New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-07-27


Mr.. Andrew Lang always deft ana generally
victorious in controversy. has shown new re-
source to the practitioner OF that amusing art
lie has been appraised Of the fact that when Mr..
Swinhurnc publishes his ESSAY on Dickens i'll
The Quarterly Review he Will incidentally
speak his mind literally about a recent editor
of Dickens Mr.. Lang is "A recent editor
ol Dickens" AMI he reads with a chuckIe the
warming in literary journal that Mr.. Swim
burn" has the gift Of "nciSiye language and
that the recent editor may look sharply to
his eye" Whereupon Mr.. Lanl; playfully an
tiripateS things III The London Morning Post"
lie points out that he did no editing of his
author, leaving the text inviolate but merely
spoke his mind about the books with the
franlncss of an old and enthusiastic admirer
and the candor Of an elegant and liberal mind"
He goes to cuogize Dickens again, but the
gem of his delightful paper must be given in
tact
If I the unhappy editor" on whom Mr.
Swinburne is going to exercise his gift of in
cisive language" why. l don't care, \ good
deal of language has been expended on me
already as the critic of Dickens, just consd-
cradle quantities have been poured forth on Mr..
Henley, editor Of Burns. Indeed Mr. Hen
ley himself expended. l told, the walls OF his
Dickensian wrath on this head of mine which
remains bloody but unbowed." / did not read
the criticism; for i could not alter what I had
written. and my feelings might have been hurt
II was not that the blessing too great but
that the blessing came too late. for practical
purposes of correction. And. if / am the
recipient of Mr.. Swinburne'S blessing and of his
"incisive language" that language also | shall
deny myself the tonic tribulation of reading
1t is clever of Mr.. Lang, and it is good of him
to Indicate in this happy manner a perfect way
i'll which to discount the onslaught of the foe
we rejoice to find in the August Harper an
excellent wood engraving by Henry Wolf of
Gerard BOWS portrait of himself in the collec-
ton of Mr. G. \. Hearn. An illustration of
this sort is always welcome in popular maya
ZINE. But we are even more Interested i'm the
suggestion that this block offers that wood en-
craving Is perhaps once more to figure in our
periodical literature. The art has been too long
neglected. The half tone process produces such
excellent results that we could not wish to dis
renSe with it. 1t sometimes gives a better in
depreciation of a painting than wood engrav-
ing could give. But that is no reason why
wood engraving should be abandoned espe-
cially i'll America, where it has been deveIoped
with extraordinary success by artists many of
whom are still living. 1t is worth cultivation
Tor It's own sake and we hope that this portrait
III "liarpeTs" is only the earnest of a revival
of the art
congress of poets it is rumOred, has been
heid at Lille. The names of those sharing in
this momentous affair we do not vet know.
with one exception. VI. Auguste DOrchoin is
mentioned rs president, he who was ''eIected "
1t appears prince of Poets" some time since
But the object of the congress we are enabled
to report to our breathless readers These nopts