New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-24
LITERARY NOTES.

Shakespeare of Stratford" did not write the
Shakespeare plays He does not essay to show
who did write them. The announcement OF the
book sets forth the assertion that 1.-The Shaksper
myth had its beginning in Ben Jonsons verses
prefxed to the First Folio years after the death
of Shaksper. which Folio was simply pub
lisher's venture. The verses were written IN
ridcule of the pretensions set up for the player
by these publishers, and the ironcal praises
were never intended expected by Jonson to
be believed 1t is further claimed that Shaksper
never learned to write his own name. and
the proof of IT is found in the dissimilarity or
the five signatures extant which are attributed
20 him."
Mr. Rudyard Kiplng and the late Mr.. Grant
Allen were far from agreement on the question
of military preparation for England Mr.. Kip
ling wrote in December. 1898, to the proprietor
Of the Canadian Year Book who had asked
him for contribution: 1T is needless to say
that any plan to arouse and keep up interest
in the defences of the Dominion has my keenest
sympathy The English volunteer regiments
are as YOU know raised and trained the
theory that they are TO be employed only on
the home defences of the island: consequently,
since a beautifully illogical breed,
should assume that in the event of war these
regiments. in whole in part, will promptly
volunteer for service of offence and attack over
seas
Reasoning on the same illogical basis, 1
fancy that, given Continental trouble, there
would be difficulty in restraining your
regiments. in whole in part, from volunteer
ing for the same sort OF work, and no man
knows when the empire may want them, and
want them very badly. indeed. Therefore, it
seems to me. regiment errs in taking itself
and its work seriously-if only TO avoid possible
trouble later on"
A few weeks earlier Grant Allen had written
in answer TO the same request: You can know
very little of my aims and ideals if you think
l would willingly do anything to help
work whose avowed object is to arouse mill
tary enthusiasm" Military enthusiasm means
enthusiasm for killing people; my desire in life
has been not to kill but to help and aid all man
kind irrespective of nationality, creed, language
color. 1 hate war. and everything that leads
TO IL. as / hate murder. rapine the i'll treat
ment of women. ] dislike slavery, however
cloaked under the disguise of imperialism l
contribute gladly to works designed to strength
en- the bonds of amity between nations and to
render war impossible; but I cannot contribute
TO one which aims at making peaceable Cana
dian citizens throw themselves into the devour
ing whirlpool of militarism. Excuse my plain
avowal. A Bishop is hardly flattered if you ask
him to write in favor of atheism. prominent
temperance advocate If you ask him for rous
ing drinking song calculated to raise an enthusi-
asm for Whskey"
In one of OMeara's hitherto unpublished talks
with Napoleon which will be found in the March
Century" the Emperor is recorded telling
the doctor that he never intoxicated but
in his life, and that was twenty-four years
before, when at Nice he actually absorbed three
bottles of Burgundy a sitting. oh how sick
I was the next day. exclaimed Napoleon; and
he added a logical expression of wonder how
man who has endured such experience
can ever think of doing it again"
A nice, genial happy, good natured old fellow
that is a characterization of the late Richard
Blackmore. novelist, by of his oldest friends.
He John Ridd sort of man. adds this
friend-who is. by the way, Marston, the pub
lisher-"big boned, real West Countryman. and
no nonsense about him. He had no affectations,
did not care rap for society anything of that
sort but liked to live in quiet, simple way.
1 used to go and have a smoke with him and
talk over things in general"
One of Blackmore's earliest literary efforts
vas a little book translation from Virgil.
titled Farm and Fruit of Old" He was
pecially devoted to the cultivation of grapes and
his grapes were almost unmatched in the
try. On gardening generally he would some
times say to Mr. Marston, You see, when fruit
H.
has little to sell prices are high, so there you
are"
His own favorite among his novels is said to
have been not Lorna Doone," but Spring
haven"
Mr.. Marston has lately been printing some
more less interesting "reminiscences of,other
departed writers. OF Bulwer he says that he was
tall. thin old gentleman, with a slight stoop
aristocratic and manner wit a
prominent aquiline nose and a distinguished
look. He was tremendously polite and kindly
in his address, and deaf as a post" Charles
Reade the publisher remembers as a very in
teresting man, tall and stout, of a fine ford
complexion. and the owner Of large wide opened
eyes gentle and mild like those of a cow His
voice was rather husky, and gave always
the idea that he speaking with suppressed
passion. He had pretty idea of the value Of
literary property, If may judge from this
quotation from his letters TO the publisher con-
corning his novel Hard CASH: Dickens has
pronounced IT incomparably my best production,
and looking at the research and labor have be-
slowed I should not be compensated by the
sum I ask With this fair warning l
only say that shall be happy see you
here either negotiator visitor whenever
you have half an hour to bestow me-"
In another letter he says:
Il trust my dear sir you will allow that I
have made effort to meet you; will only add
that the ordinary novel, which deals however
ably, with shadows only, is one kind of property;
e story that cuts deep into realities OF the day.
and has already set hundreds discussing il as
history and law, not fiction. is different thing"
The compiler OF the Townsend Library"
that unique collection Of historical narratives