New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-07
LITERARY NOTES.
Some personal recollections OF Whittier ana
Oliver Wendell Holmes are soon to be published
by Mr.. Edmund Gosse


by Mr.. Edmund Gosse
The relics supposed to be those Of Gautama
Buddha, which were discovered in an Indian
village on the Nepaul frontier last year. were
offered to the King OF Siam by the Indian Gov
eminent and have been accepted by him.
These relics, found In an ancient building. com
prise large stone Golfer crystal ana s'eaH'e
vases fragments of bone. ashes. bits or lime'
master and wooden vessels, and large guam
tity Of Jewels and ornaments placed in two vases
In honor Of the sacred remnants. 1t Is supposed
that these may be the actual share OF the relics
taken by the Sakyas OF Kapavastir at the time
OF the cremation Of Gautama Buddha himself
An inscription one Of the urns runs thus
"This relic receptacle Of the Blessed Buddha is
dedicated by the renowned Sakya brethren win
their sisters and their sons wives" No relics
Of Buddha authenticated by direct inscription
have before been found in modern times. The
king ~ Siam. who is now the only existing
Buddhist monarch is sending special envoy 10
India to receive the sacred ashes.
Another recent discovery is Of what are be-
ueved to be the ashes Of Cesar During the
excavation in the Forum at Rome about three
weeks ago a column was found marking the
spot where Caesar was cremated Rouno 'he
base Of this column was found Quahut! oi
ashes carefully bricked over. These con-
sidered to be the remains Of the funeral pyre.
The work Of investigation is proceeding.
Mr. E. Marston, the late William Blacks pub
Usher. denies that there has been any serious
decline in England in the popularity OF tha'
novelists books AS one illustration OF the
truth Of this statement he points out that the
sale Of four Of his works only just issued IN
sixpenny form has been very large.
The house in London in which-if we may be-
ueve the testimony Of a letter in the handwrt-
ing Of Charles Dickens hmsef-the nmtable
Sairey Camp once lived is about TO vanish from
the face OF the earth. II is in Kingsgate-st
Holburn which used 10 be royal private road
The original manuscript treatise on the tides
by Calico Gaiei has lately been found In the
Vatican Library. The manuscript, which was
hitherto only known as No S193 is all in Call
leo's own handwriting. and ends with the words;
written in Rome in the Medici Gardens on
the Sth of January 1916" The great astrono-
nner had dedicated the book TO Cardinal Orsino
his adnirer. and Mecenas.
The pope has taken much interest in the dis
covery. and has ordered that the manuscript be
published in a handsome edition at the expense
the original Of which considered lost, Is all
the more important as II differs considerably
from the text hitherto accepted as Gaileos
and now in course Of publication, together with
Gali.eo's complete work, by the Academia della
Crusca.
Besides this interesting discovery, other I'M
portant documents throwing a good deal OF
light on the question Of Spanish domination in
America have just been found in the Vatican
archives These also will be published by or
der Of the Pope. who intends TO present one
richly bound copy to the Queen Regent OF Spain
and one to the President Of the United States
volume Of hitherto unpublished poetry Iert
by Victor Hugo Is soon TO be brought out IN
Paris Another volume Of Chooses Nues Is also
promised and IL Is intimated that another COL
lection of the poets letters Is probable, In snort
1t does not appear that the publication OF new
works by Hugo need ever cease.
Sir Walter Besant is about to publish little
manual for those who intend 10 enter the world
Of authorship. He calls it The Pen and the
Book"