The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-20
LITERARY NOTES.

Mrs. Coventry Patmore is writing a biog-
raphy of her late husband.
Anthony Hope denies that he has been
saying mean things about America and
Americans since his return to England.
Mr.. Herbert Spencer has a very serious
affection of the heart, and grows feeble with
every day. He has gone to Brighton to live.
A story of California life called The
Great Black Oxen is announced for pub
LEGATION in England by Mrs. Gertrude Ather-
ton.
Mr.. Kipling has finished his new story,
''The Burning of the Sarah Sands" 1t is
described as a stirring historical tale OF
maritime adventure.
Clarence Hawkes., the blind poet in a
personal letter to Current Literature,
writes: Probably the dominating influence
III my life has been SORROW
Joel Chandler Harris compliments John
Fiske by saying that he could write a his
tory of our civil war period that would
satisfy both the North and the South. Mr..
Fiske would have TO travel far to draw
another compliment equal to that.
The English Catalogue of Books for
1884, which has just been published, gives
the number of publications for the past
year in England as amounting 10 1926 One
thousand six hundred and eighty-two of
these We're new editions, which leaves as
remainder 6,244 entirely new issues. Com
shows an Increase of ! 1853 to the credit of
the literary industry for 1897.
Emile lola has carved over the mantel-
piece of his study the motto, f"Nulla dies
sine linea,' which he scrupulously obeys,
for he is, of all modern authors, the most
careful and DainStaking in his composition.
FlfSL ne makes a written sketch of the
story, discusses the scenes, the people and
the incidents, and this is frequently longer
than the novel. Then from these sketches
IN he fnfcs 1oH
ZoIa's short stories, says the Boston
Transcript, are not very well known in this
country. Yet there is really nothing fun
nier in any language than THE Coqueville
Spree" nor anything more seriously af-
fecting than How We Die" In the vol
ume OF translations which bears the title
of the first tale, Jacques D'Amour" there
are half a dozen stories which give the
average reader as well as the lover of liter
allure new view of the talents of the
novelist.
The latest photographed society heard of
has been founded in Paris and bears the
name of Les vingt,',, as only a score of
members are allowed. The twenty print
editions, limited to their own number. of
special works. They supervise the printing
OF these books, which are delivered I'M
stitched, neatly folded in a box. 1t is said
that the members have not as yet printed
any of their own works. Prince Roland
Bonaparte, Nine. Georges Hugo and Nine
Juliette Adam are mentioned as prominent
in the society.
There are rich rewards in literature for
the right man, and Mr.. Kipling is reaping
them. 1t is said on good authority that the
Pail Mall Gazette paid him, in our money.
$3.50 each for his 'Barrick Room Ballads"
He sold his Seven Seas for s11 600 An
English magazine having paid him shil-
ling word for a Christmas story two
American editors straightway offered him
a Il words
at the rate of 2 shillir gs a word. He has the
distinction of being tie best-paid author in
the world.
Robert Barr, it is said, has lived in Eng
land for the past ten or twelve years with
out losing amy Of those characteristics of
mind, manner or speech which are usually
termed "Americanisms." He lives in. a
comfortable country house, which he built
q year or more ago, from the profits of his
novels, and he is one of the few men who
can walk the streets of London in a high
hat and sack coat without losing the con-
ndence and respect of his friends. His
books enjoy a wide sale in England, and
MI. Barr himself IS something of a figure
in the literary life of the British capital.
1t is said that Mr.. Meredith has several
completed or nearly completed novels in his
desk, and that he may or may not publish
them. Possibly" says Mr.. Alden in Lit
erature, ''he is like Miss Rhoda Broughton,
who has written something like half a
dozen novels, which, when completed, failed
to satisfy her. and have therefore never
seen the light. An author who can do this
has the soul of an artist. Miss Broughton
for example, knows perfectly well that any
thing that she writes is salahle, but she
prefers TO lose her time and labor rather
than to publish work which does not satisfy
her. IL Mr.. Meredith were capable of
writing a poor book he would certainly re-
frain from printing it; but / cannot imagine
his writing a book which would not deserve
to be published / rather doubt that story
of his desk full of books rejected by him
self. If he has any unpublished books in
his possession he is doubtless holding them
back for the slow and careful revision
which he gives to everything that he
writes"