New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-17
LITERARY NOTES.

Ar 7 e Fraser the author OF THE Golden
fnngb" and of "Pausanas." has for some years
held q fellowship at Cambridge whi'n lri, ,I
ship has been three ilImeS hook to proceed
unchecked He has been Obliged 10 take W.
Journeys to Greece. in order TO get 'ne 'o'a'
color and to verify archaeological de'""s'
.1,bo .n,haesador" Mrs Crage's sentimental
COMEDY in four acts is to be produced IN Lon.
dom in the autumn. and will not be prpusn, ou'
I'm hook form until then. Mr.. George hieAd"u -;
who has secured all the uraihatS i's""' "
play the title role.
Mr. Sidney Colvin's biography OF Roper'
youis Stevenson Is to be published IN 'hree so'
uync come time next year. Volume VIII con
tain the life Volumes II and III the ITu'ci"
In MT Colvin's sketch of the author oil IicaS
ure Island" contributed to the new volume oi
tho ".Dictionarv of National Biography. ne
speaks Of Steycnson's moods as an Edihpurs"
iaWyer; ,,, aoo,o, snir;ts and brilliant. some
what fantastic, gayety of learning. Stevenson
was no stranger to the storms and perplexities
OF youth. A restless and nqurlng conscience
perhaps inherited from Covenanting ancestors
kept him inwardly calling in question the
grounds of conduct and the accepted codes Oh
society At the same time, his reanhg mao
shaken his belief In Christian dogma the
harsher forms of Scottish Calvin!stic CHRISTIAN
ity being indeed at all times rcpugnani To his
nature. From the last circumstance rose Tor
time troubles with his father. the more trying
ment and pride in each other which had always
subssted between father and son He loved
the aspects of his native city, but neither us
physical nor its social atmosphere was con-
genial to him. Amid the biting winds and
rigid social conventions of Edinburgh he craved
for Bohemian freedom and the JOY of life, and
for awhile seemed in danger Of fate like that
OF the boy poet Robert Ferguson. with whom
he always owned strong sense Of spiritual
affinity"
Lady Gregory. in her edition Of her husbands
"Letter- Box" tells this story Of George the
FOurth's visit TO Ireland in 1S2l:
, Gle arrived after good passage during
which much goose pie and whiSkey had been
consumed Word had just come Of the death
OF Napoleon at st. Helena. The story goes
that Sire. your enemy is dead were the words
he was greeted with. When did she die was
his response. But the Queen indeed also
dead. and His Majesty was persuaded to wear
piece Of Grape round his arm during the fes-
tivites which were in no way curtailcd"
Alas for Mr.. Alfred Austin. "The Saturday
Review" has been administering particularly
large and bitter bOlus to him-incidcntally ia
voring the Americans with a little dose:
"If an arrangement could be made with the
Treasury by which, on the stipulation that he
should write verse whatever. the stipend Of
the Poet Laureate could be doubled, we believe
that il would be hailed as an economy We are
very sorry for Mr.. Alfred Austin, for whom we
have q weakness. He is a gentleman. patriot |
and a kind hearted man: when he was placed |
In his present false position we hoped that |
common sense would make him adrOit and care
fu He Is no poet, OF course, yet men Of even |
smaller gifts could steer their course with |