The record-union., 1899-04-23

correspondent of t9Notes and Queries"
claims to have established by consider
able research last year at the British
Museum.
1t is understood that Andrew D.
White is contemplating the preparation
of three voluminouS works. book on
the relations of Americans with France
before the revolution, another on the
making of the German Empire, and an
other containing political and literary
"reminiscences. He Isl said to have found
during his recent journey in Italy some
valuable unpublished material bearing
upon the subject of the first mentioned
volume.
The publication of Miss Terriers cor
respondence recalls the story that old
Mr.. Ferrier, who loathed the idea of
female author once when i'll asked his
daughter to read him a book, condition
ally on its not being by a woman. She
read him her own Marriage" in Ms,
and he pronounced it the best book she
had ever brought him, but ridiculed the
suggestion that its author was a wo-
man. She put the Ms. into his hands;
he saw the truth, and burst into tears.
Il
The new volume of letters of Walter
Savage Landor-mostly addressed to
the niece of Rose Aylmer-contains
many characteristic passages. Here is
one: believe me Gndeed, you will
easily, it is a horrible thing to have
many literary friends. They are apt
to fancy that, however your time may
be occupied, you must at all events
have enough to read what they send
you. Alas; alas! There are few who
have time enough to read even all the
very good books that have been written,
old and new and who can neglect the
good for the bad without compunction
and remorse? In regard to
small authors. restless for celebrity,
and wriggling on their level walks like
worms exposed to the sunshine, l have
scarcely ever seen one of these poor
creatures who did not at one time ex-
cite my smiles and at another my pity"
OF Byron, Landor wrote, in a letter
dated 1915: "In Byron there is much to
admire, but nothing to initiate; for en-
ergy is beyond the limits of imitation.
Byron could not have written better
than he did. Although he seems negE-
gent I'M many places, he was very assid-
uOus in correcting his verses. His
poetry took the bent of a wayward and
perverted mind, often weak, but oftener
perturbed. Though hemp and fax and
cotton are the stronger for being twist
ed, verses and intellects certainly are
not"
Philadelphia Ledger: Even Tenny-
son, in drawing from the legend
ary past lessons that are still val
ued in problems of our own day.
achieved a lesser triumph than KipIing
in his lines, that are sung and read
around the world. Time only can de-
eide as to the wisdom of the course in
which England has spent a century
and hecatomb of lives of its own sons
and of the Eastern natives to whom it
has given protection, and America
stands on the threshold of future big
with the fortunes and honor of our own
people and of the lands and the peoples
wrenched from Spain in the name of
humanity. Rudyard Kipling is indeed
the poet of the hour, and his poetry and
his prose are the earnest utteranceS of
a man who knew the East and his ma
tive England and America with the in
spiration of a real seer. He has no
peer. no one half so great and strong
and noble as he, in literature, and he
seems to be only at the beginning Of
his phenomenal career as master poet
and story teller.
The Pope, it appears, has become in
terested in Kipling, having seen their
names close together in a French pa
per. But who is this Mr.. Kipling?"
ha asked, and when told he straightway
sent to London for a copy of "Barrack
Room Ballads"
While Rudyard Kipling is recovering
from his illness, Bombay, the beloved
city Of his birth. is stricken with a ter
rible plague. Here is an extract from
his tribute to his birthplace:
Surely III or fray,
Under an alien sky,
Comfort 1t is to say
"Of no mean city am l..
Neither by service fee
Come / to mine estate;
Mother of cities to me,
For | was born in her gate,
Between the palm and the sea,
Where the world-end steamers wait
4 =
Solomon's declaration that there is
nothing new under the sun is eXempli-
fed in the translation of the Book of
Ezekiel, the latest volume in Professor
Paul Haupt's "Polychrome" Bible,
which Dodd, Mead & Co. of New York
are bringing out. 1t appears that the
ancient AssyrianS had a method of in
flating skins, which custom was the
forerunner of the pneumatic tire of to-
day. The Book of Ezekiel also gives
detailed instructions for the preserva-
tion of the meat set aside for sacrificial
purposes, a pertinent suggestion, 1t
would seem, in view of the recent army
scandals. The Polychrome Bible is
unique in that it combines a wholesome
reverence for the sacred writings with
a thoroughly modern spirit Of research.
Among the illustrated books of the
spring prominent place will be given
Edgar Allen Poe's "A Gordon Pym."
The illustrations are by A. D. McCor
mack, and thoroughly catch the spirit
of Poe's writing. This book will be fol-
| lowed by another one, containing Poe's
Gold Bug" THE Murder in the Rue
Morgue," ETC., illustrated by the same
artist.
! M. Brunetiere, the French critic and
author, who lectured in this country
two years ago, learned more about the
United States during his stay here than
do most foreigners. In recent ad
dress before the Royal Geographical
| Society of Brussels he said that the
principal problems presented to the
American people at present are those
OF education, of religion and of race.