The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-19
LITERARY NOTES.

In his new book. published by the
Scribners. ON the times of James |. and
Charles l., we have Carlyle's vision and
estimate of Shakespeare:
civilian Shakespeare. the beautiful
est soul in all England. that day. when
the Cambridge degnitaries came TO his
majesty and Hinchinbrook, and the
innumerable Fen populations were gath
cred and the plumed silk-and-silver reti-
nue. were fugling and gesticulating, and
the eondults running wine. and the lit
tie boy Oliver looking at it without
notice: William Shakespeare. | rejoice
also to see. by chronology and moral
certainty, was breathing in this world
a hale man of nine-and-thirty; thinking
of many things. Busy in Southwark,
in the interior of the Globe theatre on the
Bankside. in a private wayl Or gone out
he also with his human sympathles, with
heart capable of real reverence, to take
his last look at Elizabeth borne in dirge
music to her long home, the last of our
English kings? Thou beautiful Shakes
peare. thou vert alive that day; and
makest the dark past and the ignorant
present and the uncertain future bright
er for us. At they writing-desk in
Southwark, thrifty among the stage
properties of the Globe theatre, or out
seeing Queen Elizabeth buried, thou
shalt be very beautiful to us. How
many sublime majesties. sublime pontiffs,
arch-overseers, so-called, have faded
away into the CHASTITY state, and claim
from us passionately one thing, Chris
tian burial and oblivion: and in thy
bright eyes we still lovingly shadow our
selves, thou right royal, archiepiscopal
one Shakespeare, beyond the smallest
doubt, was alive that day; hale man
of nine-and-thirty, with ggnius in heav-
ems own light looking through the eyes
of him; it is fact forever notable
Prefacing Stockard's latest sonnet,
Frank l.. Stanton writes:
.Readers of the best verse in current
literature are familiar with the work of
Henry Jerome Stockard, of North Caro-
lima. whose fine sonnets have appeared
in the Century and other magazines. The
following, entitled '.Contrtion. is from
his pen. 1t has a fine lyric flow, and a
splendid climax:
"For all the hurts you ever knew, my
BY word or look of mine, oh, would
Before You for forgiveness. Do but
feel fgssf
Toward me once more as in that long
gone year, Ssth
Ere my first thoughtless deed had caused
OF sorrow from. your tender eyes tc
steal!
IL oh
Most lovingly with one SO pure and
fair!
Yet. in the trials that at seasons are
SO rife, / have forgotten. Love- III
whom Co.
Centers my ALL naught e'er was farther
NV sonrs intants than we're the wounds
Forgive, Life Is so short, and oh, the
More than Cinln1erian darkness of the
gravel
The new novel, David Harum,' which
Is creating q decided sensatioh' ana i
regarded as the book or the season. was
written by a Syracuse banker named
Wescott. who recently dled OF consulnp
ton. and the OlIiy -
ever performed. The experience of the
young man named John is very nearly
his own. except that he studied medi
cine instead of law. bonneville, the
scene of the story is the town of Homer
Cortland county, n. Y, and the hero is
\ very accurate pencil sketch of DaviC
Harnm. q banker in that village, who
was known to everybody for miles
around for his eccentric hablts an'
shrewdness in financial transactions.
Though there has never beeh tim'
when there were so many cheap maya
zines. it is a notable fact that Harper
Magazine, which maintains It's old price
has more readers than ever 1t is su
perior to price-that is to say that II Il
SO good that those who have once com
menced to read it would pay fifty cent
or even more for each copy before the!
would do without it. ! pick up thu
cheap magazine and go through them
and now and then they contain excelien
art;cIes that are as good as you vii
find anywhere. But Harper's Away
contains the best and oniy tne best
The March number abounds IN goo'
things from cover to cover.