New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-11
The Scarlet Pimpernel.'


More exciting adventures or the
Scarlet Pimpernel" are getting them
selves into print at this moment
baroness Orczy has fulfilled her long
held intention Of preparing a sequel to
her lively description Of the "Pimper-
neVs" deeds. and this new book Will
soon be published under the title of
"El Dorado"
Ben Franklin's Dissertation"
There is a picturesque ending TO the
story OF the copy Of Benjamin Frank
Inns Dissertation on Liberty ana
Necessity" which was sold at Sotheby's
recently. Long ago Henry Stevens, OF
Vermont. bought it for something over
81 and offered it for 50 20 the British
Museum. which refused Il az that price.
American collectors would not buy 1t
al any price, but Mr.. HUH finally ac-
auired il at auction for SIP. 1t was
sold the other day for SjO2j. Mean
while q British Museum subordinate in
housing among the tracts bequeathed
TO the institution by Mr.. II. s. Ashbee
found a so-cailcd Dissertation" in the
volume with nothing to show its
authorship. II was not until the HUH
catalogue appeared that the rejoicing
authorities discovered that they had
got for nothing the third copy known
of the excellent Ben Franklin's now
valuable production. II ? the sort Of
incident that now and then-not often
-gilds the murk corridors OF museums.
Mrs. Wsqn's New Story.
Mrs. Kate Douglas Wiggin has been
at work upon a new story. and il is TO
he brought out in the autumn.
The French People.
To do for France what John Richard
Green did for England has been the
aim of Mr.. Hlaire Belloc in writing his
forthcoming History Of the French
People" The first volume will be
issued by Small, Maynard & Co. this
autumn. They will bring out the Sec
ond volume in the spring. and the third
(and concluding) volume year hence.
The work will he awaited with much
curiosity, for Mr.. Belloc's declared in
tention makes inevitable a comparison
with Green's brilliant Short History
Of the English People" That book was
one OF the startling successes Of its
time. Its welcome was as enthusiastic
as the story OF It's composition was
pathetic-for IL was written while its
author was struggling with wonderful
courage against mortal illness.
Gold" a Novel.
The title Of the lew novel which Mr..
Stewart Edward White completed be-
fore he sailed, the other day, on an
other hunting expedition in Africa, is
merely Gold" 1t is the first OF a
trilogy OF novels dealing with the early
history OF California. The three books
will no doubt be full of thrilling adj
venture. Doubleday, Page & Co. will
bring out "Gold" in the autumn.
Darwin's Touca Touca.
There is a quaint story Of Darwin in
the just published "reminiscences OF
Lady hLcdoncll. Her father. Edward
Lumb, lived in Buenos Ayres, and en-
tertalned the naturalist there during
his cruise on the Beagle on his re-
turn from one OF his expeditions OAR
win brought to the house Of the Lumbs
a little species of mole that belonged
to that part Of South America and was
almost extinct. Lady Macdonell says:
II is called the touca-touca, from the
noise II makes. Darwin rolled IL up In
one OF his fine cambria handkerchiefs.
wanting very much to boil II down TO
preserve Its skeleton. and for this pur-
pose put II carefully In his chest of draw
ers He went away for three weeks
excursion. During his absence the
housemaid complained that In the Senior
Professors room there was such a bad
smell that she could not go into II. My
mother went, and soon finding the cause
OF the trouble, promptly threw the hand
Darwin only forgave her because, as he
said Mrs Lumb Is nearly as
beautiful as the touca-touca."
Visiting Versifers.
The true lovers OF poetry in this
country cherish no illusions as to the
foreign versifiers of the minor sort who
find a flattering welcome here. The
amiable Alfred Noyes is, TO be frank,
not at all a great, nor even a near
great, poet. Nor is Mr. w. b. Yeats
such a poet, though we will doubtless
be called upon soon TO consider him So
for he proposes in the coming season To
enlighten our ignorance in series of
literary lectures. Well. in the absence
Of great poets let the little singers play