New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-04
LITERARY NOTES.

An English translation of the stele discovered
at Susa by J. de Morgan, containing the laws OF
.Hamr1urabi or Khammurabi King of Babylo-
mia about 22JO B. C. is published in Records
sf the Past" a magazine issued at Washington
ID. c. There are 2S2 laws in ALL covering wide
range Of subjects and showing a high degree OF
administrative civilization. Many of the laws
.euch as those relating TO the accountability OF
owners Of goring cattle and to the SUBJECT OF
divorce, suggest e relationship with the Hebrew
.co5e Of later record The first laws stated refer
TO punishment and methods Of detectlon LOT
ru1tchcraft AS was natural in e land of riparian
activities. the laws governing the rights and
duties of cultiyators and holders Of land in re-
sard 20 irrigation. use of water supply and til
LACE are highly developed The cunetform IN
scription and the representations Of the ever
wise King Hanmurabi receiving the laws from
the sun god Of Lippara are reproduced in half
stone in this number of the periodical
Fox. Duf1eld & Co. announce for early publ
cation THE Autobiography of a Thief" by
15utchfns Hapgood. Mr.. Hapgood makes II q
point that he is the editor. not the author OF
this volume This is not as might at hrst nush
he held because Of the title, but because the
1nan whose life he tells Is live and interesting
character Of the East Side. good friend OF the
author and man in whose reform he believes
East Side acquaintance as 1.-THE philosopher and
the thug" Parts of the Autobiography nave
appeared in --Leslie's Monthly
William Eleroy Curtis tells characteristic
story of Lincoln's power of diplomatic control
in his True Abraham Lincoln which is being
published by the ]. B. Lippincott Company
There was trouble in his Cabinet because Sew
ard wished 10 drive out Chase. and Chase
heartily reciprocated The President. on the
other hand. wished TO retain both After null
ing it over he finally achieved his result with
the COMP ehensIon Of the value of contradiction,
with which humor1sts are apt TO be endowed.
At some expense of ingenuity he secured the
written resignation Of both and. tucking the
documents away in pigeonhole for indefinite
consideration. remarked: Now can ride; I've
got pumpkin in each end Of my bag
TIE Hon Mrs Henniker dedicates her volume
OF short stories Contrasts" which John Lane
publishes ITO Peggy''-that is. the daughter Of
Lord Rosebery. who q few months ago was mar
--ed in Westminster Abbey to the Earl of Crewe
Mrs. Henniker's father was Richard Monckton
Mines later LORD Houghton, an essayist and
critic.
When William Farquhar Payson and his wife
-vertured into Z remote part of Sicily not long
ago they came upon q brigand, notorious in the
e,aeighborhood. He was picturesque fellow.
and Mr.. and Mrs Payson were, like DR.. Syntax
of touring fame, in search of the picturesque.
MI Payson, apt from long habit. levelled his
camera The brigand, as matter OF business,
crew his dirk. It occurred to the author then
that explanations were in order, and, laying
aside his camera. he proceeded TO inform the
sicilian. IN the best of his Italian. how thor
-oughly honorable his own intentions WERE and
what a capital subject q bTigand was. Now. a
.sicilian highwayman is not in the habit of sit
ting for his picture. but he enjoys hearing his
opinion Of his good looks justified So it hap
fpened that the desperate visage took a
pleased aspect. and not only consented to be
photographed. but was with difficulty persuad-
sd 10 froEn again He was promised a print
like the one Mr.. Payson drew from his wallet
But here was false step, and the brigand re-
turned 70 his professional state OF mind for the
opening Of the wallet disclosed a tempting bunch
Of money Mr. Payson became William Gillette
for the moment. and had no objection to parting
with the money; but of course under those con-
ditions no photograph would be forthcoming to
the hrigand- The man hestated. He could get
roll Of money any day. and he chose the
photograph,
through the Putnams a novel, the scene of
which Is laid in Ncw-England before the Revo-
luton which is not, properly speaking, an his
toricai romance. hero of the stern Puritan
stripe that the time affords loves and is loved by
the heroine of high spirited Cavalier stock. And
there the emphasis on the historic aspects we
are assured. stops. For this relief much thanks
The first Of four issues Of a memorial Of the
late Rear Admiral Philip was issued yesterday.
This account is being prepared at the request
OF the admirals family by Edgar Stanton Ma
clay, with the assistance Of Barrett Philip. Con-
tributory articles are 10 be included by William
Mckinley. Rear Admiral Sampson, A. T. Mahan
and q number Of naval officers Of high rank.
The remaining numbers OF the memorial.