New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-01-28
BOOKS AND AUTHORS
Current Talk of Things Present
and to Come.

Current Talk of Things Present
and to Come.
It has been determined to publish the
memoirs of Richard Wagner in May
next. The work. which fills four vol
umes will he brought out in Munich.
The memoirs were begun by Wagner IN
1865 and were dictated to his wife. TheY
have existed for years i'm type. the COM
poser having twelve copies printed IN Tear
of the possible loss of the single manu-
script These twelve copies were sent
10 his most intimate friends, who. after
reading them. returned them TO their
author. It is understood that the free
dom and frankness of Wagner's state
ments were az the bottom Of his injunc-
ton not to print the work until the prin-
cipal persons concerned should have left
the world.
A remarkable letter penned by George
Washington is to appear in the March
number Of THE Century" 1t is said
that it has never been published. Writ
ten at the time of the despicable Con-
way cabal against him, it shows the
noblest qualities OF patriotism. wisdom
and generosity in the commander.
Edward Lear, the author Of nonsense
verses which will probably never die.
was a pleasant hut not particularly brill
liant letter writer. We have already had
collection of his epistles and are in
clined 10 wonder why another collection
is promised. The latter will include
many letters written in the last years Of
Lesrs life to his friends, Frances Lady
Waldegrave and her husband Chichester
Fortescue.
Mr.. Howard Pyle has gone abroad for
the first time in his life, and has settled
himself for the winter in Florence. He
will occupy himself with literary work,
not with painting.
Little. Brown & Co. are publishing
early in February a new romance by
Mr.. Jeffrey Farno which has made
considerable sensation in England The
Broad Highway" ought certainly to give
the reader some surprises In this Kent
ish tale Of the nineteenth century there
is an eccentric old gentleman who be-
oueaths to the hero Peter Wharf. the
sum Of 10 guineas with which 10 pur-
chase "a copy of Zeno or any other ~
the Stole philosophers he may prefer"
To the youths cousin is left the sum NJ
/ 100000 in the fervent hope that il may
4 help him to the devil within the year"
And in this amazing will there is also
a clause stipulating that a fortune shall
be paid to either Of the cousins If with
| in a specified period he wins a certain
| beautiful lady for his wife. These ele
ments alone should make a good plot,
but there is much else in the scheme that
promises entertainment
The Grolier Club has tablished some
! thing like a record with the most i'm
portant Of its recent publications, the
monumental catalogue of Whstler's
etchings, prepared by Mr. f. @. Ken
nedy and comprising reproductions in
cclotype of all the masters plates. The
four hundred copies printed were sub
scribcd for prior to publication, and
since then. although the book is only
year old. it's price has been doubled in
the auction room. one copy selling for
5000. on Thursday night at the annual
meeting Of the club, two copies, printed
on imperial Japan paper and forming by
themselves a unique edition. were auc-
toned off among the members. The
first was bought by Mr.. w. =. o. Field
for $500. and the other went 10 Mr..
Lauriat. Of Boston. for 500 Obviously,
Mr. Kennedy's Whistler" promises soon
TO rank, like Rovinski's Rembrandt
among the rare prizes Of the collector.
Henry Holt &c Co. have in press. and
will issue some time in February,
translation by Arthur Mitchell Of Henri
Bergson's Creative Evolution 1t was
OF this writer that the late William
James said: IF anything can make hard
things easy TO follow. it is a style like
Bergson's. IT is miracle. and he "a
real magician. Open Bergson ana new
horizons open on every page you read
Students who have not had access TO the
original will impatiently await the ver-
sion In English.
In England at least the novelist is en-
tering upon thorny path. Two jury
Verdicts have shown that the writer who
innocently and. unwittinSly uses the
name Of a real person In his fiction Is
liable 10 be mulcted in very uncom-
Portable damages. The London Chroni-
Gle" declares that the novelist cannot
avoid the risk; that he cannot under
take to write story in which every
figure is a plaster saint. and that the
selection Of obviously unreal names car
rying the suggestion Of type or "A
moral has gone out Of fashion. THE
novelist Of the future continues the
commentator. will have 10 compare his