LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1830, 16 August 1913, Page 9

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

George Borrow. English admirers of George Borrow wero to foregather at Norwich the first week in July in honour of tho author of "Lavonsro" and "The Bible in Spain." Mr. Birrell an ardent Borroviam, as all readers of his "Obiter Dicta" know, was down for an oration; there wero to bo pilgrimages to Hast Dereham,.where Bonrow was' born, and to his house on Oulton Broad. Of late there has been a distinct revival of interest in Barrow's work, and fascinating, though eccentric, personality. Two excellent books on the great Georgo have been published within the' last few months. One, the best life of Borrow yet published, is by Mr. Herbert Jenkins, now a publisher himsolf, a 9 well as an author. Tho other, less authoritative as to the cxact details of Borrow's curious caTEar, is by Mr. Edward Thomas. Both are well worth reading. A third book, a <&ort monograph, lias been written by that fine

oritic, Thomas Seccombe, and will shortly appear in Constable's Modern Biographies series, excellent little books published at a shilling net. When the English papers come to lvand with accounts of tho Borrow celebrations at Norwidh, I shall try and find space for somo extracts from Mr. Binrelt's eulogy. It is sure to be well worth-reading. The Treaty of Waitanfli. - j .; I am plensed to'say.:that we may soon .expect the publication. interesting book' on a phase, of New Zealand's bis'tciry." I undsrsKvi<Kfl%tv®teT.7sLindsay Buick has arranged'wfth'"'M'e£sr3.''S.'" and W. Maclnay, the well-known booksellers, of

Lambton Quay, to become the publishers of-his forthcoming book on the story ot the, "Treaty-of Waifaffigi," and'that tho manuscript is now on its way to Loudon, ' where ;tho book will bo printed. The yolumo, which wi'lil contain much interesting matter, will bo liberally illustrated, and may be expected to be on the market about the end of tlio year. 1 Stray Leaves. Amongst the new Macmillan announcements for the .autumn publishing season are: "The Autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt"; "Tho Life of Edward Bulwer, Fkst Lord Lytton," by his-Grand-son; "Tha Life of Florence Nightingale," by Sir E; J. Cook, whose monumental edition of Ruskin's works will.be remembered; "The Hallams and Their Circle," b.v Mrs. Charle3 Brookfield; a' new volume of' Indian poems, by the author of that very successful book "Gitenjali"; "Ballads of Thoodoro Bariville," translated by Professor Archibald Strong, the well-known Melbourno litterateur; ; and several 'other works of exceptional interest.

Next week, under the Leading of "Books of Tlio Day," I hope to give a notice of some recent additions to Messrs. Williams and Norgate's admirable series, "The Home University Library."

Ah', a clue!—Sherlock Holmes glanced 'round the room. The pictures were torninto shreds, the,chairs were-broken, the table lying on tho top of the piano. A great splash of blood' was on: the carpet. "Someone has been, here," he.commented with wonderful insight—"Brooklyn Life."

Welsh readers may be interested to learn that Fisher Unwin has just published a new half-crown edition of "Tho Welsh People," by Sir John Kliys and Sir, David Brynmor Jones. This is tho standard work on the past and present condition of Wales;

Tho title of H. G. Wells's new novel, to bo published next month in London, is "Tho Passionate Friend.'." In "Ann Veronica" and "The New Macchiavelli," passionate friendship led to some very dramatic results. Is the new story in his old vein, 1 wonder?

Muriel Eine's new novel "April Pan-' liasard" is now on salo in town. It is said to bo even better than the samo author's highly-successful story "Earth." I hope to review Miss Hine's new story next week.

Novel readers who rejoice in sentiment —plenty of it, and as sweet, -not to say ase sticky as 'possible—will note wit'lv. pleasure tho announcement of a new story, "Tho Broken Halo," by Mrs. Florence Barclay, of "Rosary" fame. Since, "Little Boy Blue" appeared, I have avoided books by Mrs. Barclay as. I would tho smallpox. But the lady has her own public, and a big public it is, which loves to wallow in sentiment. Mrs. B. supplies the desired article in most generous abundance.

"Polly Peachum: Tho Story of Lavinia Fontoii aud the Beggar's Opera," is tho title of a book by C. E. l'earco (Stanley Paul publishers), which gives some interesting sidelights on the British stage of the eighteenth century. The beautiful Lavinia became a duchess, wliich did not prevent, the scandalmongering Horace Walpole from writing rather nastily about her.

Questions as to the poet laureate's salary having been asked in tho House or Commons, Mr. Asquith announced early in June, in the House of Commons, that this official votary of tho Muses gets .1170 a year, and .£27 in lieu of a butt of sack. It"is not much of a "screw," but the indirect commercial valuo of the post is by no means to be despised. Even Alfred Austin's poor <jtuff found quite a Tespecuable sale when onco he !rad become poet laureate.

Ono of tho best books of modern travel, "The Surgeon's Log," which last year, in "another place," I specially commended, has now appeared in a cheaper edition— at half-a-crown. Dr. Abrahams's lively book—it'is specially good on Java, Japan, and the Far East,generally-is now in its seventh edition in tho Old Country.

A literary centenary of which no notice has been, 1 think, tnkqi by New Zealand papers, was that «of William Edmonstono

Aytoun, who was born on Jnno 21, 1813. Aytoun, wlio married a daughter of John Wilson ("Chrieftiphcr North"), succeeded liis ft hsr-in-law as principal contributor to "Biaclcwood's Magazine." His name is best known now,. I fancy, as that, of tho editor of tho "Bon Gualtier Ballads." Aytoun had a deckled gift for parody, and in his lovo for, and knowledge of, old Scottish ballads and folklore, fairly rivalled Sir Walter Scott 'himself. Ho also did good work as professor of rhetorio and belles lottres at Edinburgh University, his lectures being so attractive that, between 1816 and JB&i, ho is said to lvave raised tho number of students from about 30 to 1800.

James HuneW, the ablest of living American critics, and wlio always writes delightfully, whether his subject bo oil music, art, or .literature, has published a now volume of essays (Laurie). The title is "The Patlio3 of Distance; a Book of a Thousand and One Moments." Amongst the essays is one, largely of a biographical character, on tho eccentric, but brilliant, French poet. Villars de l'lsle Adam. Everything Huneker writes is worth reading.

Those of my readers who are interested in Dickensiana should not fail to secure a copv of "The British Weekly" for June 26), in winch "Claudius Clear" (Sir Wm. Robertson Nicol) clears up what has long been a mystery—namely, how it was that Edgar Allan Poo blundered so badly in a review of "Barnaby . Budge," which ho .contributed to a periodical called "Graham's Magazine." Poo attempted .to forecast tho close of tho story and failed dismally.