New-York tribune., 1905-02-17
LITERARY NOTES.

The late George Gissing's exquisite book OF
travel in Italy. "By the Ionian sea"-a work
which has hitherto been obtanable only In an
expensive form-is TO be brought out In cheap
edition.
Mr.. Norman Gale. whose pretty little rural
,,oer,s smelling of milk and honey cherries and
cheese were rather popular at one time. has not
been heard Of for some years Now he reap
pears as the author of serial story in the new
Illustrated monthly magazine which is the old
Literary World" transformed.
An item, in an English autograph letter sale
IS an epistle from Browning referring to man
who wishes to publish volume of verse inc
poets comment is: "It sounds strange and
almost sad to me that should be imagined OF
authority in this kind who for years could
not get a line printed except at my own ex-
pense, and 1 began half a century ago or more"
Maxim corlxy. it is said. has long left behind
him the trials Of bitter poverty; he is now well
TO 90. and has pleasant estate on the banks OF
the volga. He still resents however, his past
Sights and past miseries Francis Gribble says
OF him in THE Pail Mall Gazette:
Not only Is he a rough diamond. but brutality
IS pose with him in his life not less than N ms
show lis contempt for the eegants and exQuistes
he once staggered up and Down me tOyeI oI tne @
arfisans blouse coiaress shirt and heavy coun-
try boots ,o hS Ssa64 66e you T Safef baef dancer
corpse laid out for burial?' he bawied at the
ioungers, whose derisive curiosity the spectacle
aroused. On another occasion he appeared IN tne
same costume on the stage an9 bc has bssed
one of his plays. Quite recently. still in the same
a % nG d sha Dress BY wh
public han. for which he had no tickets, and in
hV
songs. until. after severe free fight his violent
Such is the mana revolutionist by tempera-
end training rather than auE by ph66soP5hS 6 5aS
many b FT hatmg the efistns h hs
by those who have not got the key
The protest against the threatened hanging Of
Gorl1y. which was headed by swinburne. Mere
dith and Hardy. ran thus:
statement s in s srGgat0n tort1 IN the tSs Seran g
sent Russian novelist; now wing in dungeon in
The Fortress OF St Peter and s., Paul is likely
peallng TO the Gar on behalf OF the uIiarrneo
Alfhough IL seems incredible that such a crime
Is in contemplation. its possibility Is so appalling
Inanity-that without waiting for corroboration
OF the rumor we a tn@ g f ;neIIed to record
at protest against such an unparalleled
outrage upon our common humanity.
The Gorky excitement is reported TO have
sroused intense envy among the English au-
thors In q dull publishing season
It is doubtful II there are many readers to-
day for the Memoirs and Correspondence Of
Coventry Patmore" which MI Basil Champ
ueys published in two fat volumes about hve
years ago. Patmore is not one OF the great
figures in English literature, and II is necessary
to develop q special and rather esoteric enthu-
siasm for him before It is possible to go with
patience through the unduly long narrative put
together by his official biographer. It was
therefore. a good idea for Mr. Edmund Gosse
to prepare the sketch of his old friend which
has just been published under the title Of Gov
entry Patmore," in the series of Literary
Lives brought out by the Scribners Mr. Gosse
takes the somewhat uncritical view that there
Is no reason why Patmore's fame should be
less durable than that of Tennyson and Arnold"
but he admits that ''it must always be smaller.
and of a radiance less extended and the gen.
eral tone Of his book is reasonable enough He
knew the poet well, Patmore having in fact
proposed in 1884 to appoint him his literary
executor. and he has drawn a slight but vital
lied portrait OF an interesting personality
Love and religion the two masters" he
says, which led the spirit Of Patmore through
the whole Of his earthly Journey and he gives
a most sympathetic analysis of the poets
ldealistic nature. Incidentally, he offers
glimpses Of the man In his daily habit, as in
this passare;
attitude, his hands claspeo his extended
along his legs, the whole body attenuated and i'm
mobile. only the marvellous head moving sharply
snq frequently almost as II on a pivot, the eyes
IN their curves every shade OF feeling that passed
over the poets mind Out of this attitude, he
suddenness, on one of the cigarettes which lay
strewn about, Ike leaves in ValIombrosa. lighting
pose And so sitting. sloped to the fire he would
tax for hours Of the highest things Of thoughts
Every now and then to earth in some fierce. eccenc
rrackling laugh. ending in a dry cough -11
Mr. Gosse has some interesting anecdotes in
Volvtng certain of Patmore's famous conten-
poraries. Referring to the harm done to the
poet by his fathers action in the memorable
duel between John Scott and Lockhart's friend
Christie he says: Robert Browning told me
that when, in 1886 at the house Of Barry Corn
wall. he. asked Thackeray to let him Introduce
the young Coventry Patmore to him. the novel;
Ht boisterously refused. adding: won't touch
the hand Of son OF that murderer" OF
course, Thackeray Immediately repented and
hasteneo TO help Patmore as "a most deserving
and clever young fellow. who will be a genius
sons day." letter Of Carlyle's. hitherto un-
published. which is quoted In this book shows
him as an unexpectedly friendly critic of "The
Espousal" which he described as a "a beautiful
little piece; high. ingenious. fine" An episode is
ated representing Patmore as extraordinarily
successful for poet In business transaction
he sold a property Of his to the Duke of Nor
folk for f27.00O. which was fS.5o0 more than #
bad cost him His exaggeration in conversation
thus illustrated: IF he heard q blacl, cat sing
Ing In the garden IL became at once a niebttn