LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1860, 20 September 1913, Page 11

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

.To Correspondents. "F.G.L.," Hawera. —Re Clarke Russell's works, I cannot find any mention of "Tho Captain's Wife" in either the "British : Museum Catalogue" or in the "English Catalogue." "A Noble Haul" was published in Umvin's "Little Novels" sories, at, I think, 2s. It is, I believo, out .of •print. In addition tc. your long, list •I might add "Auld ' Lang Sjme" (1878), a volume-of essays, J ..think;. A Book of Authors" and "Representative Actors," 'both published in Warners Chandos, Library <"25.); "Tho Memoirs of Letitia Boothby" (1872); Miss Parsons's "Adventures and Other Stories," by W. C. Russell and other writers (Chapman and Hall, 1894). Russell also published a volume of vorso, "A Turnpike Sailor" (Skcffington, 25.). ''W.H.T., Wangamii—There are two works by Polack, each in two volumes —"Adventures in, New Zealand" and "Mamiers and Customs of the New Zealanders." , ,The.y are both, out 'of, print, and rather scarce. Copies occasionally crop up at Wellington book auctions". ''G.P."—•I. regret I have no space to spare to. publish your verses. . ' .

Arthur Symons. , Admirera of tho subtly suggestive.; and often brilliant, .literary'criticism tor which Arthur Symons has-rightly earned a liigli reputation .amongst those who know and caro for the best in literature, ■will bo glad to learn that the author has been granted a Civil List pension of £200. .There is always an air of originality and distinction about S.ymoiis's work, whether it bo pootry, or literary and art criticism. In tho 'nine-' ties two volumes of his verse. "London Nights," and 1 "Sil'houottes," aroused much attention. But charming as' is jnuch of his pootry, albeit disfigured, so the prudishly-inclined may think, by a certain sensuality of subject and undue audacity . of treatment, I prefer' his literary criticism. His Symbolist Movement in Literature (1899) was just what was wanted by readers who were not a trifle bewildered by Mallarme's poems and the earlier plays of Maeterlinck. "Studies in Two Literatures" (1897), and "Studies in Prose and Verso" (1904)' are collections of essays well worth the rescuing from periodical literature. Tho latter volume oontains essays on writers so varied in their style as Balzac and R. L, Stevenson. There is also an admiroble assay on Guy do Maupassant. Ontjsido Henley's "Views and Reviews'.' I know of no literary criticism at onco so pregnant with fine original .thought, and expressed with such fascination of style, as that of Symonß. Ho has written, too, some fine things on tnusio and &rt, xlay>3> Aoting, and

Music" (1903), and "Studif3 in Seven Arts" (1906) and a. collection of pleasant _ little travel pictures, veritable, in their clarity and depth of suggestion—entitled, "Oities should not be overlooked." Symons ia a Welshman by birth, but of Cornish parentage.

Tho "Forerunner." I have received number fifteen of "The Forerunner," a monthly magazine published by "The Havelock Work," Havelock, Hawke's Bay. Tho typographical get-up of this publication is by far its most notable feature. Barely in New Zoaland, or, for that matter, in Australia, does one come across printing work of such distinction. The size is a quarto, the cover a sober-sided plain brown paper. I cannot honestly say, however, that the literary contents of "Tho Forerunner" are of such a character as to merit so singularly handsome a presentment. For the most part the articles ( are Short, and devoid of any outstanding originality, either in choice of subject or literary style. Miss M. M. M. Al'Lean gives an interesting account of the early history of tho magazine, ■ but while I am only too willing to join in the praise she gives to the fine work done by Mr Cliff, of "The Forerunner" Press, I should imagine that the gentleman in question would privately agree with me that the "butter has been laid on rather too copiously by the lady who eulogises him so generously. An anonymous writer contributes a two-page article, entitled ''Of New Zealand Verse. The-o is nothing either new or suggestive in the criticism, and it would be interesting to know how either the author of the article or the superlatively gifted Mr. Cliff can justify the employment of capitals in the sentence which redds: "The satisfactory way i.f proving this would be by Copious Quotation, which Size of Typo and Limits of Space forbid." Tho employment, too, by .the same writer of the utterly vile adjective "imperialitish" is surely not in keeping'with the "superior person tone he affects. Mr. Edwin Gilbert gives an interesting account of "The Adult School Movement," but Mr. H. Guthrie-Smith, whose delightful book on Now Zealand bird lifo will be gratefully remembered by many of my readers, is easily first amongst tho contributors with a. very charming study, "A Pair of Tuis." Mary E. Richmond's poem has some fine_ lines here and there, but is too vague in its general purport. Two other poems are contributed by "Carlos" and "Dede." Neither of these effusions would, I fear, qualify their authors for consideration (by the anonymous writer of the articlo "Of New Zealand Verse") as other than! what he calls _ "painstaking songsmiths." There is some good stuff here and there in y Tho Forerunner," but the contributors take themselves far too seriously, and the general air of assumed superiority and preoociousness hecomes, after a time, somewhat irritating. Why the pages';of : : the magazine are not numberod; is,. to me atvleast; a mystery.. *

A Famous London BooKsoner. I made allusion last veek to the death of Mr. Bernard Quaritch (Quaritoh the younger), the famous London bookseller., Mr. Quaritch's death was, it seems, quickly followed by that of another gentleman notable in the London bookselling world. This was Mr. Uria'h Maggs, founder of the firm of booksellers, now known as Maggs and Son, whose shop in the Strana is one of tho recognised meeting places for English bibliophiles. Commonoing business in the West End in 1860, Mr. Maggs became widely' known as a leading antiquarian bookseller and dealer in fine prints and autographs. In 1894 lie made over .the business to his sons, • who,- in 1907, moved to the premises t'hey now occupy in the Strand. .Messrs. Maggs have, I beliove, several customers m Wellington. Their catalogues are really works of art, well worth preserving for tho many fine reproductions of curious title pages and so forth, with which they are illustrat-ed.

German Sua Power. A book which is bound to bo .widely read throughout the British Empire has just been published by John Murray. The title ia "German Sea Power," by Archibald Hurd and Henry Castle. The contention of tho authors is that before many generations have elapsed Gqrmany will outstrip all tho other purely European nations in wealth and energy, as sho already done in growth of population, aud that whon that day arrives, it will be impossible for the United Kingdom to compete with her in naval matters without the help of the British colonies and Oversea Dominions. A special feature of the book iB tho attention given by the authors to tho co-relation of tho economic .position and financial resources of Germany with her .military and naval projects. "The Times" review (July 17) sums up the book "as a really valuable contribution Ui tho rational and dispassionate discussion of a question fraught with issues of vital moment for the great nations which have never been enemies, and, perhaps, never will be."

Somo Magazines. The August "Bookman" has a long, well-illustrated article on Baroness Orczy, whose '-'Scarlet Pimpernel" and other novels have achieved such widespread popularity. Of Hungarian birth, she came with her parents to England at the ago of fifteen. Up to then she had . never spoken a word of English, but within ,thi ee months had made such excellent progress in tho language that she was acting in a school play, and "had- passed a firstrclass College of Preceptors' examination with honours." The.Baroness, it may not be generally known, is an accomplished artist, and has had more than one picture hung in tho Royal Academy In her new book, "Eldorado," which is being published by Hodder and Stoughton, she returns to her favourite period, the French Revolution, and unfolds a further _ series of advont<urea of "tthe fascinating and evasivo Pimpernel. Other good features in tho August "Bookman" are articles on "Victor Hugo," by George Sampson; "The Renaissance and Its Workers," by Haldane Macfall; and "Borrow's Romantic Ballads," by Thomas Seccombo. As usual' in this magazine, tho illustrations are numerous and well produced. The September number of "The, Bookman" will contain a long article' on George Bernard Shaw and his work, by Dixon Scott.

The August "Scribner" (Constable and Co.) is a fiction number in which, in addition to instalments of two excellent serials, by John Galsworthy and Edith Wharton, there aro several admirable stories, including a delightful little study of negro character, by Thomas Nelson Pago, now United States Ambassador to Italy. Gordon A. Smith's Parisian story "The Pagan," is another notablo contribution. Vernon Leo, who has written bo much on Italy, has now turned her attention to . the beauty and oharm of the older English country towns, and contributes an article of

singular charm, which is accompanied by some exceedingly beautiful illustrations, in N colour, tint, and black and white, by Howard Giloa. Poetry, essays, and an excellent articlo on Cliardiu's paintings, make up a number of much more than usual interest; In tho September issuo of this magazine will commence a scries of articles by Theodore Roosevelt, "The Life History of tho African Lion." Next year Mr. Boosovelt "is to contribute to "Scribner's" an account of a trip ho intends to make early in 1914 into the Paraguayan and Brazilian interior.