The record-union., 1899-05-28

undertook to prove to any impartial
Jury wHoeS We're pledged to abide by the
spurious logic of the Bacondans that
every poem usually assigned to Lord
Tennyson was really the exercise of Mr..
Gladstone,s creation or that the volumes
that had come forth under the present
Poet Laureate's name We're the eJacu-
lations of the muse of 'their dis
tinguished fellowtownsman Mr. Cham-
berlan.
Somebody who is perhaps troubled by
the "Baconian bacillus" quotes as
comment on Mr.. Lees statement that
Bacon was no poet these passages
from Shelley's Defence of Poetry:
plato exhibits the rare union of close
and subtle logic with the Pythian en-
thusiasm of poetry, melted by tue
splendor and harmony of his periods IN
to one irresistible stream of musical
impressions, which hurry the persua-
sions onward, as in a breathless career.
His language is that of an immortal
spirit rather than a man. Lord Bacon
is, perhaps, the only writer who IN these
particulars can be compared with MN.
His inlitator, Cicero, sinks in the COM
parison into an ape mock1nS the Ses-
lures of a man. Lord Bacon was
poet. His language has sweet and
majestic rhythm which satisfies the
sense no less than the almost superhu-
man wisdom of his philosophy satisfies
the Intellect. 1t is strain which dis
tends and then bursts the circumfer-
ence of the readers mind, and pours it
self forth together with it, into the uni
versal element with which it has per-
petual sympathy"
Robert Louis StevenSon'S home in
Samoa which has been severely dam
aged during the recent commandments
there is beautifully situated in the hills
just out of Apia. After leaving the road
which leads from the harbor of the
town, a shaded bridle-path winds up
hill to the gateway of the estate. In
the midst of broad lawn stands q
large frame house, surrounded by wide
velandas. This is Vailima-"the FIVE
waters On entering, the visitor steps
into the great reception hall, a room of
unusual size, the walls and floor of
which are of highly polished timber. A
staircase leads from this hall to the
upper rooms. AT one corner of this
lower floor is a pleasant sitting-room,
its walls hung with Samoan native
cloth. They used to be decorated with
various curios, and an Englishman who
visited Stevenson there in the autumn
of 1893 mentions the pistol of Long
John Silver as one Of the interesting
relics in the room. There was, as the
novelist explained to him, real South
Sea pirate named John Silver, and this
was his pistol. though at the time
Treasure Island was written the
author did not know this. One of the
smaller rooms on the upper floor was
Stevenson's study, extremely simple in
its furnishings. Its window looks out
over the lawn to the tropical forest,
with the blue waters of the Pacific in
the distance. A large room at the op-
posite end of the upper floor was the
library. From this apartment ansouter
stair leads down to the western end of
the lower, veranda. The kitchen and
the servants living-rooms, built in
comfortable Samoan fashion, are at the
rear of the house.
The large sum of S675 was paid for
the copy of Rudyard Kipling's School
boy LyricSsfrecently sold at auction in
London. This book, as we have said
before, was printed when it's author was
only Is years old. It is excessively rare
perhaps unique. Nearly a hundred
dollars was paid at the same time for a
first edition of Departmental Ditties."
A. B. Wenzell, the clever illustrator
OF social types, has gone abroad to
sketch the picturesque events of the
Paris and London seasons-the Queens
drawing room, the Henley regatta, the
Grand Prixo and the Ascot races. His
drawings are to appear in future num-
bers Of Golfers Weekly"
A4complete edition of Stephane NAL
larlne's poetry is to be brought out by
Deman, the Brussels publisher. A new
volume of poems by Francis Coppee
will soon be issued. 1t is of a religious
character.
Under the title of "Tristram Lacy.
or the Individualist," W. H. MalIoclx's
new novel will be. published at once in
this country.