The San Francisco call., 1901-11-23
GOSSIP FROM
LONDON WORLD
OF LETTERS

A book which is sure to be welcome
throughout the whole British empire will
be the narrative of the Ophir's recent
tour round the British colonies
There is every likelihood that such
narrative will be published. The King
himself is said to favor the idea II II
be carried out as it is likely to be, the
Prince and Princess of Wales will not
only contribute to the letter press, but
supply many illustrations from the photo-
graphs taken by themselves or by their
desire. Two separate editions of the pro-
posed work are talked about, one at
popular price that will place it within the
reach of all, and another Of an eXpSn-
sive kind such as numbers or people
would like to preserve as souvenir CT
the historic trip.
1t is amusing sometimes, to lawyers n
particular, to note how novelists fail INTO
legal errors dealing with law
Certainly the worst pitfalls novelist
can meet with are these. AS far as this
country is concerned he may avoid them
by reference to approved textbooks, but
when it comes to foreign and colonial law
it is not so easy to escape blunders-
The validity of marriage and the de-
scent of property are dependent upon 10
cal laws that are not readily accessible.
For instance, glancing through that in
teresting new publication, the Victorian
Year Book Of which section B. dealing
with law and crime and social conditions,
has just been published. some important
points of difference that might easily es-
cape the novelist may be noted.
How many people, one may ask are
aware that since May, 1890, the law Of
Victoria was permitted divorce for willfuI
desertion during three years, or for hab-
itual drunkenness on the part OF the nus
IL Il ltarFf
to support his wife; for habitual drunk
enness on the part Of the wife. coupled
with habItuaI neglect of domestic dutiess
for a. sentence Of penal servitude of seven
years, after three years have beer passed
in prison: for an attempt to murder; Tor
assault cpOn the petitioner, if followed by
eaEsvieticn, or for adultery committed in
conjugal residence or under elreufn-
stances Of aggravation?
These increased facilities for divorce
are not open to any person who has not
been rdorniciIed in the country for at least
two years.
AS regards the descent Of property
land does not pass to the heir, as IN Eng
land but is distributed as personality.
If the wife dies intestate the estate
does not pass to the husband, as by Eng
Hsh law. but he gets a third only II there
be children, and a half if there are not
1t is suggested that there is room for a
work that should collect these differences
in law In all countries, for the benefit not
only of noveIists but of ordinary people.
Sands & Co. will publish shortly The
Kiss and Its History" This treatise ID
the work Of DR.. Christopher Nyrop, a
phfIologist of high European reputation
1t has gone through two editions in Den
mark and has been translated into Ger
man. Swedish and Russian. The book has
now been put into English by w F. Har-
vey, lecturer of English at the University
of Lund, Sweden
Anonymity apparently has not yet lost
its value, as there is an advertisement
of another enterprising rrm Offering a
prize of five guineas to the first purchaser
of "a Sportsman's Love Letters who can
give the correct name of the author.
This, they say, is by the way of stfmu-
lating healthy curiosity
Some very noteworthy literary treasures
are to be sold at Sotheby's 5 during the first
week in December. They include second
folio Shakespeare and a first edition of
'sWaverley,' in three volumes "A year
ago a similar 'sWaverley'' sold in Lon
don for the large sum of s115s $50. There
of his schoolfeuows and a few sketches
are also to be on sale first editions Of
'IvanhOe,' woodstock" 1.-The Chroni-
cles of Canongate'' and others Of Scott's
novels. A good copy of the first edition Of
s'Culliver's Travels is another treasure
coming under the hammer.
One entry in the catalogue Of the Scthe-
bv sale introduces a very interesting relic
of Tennyson. 1t is his school atlas of an
cient geography, with an autograph list
of heads.