The record-union., 1898-12-25

liSIS III 1Uio. w mere MOl1tFG WdS Uoiii
is not known. Supposedly, he came into
the world in the Parish of Saint Eus-
tache. near the market, in Paris, some
time in February, 1922. That son and
grandson Of an upholsterer was the
greatest Of all writer's of comedy, not
even excepting Shakespeare.
Although the Royal Geographical So
ciety Of England has existed since 1880,
it has just issued its first year book.
The members number 1900, and it has
library of 81 900 volumes.
-
On one occasion in Philadelphia,
where Mr.. Gable and Eugene Field were
to lecture, telegram was received by
the former telling him that his beloved
and wicked partner" was i'll and could
not possibly put in an appearance, and
so Mr.. Gable had to carry out the pro-
gram alone. But there was nothing
the matter with Mr.. Field. He had gone
to the theater.
why, Field" exclaimed Cable, when
they met, 'how could you do so? Do
you know you disappointed over a
thousand people?''
Gable" said Field, solemnly, Il don't
care a snap about the thousand people;
it is on your account and yours only
that I am deeply contrite. And, .
added Gable, "he said it as if that cx-
planation really explained"
What more depressing phrase is there
than this, when used as indicating the
value of book, 1T will pay the pc
rusal?' 1t carries with it the debit and
credit idea. A balance has been struck
Of say, tuppence ha'penny in favor of
the book. Fancy the despair of the poet
whose stanZas he believes are wings
which buoy him far above our limited
horizon when he comes to earth brought
down by lit will pay perusal. The
smallest coin chucked into the hat OF
the mendicant has more true ring about
it, and in a literary way damning with
faint praise is kindlier than sit will
pay perusal."
Lorp Brougham was a hard hitter in
debate, but he could be magnanimous
at times.
THE name Of Brougham coming up, /
asked Gladstone whether he had known
him well. Yes he said, I saw great
deal of him in the last ten years in
which he had full command of his fac
ulties, and my impression of him, as l
knew him, is very favorable All the
old passions seemed to have burnt out,
and he spoke of every one as his friend
except Lords Campbell and Westbury
to whom his charity did not extend
which, perhaps was not surprising. He
had the greatest veneration for Lynd-
hurst. / remember an instance of 1t
which is almost historical. At the
time of the debate on Lord Palmer
ston's Conspiracy bill l. went with
Brougham to talk about it with Lynd-
hurst, who had then lost the use of
his limbs Lyndhurst surpassed him
self in clearness and cogency, and
Brougham striking his hand on his
knees, said: How I wish I could give
you some of my walking powers, and
that you could give me some of your
brains.'
New York Times: Unsuccessful
authors, and some successful ones, too,
have been known to accuse publishers
of all manner of sins, from borrowing
ideas to the downright thieving of man
uscripts extant Here, however, is an
authentic instance where the boot is ap-
parently on the others leg-that is, the
authors. Not long ago well-known
publisher wrote to Well-known
author of Juvenile stories, asking her if
she would write book suited to girls
Of 15 or is years of age, the scene to be
laid in the Boston of 1910 or 1850. and
inquiring what would be her price for
such a work. AS no answer was re-
ceived after months waiting, another
and similar letter was dispatched. Still
NO reply Recently another publisher
has announced the Identical book con-
cerning which the author was queried;
it bears her name upon the title page.
Comment is unnecessary.
That was a very graceful thing the
Emperor of Austria did, The muir
dered Empress had the sincerest admir-
alton for Heine's poems and among her
papers there were found a number of
original letters in the poets own hand
writing They had been presented to
the Empress by Heine's sister, Frau
Won Embeden. After the death of the
Empress, by order of the Emperor,
these precious letters We're returned to
Frau Won Embeden with portrait Of
the Empress.
Next year will be the 150th anniver-
sary of the birth of Goethe. The
author of Faust" was student at
Strasburg and there, SO it is believed,
he first conceived the ideas of this i'm
mortal drama, and so from Strasburg
comes the idea of raising another statue