The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-23
LITERARY NOTES.

George Eliot's Scenes of Clerical Life"
will soon be out of copyright, and become
then in England public property.
The Academy (of London) jauntily says
that extravagant fun is out of date, lowing,
probably to the surfeit of it which the en-
terprise of America has offered"
Mr. Rudyard Kipling does not mean to
work at all during his present South Afri-
can trip. He is accompanied by his father
as well as by his wife and children. His
next book of short stories will not appear
until next autumn.
Mrs Mary Cowden Clarke, the author of
the Concordance of Shakespeare and
whose death is just announced, had her
monumental work suggested by chance
remark she heard at luncheon. That same
afternoon she began her task.
There is said to be graphic portrait of
John Calf, the Scottish novelist in his own
little sons remark, Papa is the biggest
boy l ever knew" Gait was a splendid
looking man, by the way. He was nearly
six feet four, with frame in proportion.
1t is not generally known that at the
time of his death Du Maurier had completed
two papers giving "reminiscences of the two
celebrated caricaturists with whom he was
closely associated, Jacob Leech and Charles
Keene, as well as an account of his own
career as illustrator.
The Emperor of Japan seems to be a
very prolific poet, for the Japan Mail of
Yokohama says: I'VE are told that during
the last ten years the poet laureate in
Japan has seen more than $4,000 cOuplets
composed by sovereign. His Majesty
has penned $3.50 couplets within the last
few months
Mrs Dali says that when James Russell
Lowell and his brothers and sisters were lit
tie their father, DR.. Charles Lowell. would
take them en- his knees and talk to them
in rhyme by the hour. He lived long
enough to do this for his grandchildren.
The poets sister F.ebecca and his brother
Robert both shared in the poetic gift.
Henrik Ibsen, who is still at his home
in Christiania, is said to intend retiring to
a foreign country to live, as he did from
1864 to 1891. His son has just begun the
publication of weekly journal, and prom
ises contributions from his father, VINO for
fifteen years has written nothing but plays,
with one exceptions poem for the first
number of a monthly paper called The
North.
The death of Lewis Carroll" author of
Alice in Wonderland" recalls that it was
part of his joke to separate the mathema-
tician and the humorist. A woman once
wrote to him for full list Of his books for
children, and he answered very seriously
that he feared his works were not adapted
to the intelligence of young people, and adj
duced the titles of some of the serious math-
ematical treatises which We're the chief
business of his life, by way of evidence.
dor Mommsen, the eminent historian of
ancient Rome, who recently attained his
eightieth birthday. declined on that occa-
sion the honorable prefix of excellency.
which was offered to him by the Emperor
through the usual channels. Mommsen
similarly refused some time since the title
of 'Geheimrath,' on the modest plea that
he preferred to be known simple Ger
man professor.
cit is not surprising" says the Critic
''Lounger.' that even the English papers
speak of E. L. voynich, the author of The
Gadhy.' as man. A more masculine book
has not been written for years. nor more
powerful. I take pleasure in assuring her
admirers that the author is Mrs Voynich.
She is now engaged upon a novel. the scene
of which is laid in Austria, and she has gone
to that country to get the local color. Mrs.
Voynich writes slowly and with great pains,
so that the new story may not be expected
for at least year.
The late Alphonse Daudet left behind him
a considerable body of unpublished and in
complete work. including short stories, REM
iniscences. 4 novel entitled "Qg:inze Ans