New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-10
LITERARY NOTES.

Among the unpublished manuscripts left by
Michelet is an unfinished bit of philosophical fc-
ton dealing with the period of Louis XIV. II is
called "SyIvfne."
People talk about this humor and that. says
THE London Daily News and it adds: But
there is really only kind Mr.. Lowell was
true humorist, and nothing made him more
angry than TO talk about American humor
How he asked. can humor be Americana Per
haps he suspected that the phrase analo-
gous to French leave and German silver and
Dutch courage. The essence of humor is said
TO be incongruity. II is rather the connec
tion of things apparently remote, as wit is the
semblance of likeness between wholly dissimilar
ideas. Humorists ali akin, though they have
their individual peculiarities.'
A letter Of Carlyle just published mentions his
beginning work on his French Revolution L
have meditated the business" he says, las
would. and must surely strive do my best
With kind of trembling hope l calculate that
the enterprise may least be a true one, and
tend TO do Gods service, not the DEVILS"
Mr.. Lang says that the earliest instance of the
phrase literary log rolling" one has met occurs
among the letters printed in w. NJ Griswold's
Passages from the Correspondence of Rufus w.
Griswold'
A literary journal. says The London Globe"
has offered a prize for the best list of six old
English words which might be revived with ad-
vantage The winning list contains word
mournfully appropriate in time of The
word is 'commorent' which, OF course, signifies
dying together. Another list supplies the old
Chaucerian word 'algate,' meaning at any risk.
TO Dyomede algate l vol be trewe.' For old
Chaucer's Dyomede substitute Buffers objective,
Ladysmith. and the word leaps to life"
Two editions in the original Of Moliere s
works have just been issued in England by the
Oxford University Press One is in a single
volume. handsomely printed in small but still
comfortably legible type in double columns. and
giving in the space Of $50 pages all the plays
together with miscellaneous poems The other
distinguished the Miniature Edition. is in
cluded in four choice little books, hardly larger
than waistcoat pocket size, printed in similar
type. One imagine the wrath with which
the dramatst might have viewed this publica-
ton IL 1t had appeared in his own day. Il know
nothing so unjust he wrote of praticaI pub
fishing. and 1 would forgive any other injury
rather than that"
Mr.. lie Caffeine is about to bring out new
book described "a tragic fairy tale 1t.
title lie The worshipper of the Image"
The real meaning of the figures of book sale
may be conjectured from the fact that tn
cheaper edition of Ruskin's Sesame and Lilies
has reached & circulation of 10000 copies anc
that this indicates great popularity No otheI
work Of his in this cheaper and readily pro
cured edition has reached so large circulation
Ruskin and Emerson little in sympathy
The former wrote to friend after visit from
the American: Il found his mind total blanl
on matters Of art. and had fearful sense of tin
whole being of him a gentle coud-intan
gible." AS for Emerson. he said of the English
man: Il wonder such genius can be possessed
by so black devil. l cannot pardon him for ;
dependency so deep. It is detestable in mar
Of such powers. in a poet, a seer. such as h
has been
Among the hitherto unpublished papers Of Dr.
oMeara which The Century" is producing i
this anecdote:
ON my return to Paris from Elba' said Ma
poleon, Il sent Ney to examine all the stron,
places on the frontiers from Dunkerque to Cher
bourg. On his return Ney took advantage of ;
moment when he was alone with me and sal,
in a confused manner: Has Your Majesty hearr
II asserted that promised to the King to brin.
you TO Paris In an iron cageT L replied: No
have not. Besides. / attach no importance I,
whatever may have been said. written or done
Je sails quelle est Influence des circumstances
and il is from other principles and other data
that L appreciate the fidelity and sentiments o.
men Ney appeared still more confused anc
said: II is nevertheless true sire that | SAIL
so. The hour Of discrimination being arrived
everything appeared lawful to me in order +,
disencumber France from those princes who ar
rived in the enemies baggage-ces princes venus
dams les bagases des ennemis.' / made him mr.
answer / knew that when he made the promis,
20 Louis he really made II de bonnie fol and in
Tended to do what he promised. His words wer,
In eVerybodys mouth end he afraid of III.
effect they might produce upon me- and there
fore thought II best TO them himself ir
order 10 attempt justification. Some day.
after he went TO his estates where he remained
until the Champ de Mars. at which he assisted
IL said" continued Napoleon. that he heC
received JoOUD0 francs from the King but tina
inquiry found out TO be false"
Mrs. Thornton Williams the wife Of a gra nd
nephew of Leigh Hunt, proposed some time ago
10 write biography OF Hunt. An important
part Of the book to be a defence Of IN.
author against the imputation Of resembling IN
his ways Dickenss amiable but shfty cbarac.
ter, Harold Skmpole. The prOjec; has now beer
given up on the ground, ii is said that II vouId
give rise 10 painful controversy Mr. shor,e,
tells us in The Sphere that there is still living
In the person OF DIR. Bird a source OF unnuh
ushed Information In regard to Leigh Hunt and