
called. not because he was descendant OF u ut
poet s1monloss, on De' simon Jew-addressed the
librarian half In ancient Greek haif III moo,
ners were most engaging The librarian was
sspsy RSe TPd ees sTe Of 5P SNAIL Viue simon
ides said they are modSrn VIVA, ass,gneG the
agreed He then went on producing Me- aI Yer
tenth or ninth century All went on most ann,
Cably until he produced some fragments OF an
WIDE. and examining them very carefully put put
Of them aside for further ,nIids ut
onght 10 repose nowhere but IN the Bodleian
it. Mr., Librarian? simonides said Win oy siii'e
fn@ pages and looking very though meyer
quite without his usual twinkle me seG ond ou,
pa iag up p Your Mss and Apage d5egonel~
lie certainly most ex'Ia0FoiH.aIs LIZ, NO.. -,
s sS,hs T nssaa o Of oqgag Greek MSS might
ssSe eGe was Of course the newly discovered
Greek text Of tho history Of ancient EgyPt ny
later Greek MSS. 1t seems that in the Eastern
,nonasteries where he sold. he also ACQUIRED
ask He tried several of these MSS. with chemi-
Gals to see whether, as was the fashion curing tre
WHEN had been Used before and the old writing
scraped off in order to get writing ,nater1a aa,i %r
compositions. When that has been t Inc V yeTy;
clearly, and ne knew that in this way some very
old and valuable Greek texts had been lecoEertu:
In that case the old uncial writing comes QgI
Generally In a dark blue, and becomes quite legole
90 underlying the modern Greek text AS simon
ides not lucky enough TO Discover OF peTGnrI
an ancient Greek text, or what IS called falinl-
sest MS. the thought struck nm jhas ME hsve
sold at a very high price. But even this did not
tasfy, h' 5e Gosp@is and written it between the
lines OF of his modern creek MSs'' aaul AK
lection would have seemed much more olihcut.
But he scared higher. 1870 .. ,,x.,,o. nod
written history Of Egypt which vas toI !,
simonides made up his mind 70 write himsef In IN
thought Tranios might have written. And; dep
end clever as he yas n as the authorizes
which he faithfully followed After ne had inshed
his Greek text re r~e letters bctween the letters
Of a Greek MS. Of about 1900 A. D. AnyhQoy MO I
Knows the smallness of the letters IN such NJ,
en- snnreciate the enormous labor II must nave
baen 10 insert. as II were. beneath ana netweci;
.nS rSSsr wiring Of Uranios That the blue INK
should never encIoach on he small but true GreeK
ietters one single mistake would nave IN
fatal. and such is the knowledge FnicH ahuqnttlS
nov nossess of the exact changes or Greek letters
a. s,ierv century that here. too, one single Wl7,
a. IN the outline of the old uncial letters would
have betrayed the forger ..o-,,o,o 10
' V-ben Simonides had finished his MASTERPIECES ne
,oIaiv ofered IL 10 the highest tribunal ne X y@I
Berlin Academy The oe5i ch eTd coS G IND no
~ Iepsius the great Egypto!oglst "tht
through the whole text. and declared uia' I,o
SoT ecnuid moi be forgery. because no one tN-
csnt 1-Tanios could have known the names or me
ancient Egyptian kings and the right dates OIL To
rarious dynasties which were exactly such as, ne
had settled in his books TIE hesd 6h 9c1y hooks
ncr entered anyhody's mind. Great was the eE-
NJ, in the camp OF the Fgyptologists. and