New-York tribune., 1908-01-26
LITERARY NOTES.

| The personality and the opinions of the late
]. Mcneil Whistler will be revealed this year
both by himself and by a pair of his friends.
1t VIII be useful, no doubt to supplement the
| reading of the biography of Mr.. and Mrs. Pen
nell by excursion through the artists
letters in the volume now III course of prepara-
ton by his sSter-in-laW.
A letter written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1S41
has just been published for the first time by
The Dial" of Chicago 1t was addressed to the
Rev. Hastings Weld, who helped Willis to edit
Brother Jonathan and whose career provided
at least incident illustrative. as THE DiaI'
says. of the literary amenities of their day: In
an article of his he had quoted a single stanZa
from poem of n. P. Willis. The latter sued
him for fifty dollars!"
Poes letter referring to his proposed Chap
ter on Autography' is of great Importance,
but it has this characteristic bit of sharpness at
the end: Should you grow weary, at any time,
of abusing in the Jonathan for speaking
what man knows to be truth better than
yourself, it would give me sincere pleasure to
cultivate the friendship of the author of Corr
rected Proofs"
Professor Omans History of the Peninsular
Wharf.-The first volume of which came out in
1902-promises to be the standard work that
subject. A great quantity of material. in the
form of the diaries and letters of officers, has
accumulated since the days in which Napier
wrote his narrative. and Professor Oman has
had these riches at his disposal The third vol
ume of the History" is nearly ready for pub
licatiOn.
A volufle of essays by Mr. John Bur-
roughs will be brought out in the spring. 1t is
to bear the pleasantly suggestive title of Leaf
and Tendril."
1.-THE Principles and Limits of Shakespearan
Representation" is the title of Mr.. Percy FitZ-
gerald's forthcoming book. He endeavOrs there
in to discuss scientifically and critically the
theoretical representation of Shakespcare's plays
in olden times and the present day.
The hitherto unpublished letters papers and
diaries of famous Ministers like DR.. Bach and
Prince SchWarzenberg have been used by Dr.
Friedjung in the preparation of his History of
Austria from 1S49 to 1859" The first volume
of the work has just appeared, and the second
will be issued before the end of the year. Dr..
Friedjungs History of the Austro-Prussian
Rivalry from 1S59-1S66' has run to nine editions
in the last ten years.
The third volume of the new translation OF
Dumas's collection of celebrated Crimes is TO
appear almost Immediately. 1t will contain
The Crimes of Brinvilliers and Others"
Perhaps it may be asked, who reads the
verse of James Thomson in these days?' That
there still exists some interest in the author of
THE Seasons" is shown by the fact that tho
forthcoming volume OF the English Men Of
Letters" series is to be devoted to him. ColeT-
dge considered him born poet and thought
highly of him. The love of nature" he said.
seems to have led Thomson to 4 cheerful
love of nature The one would carry his fell
low men along with him into nature; the other
flies to nature from his feIlowmen"
new monthly review of art. ancient and
modern. is coming out in Sena under the title
of Vita d'Artc.' There is said to be strong
list of supporters. and the review is well illus
trated. In the first number Corrado Ricci writes
on the Medusa head attributed to Leonardo in
the UffiZi, and Angelo Cont on La Statua
dAnzio"
Professor Charles WaldSteins book. "Hercu-
laneum: Past Present and Future will be
brought out later in the season by the Mac
millans.
'Dante's Lyrical Poems Is the title of Mr..
Edmund q. Gardners forthcoming book. 1t will
include, it is said, both study in mystical and
erotiC poetry and attempt TO construct Il crlti-
cal text OF the fifteen cdn1Oni the famous series
of odes and il will contain. moreover. the ball
lads, sonnets and other rimc, or minor pocrnS-
Mr.. Gardner, ii will be remembered by those in
terested in books Italian literature is the
author of "Dante's Ten Heavens" and Dukes
and Poets Of Ferrara-"
And yet LonGfellow is the most popular poet
in America" say the publishers of his books in
mentioning an order just received from a gem