The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-04-17
LITERARY MATTERS.

The Macmillan Company announces a
new book by Mrs. Steel, whose recent
novel of the great mutiny, ''On the Face of
the Waters" has had such phenomenal
success. The new book is a Scotch story
entitled SIN the Tideway, and will meet
warm welcome from thosewho remember
the authors "Red Rowans," which the
Boston Evening Transcript describes as
wholesome and sweet, and fresh as the
moorland air ITSELF
I'm the sixth paper of the series on
white Mans Africa which is running
in Harper's Magazine, Poultney Bigelow
points out some very critical results of the
Jameson raid. He gives good reason for
thinking that if the matter had been left
in the hands of Africanders, even those
of the Cape Colony, it would have been
settled without heart -burnings. AS it is,
nearly every step taken by England has
given offence not merely in the Transvaal,
but among Africanders generally. and has
postponed South African union indefinite
ly.
General Grant, is the title of volume
in the Great Commanders Series, which
will be published shortly by ID. Appleton
and Company. The author, General James
Grant Wilson, has had exceptional oppor-
tunities for a knowledge of General
Grants military career. An acquaintance
begun at Cairo, in the summer of 1861,
was continued for almost quarter of a
century In addition to this, Genera
Wilson has had the advantage of ult
i'm n dior fn;, 10
ing conversations and incidents of his SER
vice under General Grant in the Vicks-
burg campaign and in the West.
In accordance with the expressed wish
of large number of teachers of Litera-
ture, Houghton, Mifflin & Co., will soon
bring out Students Edition of Bryant's
Translation of Homer's Had at the low
price of 81 90, net, (73l pages.) No edition
of Bryant's Translation has ever before
been published at a less price than So. so.
Mr.. Hamilton w. Mabie, of the Outlook,
recently said, 'If had my way, would
make every one read the Iliad and the
Odyssey once a year. 1t would be an ex-
cellent tonic''
Speaking of Bryants Translation, the
1NCW IOIh INDEPENDENT All AuleT1-
can may fairly claim to have produced the
standard English translation of Homer"
Washington and the French Craze of
49, in Harper's Magazine for April, isa
study, by Professor John Bach McMaster,
of the enthusiasm aroused by the first
successes of the French Republic, and es-
pecially by the mission of "Citizenn Gen
ct, the French ambassador. The ostenta-
tious republicanism of a hundred years
ago seems to have been worthy ancestor
of our many later Jurors. The illustra-
tions, which are by Howard Pyle, includ-
ing frontispiece in color, portray race
of men as massive and stolid as John Bull,
and like the well known portraits of that
period by Copley and Gilbert Stuart, sug-
gest that our ancestors were possessed
of more phlegm than they bequeatLed to
us.
The April number of the North Amer
lean Review contains, among other note
worthy features, an article from the pen
of The Marquis of Dufferin and Ava ON
How India Fights the Famine - Lord
Dufferin, formerly Viceroy of that Eastern
Empire, describes the famine as being as
dire calamity as ever visited the human
race. Three millions of the population are
being kept alive through the efforts Of the
Indian government, which, however, can
only provide its clients with just sufficient
nourishment to keep body and soul to-
gether. The work left to be performed by
public charity is almost illimitable, and
Lord Dufferin makes an eloquent appeal
to Americans in behalf of the sufferers.
The editor of the North American Review
announces that he will take pleasure in
receiving for transmission any contribu-
tions sent him for that purpose. Even a
shilling, Lord Dufferin says, will keep a
poor widow or an orphan for week.