New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-13
MTSCELLANY.

The biography Of the late William Ernest
Henley. which was talked Of possible some
time ago, IS now actually under way. Il is being
prepared by SIR. Charles whitley, perhaps his
most intimate colleague. Many Of Henley's let
tiers VIII be included in the work These are
said 70 be generally brief, but considering his
STYLE this viii not make them any the less inter
esting.
Henry Holt &. Co. announce a new biographi-
cal series. edited by Mr.. W p Trent, which
ought to prove highly interesting and useful.
II will appear under the general title Of Lead
ing Americans" and each volume will contain
from half dozen to a score of biographies.
The first volume. prepared By Mr. r. NJ. john
ston. will be devoted to soldiers beginning with
Washington and including twelve other heroes.
President David Starr Jordan will contribute
volume on leading American scientists; Mr..
Trent will write on our salient historians.
and In other volumes biographies viii he print
ed Of our chief actors. artists, lawyers. poets,
novelists editors engineers. naval commanders.
phiianthropists statesmen and pioneers. Each
essay viii be accompanied by a portrait
The new novel by Ellen Olney Kirk. which
the Eoughtons will Issue next Saturday. is called
Marcia" It's heroine is girl who at twenty
one comes into possession of a large estate
without the income necessary for its upkeep.
The tale treats Of her experiences as worker,
and. OF course Of her love affairs.
one Of the new musical books coming out in
Paris is NJ Henri Marechars Paris Souvenirs
dun Musicien." II contains recollections Of
Leo Debes. Victor Masse. Auber Jules Barber.
Bizet. Berlioz and others.
/ Under the title Of Act Of State in English
Law" C1 P. Dutton & Coz. Mr.. ". Harrison
Moore, dean CT the faculty Of law in the Uni
versity Of Melbourne. presents technical re-
view OF a problem highly interesting to students
OF constitutional and international law Be
+ tween the fields covered by ordinary law. on the
ore hand, and diplomacy. on the other. there
! lies broad and perplexing array OF cases IN
/ volving questions both OF common law ana OF
/ international polity and equity. Continental
countries have. as a rule, provided Tor THIS CLASS
Of cases under the head Of administrative law
4 but nothing analogous has ever been zone !"
England Nevertheless, a set of rules has Deeh
+ growing I'D for centuries. precisely as me pflh-
ciples Of English common law have been; ana
I they are now well enough defined so that codi-
! hcation and commentary are feasible.
In seventeen clearly written chapters Mr..
Moore sketches tli~ growth OF the doctrine or
royal prerogative since the seventeenth century
and reviews all important typical cases which
since that time have given definite shape 20 the
legal theory OF matters Ok state" Both Eng
/ lish and American practices are recorded The
discussions touching tho ambiguous lhterp'eta-
tioIs and rulings concerning martlai la"' inc
dangerous American precedent OF the civil
courts retroactive power over WaFllile casts
properly adjudicable before military court
and the open question as 20 the vaHdl'y OF uiea'-
,es detrimental 10 private rights are especially
chiefly interested in the chapters on treaties anu
The r,,,es Of succession 10 state rights and lias
Utilities And the unprofessional reader would
proba blv be pleased TO discover thar the Amer
lean system Of federal courts assists the ad-
illustrative department in a way Whoiiy be-
yond the power of the highest English law
! courts An excellent index OF topics and cases
is given.
We are n have stil another volume Of an
autobiographical nature from the pen of Victor
Hugo II will be published by the Funk q Was-
/ nails Company, under the title OF A Post
scr,nt,,n % NV Life" and the translation will
be made by Mr. Lorenzo O'Rourke Part OF the
book was written during Hugo's exile in Guern-
| sey.
We NAV note by the way, that Little, Brown
E. 70 20 Boston. are bringing out new popu-
Iar edition az Les Miserables." II is 70 appear
in five volumes. with photogravure frontispieces.
yoacp,n Miller has not published vol
ume Of pCetry for some time Herbert Turner
| & Co. Boston, announce such publication
l,,, hin, u will consist OF long narrative poem
e..ibodylng a love story. the scenes OF which are
lr.d "a the Golden Gate. in the Kiondiie. in
;aaaa ana in Hawaii. Il win be called Light"
Mcclure, Phillips & Co. will issue in this coun-
,rv TIE volume entitled Through Portugal"
by Major Martin Hume. which We announced