The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-31

Literature and
Literary Workers.
It will bssnews 10 most people to
learn that the Sentimental Tommy
of Mr.. Barfiess famous novel was, to
some extent, modelled on the late R. L.
Stevenson. Tomny's craze for getting
the RIGHT wurrd" in that well-known
essay of his was suggested by Mr..
Stevenson's craze for style. But as
some of us have suspected, Tommy is
meant by the author to turn out badly
in the sequel, SO Mr.. Barrie was care
full to explain to Stevenson that Tom
my, after he grew up, was no longer
R. L. S." r. L. S. affected to be
| nightly concerned over the fate that
awaited him in Mr. Barrie's pages.
What have you done WI me?" he
| wrote, anxiously. Its surely no forg-
cry? Am I hang it?,'
| There is strong probability that we
shall shortly see a uniform edition OF
| James Lane Aliens works. The Mac
milan Company has secured the pub"
| fishing rights of those of Mr.. Aliens
books which have hitherto been pub
lished by Harper & Bros. This gives
them the control Of the whole -Aof Mr.
Aliens works issued up to the present
and makes possible a uniform edition.
| for which the desire has so often been
| expressed.
Mr.. Sidney, in the "Athenaeum," ex-
plains why the recent copy of the first
Shakespeare folio, just sold at auction
brought such a large price. The book
realized $500, or double the price of
an ordinary copy of late years. the
| folio was entirely unknown until it ap-
peared in the auction room, it having
been in the possession of a family in
Belgium for more than 100 years. 1t
is perfect as to text, though the mar
gins of a few leaves were torn, and 1t
was probably bound over 200 years ago.
1t is this edition of Shakespeare in
which Ignatius Donnelly found the
wonderful cyptogram which, he claims,
proves that Lord Bacon wrote the
Shakespearean plays.
IS
Walter Peter, whose polished and
fastidious style of composition makes
him unique among authors, was as
precise in his surroundings as in his
literary taste. Here is a description
of his sitting-room at Oxford: Yes,
there were, indeed, rose leaves on the
table set in a wide, open bowl Of blue
china; and it was just possible to de-
tect their faint smell The warm
blue tone of the room was the first
| impression one received on entering;
the stenciled walls; the cushions of
the chairs. the table covers and the
curtains to the mullioned window that
projected over the pavement-all these
| were blue. And whatever in the room
| was not blue seemed to be white, or
wood in its natural color, or polished
brass The books, in their low, neat
case, seemed all white calf or vellum
above them an alto-relief in plaster
| showed white; in the corner a pure
white Hermes on a pedestal, with tiny
wings outspread."
| Rider Haggard has written for the
Youths Companion" a sketch de-
scribing some real but exciting African
experiences of his own as an officer Of
the Pretoria Horse, a body of volun-
teer cavalry raised to repel an attack
by Zulus.
| DIR. Henry Van Dyke resigned the
Church and accepted the professorship
| Of literature at Princeton University.
AS far as money goes it is a bad
change. For literature, however, a
| matter of congratula ton.
English critics seem to be quite en-
thusiastic over Opie Reads 1.-THE Wat
ers of Caney Fork mo brighter
| work has ever come eastward says
London Academy" and James Payne
| in London News" is still more enthu-
siastic. He has created a companion
for our own Col. Newcomb.''
| The Institut de France, which some
time ago received such a magnificent
| legacy in the Chantilly estate, has now
received another, left especially to the
Academic des Inscriptions ct Bellies
Lettres, consisting of the whole of the
property of NJ. Dourlans, which in
cludes, among other things, the Sale
Wagram. This hall is we'll known to
such as attend more or less cheerful,
! if not absolutely the most elegant, re-
unions of various descriptions, dances,
political meetings and what not. The
Academic is, of course, duly grateful,
and, so far as the money is concerned,
delighted: but it is by no means GER
| tain that the Sale Wagram will not be
| a decided white elephant to the per-
| picked legatees.
How should these United States carry
themselves toward Germany? that is
question concerning which there may
be much interesting discussion, and
Captain A T. Mahan is about to open
it. He has written for "Harper's" a
study of the policy that should deter
mine that attitude.
| The international Monthly" the new
ma gazine of contemporary thought,
announced by Macmillan, will make its
first appearance in January. 1t will
present essays in history, philosophy,
psychology, sociology, comparative re-
ligion, literature, fine art, industrial
art, physics, biology, medicine, geology
hygiene and geography. There will be
not less than five essays in each num-
Der, and none is to be too technical for
the general reader. American and for
eign writer's will contribute to its pages.
will be by NJ Edouard Rod and will
ST ~