New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-27
LITERARY NOTES.

LITERARY NOTES.
The memoir Of Chancellor Kent which Little
Brown Co. are about to publish has been
prepared by his great-grandson William Kent.
II l. compiled largely from the Chancriiors own
correspondence and contains much interesting
historical matter. The passages dealing with
Alexander Hamilton. who was Kents friend.
Will be looked for with curiosity
The first volume o! n new series of historical
works. to be entitled The American Explorers
Series" is announced by Mr. Francis r Harper.
This volume contains tho journal OF Major ia
cob Fowler and describes his travels from Fort
Smith to the Rocky Mountains and return in the
years 1N2l'22 This work. we are informed, Is
the story Of a hitherto unknown American ex-
plCrcr and is printed verbatim from the authors
original manuscript Major Fowler was the first
white to travel TIN ough and describe much
Of the Western country. The second volume or
the series, now in preparation, is to he Forty
Years Fur Trader the Upper Missouri" 1t
is the personal narrative Of Charles l.arpentem,
for the first time printed from his original man
uscript journal. DR.. Elliott Coues is editing the
series.
1t is stated that 5000 week Is the
which Mr. j. NJ. Barrie is now deriving from tn
performances in England and America Of his
pay, The Little Minister"
An article in the current "CDs:nOpolis" cred
Its Germany in her Old-Wcrld conservatism
with drawing tolerably last line between the
makers of literature on the one hand and the
amateurs on the other. Two of the most de-
pressing features in fiction at the present mo-
ment. this writer says with truth. are the pre-
dominance OF the amateur ana the reduction OF
novel writing to business. Happy Germany
to have escaped the contaGion. Tier temple OF
literature" We are told. is stu surrounded by
n ring cf iiic which keeps out the incompctent
intruder. while in democratic England and
America the fire burns low and virtually offers
less obstacle 20 the smart journalist than to the
DO BEHIND
Continental literatures there is body Of solid
criticism which maintains the barrier between
ephemcral books Of entertainment ana genuine
literature. and keeps the brilliant amateur IN
his place He exists, he has his readers and
even his little circle Of admirers. but he IS not
taken seriously as a man Of letters II IS me
curse Of literature in this country that the anna
teur Is 81 taken and that the so-calcd 'crltlc
is merely a half educated person Wh" mahts
culogisiic phrases in much tho sam" tone apout
Thackeray and Mrs. Burnett. Shakespeare ana
Mr.. Bliss Carman
or Thackeray Mrs NJ c. NJ. Simpson says
in her now book that she or" day called on him
to accompany her to dinner at Greenwich;
''IIe put his head out of his study window ara
cried. Wait till have killed h"T! think INC
victim was Helen Pendcnn.s"
Frederick Wcdmore states Great truth when
he says thai nature in fiction requires 20 De seen
not in endless detail, as totanica! or geo.
graphical study. but. as in Classic Landscape
Composition, a noble glimpse Of It, OYER man
shoulder under a mans arm. u know o,
course. that is not the popular view. ne adds
There are novels which have owed their pop
uariiy to landscape written by the reain'
Coaches have been named after them; steam.
boats have been named after them. am not
sure that. in their honor, inaccessible heights
have not been scaled and virgin forests broken
in upon so that somewhere in picturesque dis
tricts the front OF gigantic hotel shall have
inscribed on it the title OF a GlIuse novel l'ut
that is not ;he great way. The great way, from
Nirgirs to Browning's. Is tn" way OF pregnant
brevitv" There are divers novelists IN thls
country who might profit by Mr. "edmores
obscry atoms.
Sir Walter Bcsant Is writing a novel OF life
in the eighteenth century and has given to IL
the title OF The Orange Girl" II is to be pub
lished az a serial here and in London.
The "r.if, Of Judge Jefrreys' which Mr.. n. B.
t. be- pubshel This spring. IL VIII be Illustrated
by three portraits and a fac-simile letter.
THE English illustrated Magazine" has an ar
ticle on tho German Emperor and Empress AZ
home. which contains a little story about me
Crown Prince that isn't bad:
1T happened years ago, wheE Prince bismarck
had lust retired. The Emperor ana Empress
with certain grave statesmen. we're at dinner
and the Prince-then a mere child, hut very
cbscrvant onc--Was also present. THIS enfant
terrible managed TO elcctrify the company WIN
n sudden and startling remark apropos OF nc
occasion. "1hey say. father that now you nave
sent Prince Bismarck away. YOU VIII be apie 20
tell the people what to do all by yourself; YOU
will enjoy that. Will you not" History does not
record the answer.
Mr. Henry John Newbolt author of "Admrals
All" which is soon TO be published IN America
ltf ..df ions