The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-24


ican genfus- 1t n Of Poe's STORIES that
"Literature'' is writing.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the most
gifted woman poet OF Great Britain in
its history. wrote OF the great Car
lyle: 1T is difficult to conceive Of q
more interesting human soul. He
seems to me to have a profound sensi-
bility."
One OF the best OF critics was un-
doubtedly the ilustrious poet Tenny-
son. His opinion OF literature mark
him as among the very foremost in
critical endowment Literature" says
his recorded utterances on literature
could hardly be amended" Pos had
fine critical powers when o swayed
by passion and prejudices.
Mr.. Gladstone considered the lament
ed Richard H. Hutton who died quite
recently. he eminent editor OF that
great literary weekly. h London
Spectator" the first critic OF the nine
teenth century"
New York Currers. Literature for De-
cember writing of DR.. a Dykes con-
tention hat Tennyson was first after
Shakespeare and Milton among Eng
lish poets, says that other critics have
sustained the point which he argued so
eloquently." It adds that there is
scarcely any one who would nor place
him, at least, among the half dozen
foremost poets OF u language" Ii
also holds that his memoir by his son
will surely rank with the four or five
great literary biographies in our Ian
guage." The only ones that We are
acquainted with that are of the highest
interest and excellence are Boswelrs
johnson, Lockhart's Scott. and Trev-
elyan's Macauley. Possibly Trevelyan's
Fox should be added.
Clement Shorter's Victorian Litera-
ture" is we'll spoken Of. A valuable and
interesting series is just begun in Lon
don. 1t is Eighteenth Century Let
ters." The first volume contains selec-
tons from Swift, Addison and Steele.
with an introduction by Stanley Lane
Poole, a competent editor. The price
in England is $3.50 per volume.
Conan Doyle will soon publish a novel
called The Tragedy of the Korosko."
Stanley Weyman, one of h best of the
romancistS living, and who set the
vogue in later years, after more than
entitled Shrewsbury Anthony Haw-
kins Of course has a new novel, as have
probably fifty other fictive writers.
London Literature says of the late
Bishop Philpotts, that he uttered quite
as many good things in his life as Sgd
ney Smith, but they were neither quot
ed nor copied" Strange to say his life
has not been written. By the way
professor and author, Alto Bates, as
"Aslo." 1t also misrepresents DR.. van
Dyke, reporting him as ~contending that
"Tennyson stands in English literature
second to none but Shakespeare" DR..
| van Dyke puts him after Shakespeare
| and Milton, as the third greatest among
English poets.
Tom Hood in 1916, wrote OF Martin
| a and Mesmerism." He was an in
corrigFble and delightful humorist,
Here is his little joke"
81 am curious to see the end of Mes
meriSm and Martineau. What Jul ii
the passable power becomes known tC
| servants who wait or walk behind
backs! Imagine a great lady, of digni-
| fled carriage, in Regent street, sudden.
ly beginning to kick and antic, in ODE
| dience to the passes Of John in her real
or my lord at table, working his arms
like a telegraph, by impulse derived
| from Robert behind his chair. The
thing will be a age-+a madness-before
long"
Macready, the distinguished English
actor of 1S30-55, wrote in May 1896. to q
friend, Heraud, a p ct: ."Doryou think
there are theatres in Heaven? If there
are, 1 won't go" Macready published
his memoirs or "reminiscences.
Sarah Grand's 1.-The Beth Book il
nasty. 1t is catching 1t heavily in Eng.
land and in this country. 1t is incon
| tinently damned. She is a foul writer
| and loves t. poke in garbage and cess.
| pools.