The San Francisco call., 1901-11-08
GOSSIP FROM
LONDON WORLD
OF LETTERS

1t would seem that Earl Roberts, amid
his many duties, finds time to follow the
literature of the war. He was much
struck lately. am told, by some cam
paign sketches which were modestly pub
Iished without the writer's name attached
in one Of the magazines. He asked kindly
about the author, with the result that the
articles will shortly appear in a book
Herbert Vivian has written a critical
study of the life of Lord Beaconsheld
from his own peculiar ultra modern, Ut
ira Tory standpoint. 1T is an interesting,
little known fact that after the death Of
the Whirlwind, that shOrt-lived weekly.
which Vivian and the Hon. Stuart Frs
kline edited in 1889, Vivian was brought a
good deal into contact with the late Lori
Randolph Churchill. The conversations
they had are said to have largely tnf1u-
enced the study of Lord BeaconshelG.
which has Just been finished. Vivians
previous books have been mostly records
of his travels. He is at present editing
the resuscitated Rambler. He was born
in 1866 and comes, as his name implies,
of Cornish family.
There was, by the way, some talk
short time ago Of critical study of Lord
Beaconsfield by Israel Zangwill, but the
idea seems to have been abandoned.
ZangwfH included Lord Beaconsheld. it
will be remembered, in his "Dreamers Of
the Ghetto" At present the author OF
commissions for short stories, which have
been accommodating during the time he
was writing his recent novels and plays.
/ am told that Lady Sykes is again
about to become an editor. Her new
paper is to be a weekly. which will be en-
tirely under her own supervision. Lady
Sykes pet hobby is newspaper work, OF
which, by the way, she has very good
practical knowledge.
(traWfordfS next story. ME
Harvest of the Sword" is said to be the
most ambitious yet written, for IN 1t he
introduces a series of characters memora-
BILE In history and literature. 1t turns
upon the struggles Of the Guelfs and
Ghibellines and Francesca da Rimini,
Count Ugolino and Dante are all intro
duced. The story will begin its career in
the Sphere some time next year
Encouraged by his success, that young
author Neil Munro, who has come so rap
idly to the front lately. has been very
busy with a new novel, The Shoes OF
Fortune" said by those who have seen
the manuscript to be by far the finest Ell
fort he has yet made. The scene is laid
in Scotland and France in the year 1755-
The hero is a young lad, new from a
Scottish college, who inherttS from an
uncle trivial legacy and the so-calleo
"shoes Of fortune, which nave oeen
worn in many wanderings by the uncle
and are credited by the nephew with
magic qualities for inspiration and slim
ulation. They play a curious part In the
story, leading the hero into many exclt-
ing adventures
A record has been obtained at Hodg-
sons auction rooms for a beautiful folIo
Vatican, which passed for 1855 (S3325) u
Hodgson's underbidder. being a Paris
agent. These volumes are uniformly
bound in old French morocco and bear
the arms Of Louis Joachim, Potter Due
de Gesvres, 1733-1794, with a 1eur-de-ds
stamped on the four corners. The i'm
uressions of the plates are fine through
out but a few are slightly soiled- 1t is a
curious fact that the number Of plates
varies in each known copy OF this rare
work. In this case the number Is well
above the average.
There has been q report that the dispute
between Messrs. Pearson and Hall Caine
has been settled. but that, I am informed,
is quite unfounded-
The case will probably be heard toward
the middle of November. Lewis & Lewis
have acted throughout for Mr.. Caine and
eminent counsel have been engaged on
both sides.
On one occasion-one at least-Albert
CheValier had supper with Rudyard Kip
ling, when the latter recited poem he
meeting, which could hardly have been
dull, is being given away by Chevalier in
his forthcoming autobiography.
He begins his own life early, at the
sixth year, but then. of course, he began
early to make a figure in the world.
He classes as foremost among the
events of his life the tour which he made
in America. / believe that, although
Chevalier has often been interviewed, the
best stories remain to appear in his book.
Walnut and Pecan Panoehe. Townsend.