New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-27
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

Current Talk Of Things Present
and to Come.
1t IS a good idea of the Putnams to bring out
q edition of Jules Verne's Twenty Thou
sand Leagues Under the Sea" The adventures
of Captain Memo have surely not lost their
fascination for readers who appreciate fam
tastic romance The forthcoming edition is to
be illustrated.
The industry of Mr. CUTLER Couch is nothing
less than amazing. We have scarcely read one
new book OF his before another Is announced
He has just published a collection of short
stories under the title of Merry Garden" and
he has sent to press a new romance called
Major VigoureuX' Both these books ought to
he issued here before the end Of the present sea-
son, for the writings OF o. make inimitable
summer reading.
DR.. Fritz Prelinger has just brought out
through Stern. the publisher OF Vienna and
Loipsic, the first two volumes of a complete col
lection of Beethoven's letters. They carry the
record down to 1890 and give $50 letters As 1t
is computed that the letters published in the old.
collections number 1873. it IS obvious that this
editors work viii present completion
siderable quantity OF new matter. Another pub
LEGATION OF interest to students OF musical hog
raphy has just appeared in London the Let
tiers OF Robert Schumann." This volume. for
which Miss Hannah Bryant IS responsible. con-
Week, written before and after their marriage.
but many letters from Meudelssohn, List
Brahms. Spohr and others
Angelo Neumann, the friend and prcpagandst
o. Wagner. has published his "reminiscences Of
that composer. In them he tells many anec-
dotes OF the artists with whom he was assoCi-
ated in his Wagnerian experiences. including
the late Anton Seidl Speaking OF certain re-
hearsals of "Tannhhuser'' which Wagner him
self conducted. he describes the latter as not
only the greatest dramatist OF all time. but also
the greatest regisseur and stage manager"
adding this vivid note: How superbly he put
TannhAuser before he finds himself back
from the NenusberE in the woods, Like Il
statue he stood with arms appraised, while on
the entrance OF tho pilgrims he became moved
in. it were one long crescendo until over
come by fervcnt emotion, he sank upon his
knees"
The Macmillan Company promises for the fan
a sheaf Of fiction that ought to contain some in
terestng work. Mr.. Crawfords Oriental story.
"ArethUsa," VIII be included in IT, and tho
Castles will contribute a romance A novel in
the group which is to from Mr.. Richard
Bagot. called Temptation Will have ono OF
the smaller Italian towns for its scene. and VIII
draw its characters from tho ranks Of the
provincial nobility. There is also to be a
volume OF snort stories by Jack London. en-
titled Love Of Life" and the Macmians Will
have another book. called Red Coat Captain
by Alfred OHivant. well remembered as the
author Of Bob, Son Of Battle
The Castles, by the way, have just opened in
the pages Of "Cornhill" their romance.
called "Wroth." 1t starts we'll and tauta-
lizngly. with q brief account Of Hurley Priory
and its owners. the one with whom the tale has
to deal being known from end to end Of the
country as Mad Wroth"
At the meeting HIGH was held in London the
other day in the interests of the memorial 10
Whistler which N. Rodln Is designing Lord
Redcsdale gave some "reminiscences OF the
painter. whom lie knew for forty years and
from whom he never had angry word-a fact
worth recording in view Of Whistler's prof.
cheney in the gentle OF making enemies.
"One OF Lord Redesdale's "reminiscences was how
Whistler had told him that when he was paint
ing Carlyles portrait Carlyle said Eth. Mr.
Whistler, ye're lust II man of genius ard
Whistler admitted that that exactly what
was the matter with him lie had seen many
Of Whistier's portraits being painted, and he
described the way in which Whistler began
portrait of n lady. The sitter was at one end
of the room and the canvas near her. Whistler
stood at the other end with a long brush loaded
with paint in his hand Suddenly he rushed
forward and smashed the brush into the canvas
He then rctreated, made his observation, charged
again. and so on about fifty times. and at The
end had on the canvas the form and expression
Of the figure, which the most important
point This picture. said Lord Redesdale was
to have been his. but IN one Of those periodic
financial crises which occurred SO often in the
life Of this great artist-when. IN point Of fact
the balIifls We're in-Whistlcr had cut it to
pieces along with the other pictures then in his
studio"
Another of the speakers at this meeting Mr.
Horniman who knew Whistler well, cited q
quaint iIlustrat Ion of the popular attitude toward
the painter in London twenty gears ago. /
picture OF ms, "A Harmony in Blue and Silver"
was 20 be shown in an exhibition at the Grosve-
nor gallery but was delayed. and So for the first
day or two the space assigned % ii was left
vacant. at this point portrait Of Il lady
in blue by Mais. Two aesthetic ladies arrived
at the place, and reading the Whistler entry in
the catalogue, began to abuse the Millais in the
strongest terms he had ever been privileged TO
hear n lady use. one Of them when taking
breath noticed to her horror tho well known
crown signature of Millais and then began a
recantation of what they had said. Speaking
of the satisfaction that every one felt in NJ.
Robins offer TO design the memorial. Mr. Horni-
man told a remarkable piece of art history.
hitherto unknown. Twenty-Five years ago
when he was at the Slade School. Robins famous
ST John the Baptist arrived TO be forwarded To
the Royal Academy by Professor Legros. 1t was
duly forwarded and duly returned by the Acad-
eynv few days later, not even being considered
doubtful by that enlightened body. This is the
statue that is now in the South Kensington
Museum.
NJ Eugene Welvert has recently published in
Paris a curious book on Les Regcides." In this
he gives picturesque accounts OF figures not only
fo,,,o,,s but obscure. Other new French booCs