LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1866, 27 September 1913, Page 19

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

"The Strand Magazine" and Its Publishers. That popular monthly magaziuo "Tho Strand," has a goodly host of readers in New Zealand, judging by tho huge piles of copies one sees in the book shops each month. Founded by Georgo Newnes, tho founder, also, of "Tit Bits," "The Strand" has always been romarkablo for maintaining a good wholesome tone, and I much prefer the Newnes publication to many of tho garishly illustrated American monthlies and their English imitations. Catering for tho million evidently pays well, for I notice that at the annual meeting of tho shareholders of George Newnes, Limited, hold in London early last month, the profits for tho year were stated to be £80,000 odd, being £32,000 odd more than thoso of tho previous year. Newnes, Limited, aro also tho publishers of those, popular • weeklies, "Country Lifo" and "The • Ladies Field." In tho courso of tho report it was stated that tho publication in "The Strand" of tho remarkable series of articles and photographs in relation -to the Scott Expedition had enormously increased the circulation of the magazine. It was in "The Strand," so it may bo remembered, that Conan Doyle's famous eharaotor, Sherlock Holmes, made' his first appearance in print. Hall Caine's Wonderful Record. "Liber" is not an ardent admirer of tho works of Mr; Hall Caine, certainly not of tho Manx novelist's later work. "The Deemster," "The Bondman," and "The Manxman" were remarkable for a fine virility, a really compelling power. But of lato years Mr. Caine, so it seems to me, has been merely melodramatic, and his all-too-evidont desire to bo topical in his stories has been responsible for somo terribly shoddy literature from .his pen. Still, there is no denying that ho has an enormous following. Not even tho divine Corelli has ever ousted Jlim from tho proud position of the best seller of all living British novelists. Already, so I understand, tho advance orders for his latest novel "Tho Woman Thou Gavest Me," run' into 200,000 copies. , A remarkable fact about tho publication is, that it will appear almost simultaneously in fifteen different languages—namely, .Bohemian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, Swedish, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish Russian, Spanish, Yiddish and English. This is a record even for Mr. Hall Caine, most of whoso novels liavo a universal popularity and appoar, in many languages. Tho following figures show somewhat tho extent of this author's uniquo popularity. Tho sales of the English editions of "Tho Eternal City" total 702,212, of "Tho Christian" 643,228, of "The Bondman" 458,427, of "Tho Manxman" 307,966, of "Tho Prodigal Son" 368,225. And besides this, each of theso novels has ap- 1 fieared in nino different languages in addition to tho original English' version. For many years past Mr. Heinemann has been Mr. Caine's English publisher, and it is by this famous publishing house that tho now'Caino book will bo issued. The new novel was to bo published in London on July 31, so that before many weeks are over Mr. Caine's admirers at this end of tho world will bc.ablo to mako acquaintance with his latest work: . :I - : A Queer Character. In "T.l'.'s Weekly" (July 19) the well-known novelist, Guy Thome, rccouuts some memories of "Tho Strand of Twenty Years Ago." Many of tho writers and artists of the Decadent School, tho School of "Tho Yellow Book," used to frequent a "lounge bar" in tho Strand, called "The Bun Shop." With, them often camo their generous patron and friend, Leonard Smithors, who published a slightly expurgated edition of Burton's "Arabian Nights"— tho "smothered" edition it is called in the book trade. According, to Mr. Thorne, !Smithere was a very eccentric character. His place of business (writes Mr. Thorne) was. in King Street, just behind tho Strand, where he published that curious magazino "Tho Savoy," edited by Arthur Symons and Aubrey Beardsley, and also tho "Ballad of Heading Gaol." He was a frequent visitor to the "Bodega" and tho old "Marble Halls" underneath _ Gatti's. Charles Cornier, tho most delicate artist of his day, was often with him ill tho Strand, and he onco described Smithers with' singular aptness. "His face." he snid, "is like tho Death Mask of Nero." It was true enough. Tliero was something strangely bizarre and abnormal about the publisher of books, as curious and abnormal as himself. He had a genuine love of letters, but nothing interested him much save work that had a definite quality of the unhealthy and the grotesque. With a mouth that smiled oddly and eyes that never did, he moves through the memories of that time as a presence rather than a person, passing in and out of the lighted scenes of a play. 'Ho amassed a considerable fortune and scent it in uncalculating generosity, an effete and morbid splendour, often degenerating into the sordid, at a house— ouco the Spanish Embassy—which he bad in Bedford Square; in an extraordinary littlo Hat near Charing Cross, and at a soasido house at Walton. Some years after the period of which I am writing a friend and I found Smithers in the cutler of Oxford Street—starving. We made a littlo purso to put liiui ou his legs. It was of no uso. Six months afterwards he died, absolutely alone and in circumstances of extremo horror. Stray Leaves. In last week's notice of " Tho Forerunner " a misprint mado me say " general air of assumed superiority and precociousness. " Precociousncss," of course, should have read " preciousness."

Those who arc interested in the work of tho new Poet Laureate, should note tho appearanco in the current issue of "Tho Quarterly Review" of a long and well written study of "Tho Poetry of Robert Bridges." V 9 5 Constables announce a. now volume of humorous verso by that amusing writer "Dum Diuu." Tho title is "Odd Numbers." A work which should interest not a few New Zealand readers is announced for early publication In- Heifer and Sous, of Cambridge- This is a "History

of University Reform," by A. J. Tillyard. Mr. Tillyard gives tho history of university changes and reforms from 1800 to tho present day, and supplements this with suggestions, towards a comploto scheme for tho University of Cambridge. * » # That exceedingly clever Irish poet and literary critic, Darrell Figgis, has turned his attention to fiction. A novel from his pen, "Jacob Elthorno; tho Chronicle of a Life," is announced by Dents. * * * It is somo timo since wo had a novel from that clever writer, Mary Cliolmoiuleloy, the author of "Red Pottage," but a new story from her pen, entitled "Notwithstanding," is now announced by John Murray. * * * Two well-known Irish novelists, tho Hon. Emily Lawless, and Mr. Shan F. Bullock, havo collaborated in writing a novel of tho Ireland of 1798, a stor.y of character and adventure. It will bo published in London next month by John Murray. * * * East Anglians will he interested in a now book which is announced by Jarrold and Sons. This is "In the Footsteps of Fit?, Gerald and' Borrow," b,y Morley Adams. Amongst notable now Nelson sixpenny reprints aro: Palgrave's "Golden Treasury," Disraeli's "Sybil," Hawithorno's "Houso of tho Seven Gables," Sir Edward Creasy's "Fifteen Decisive Battles of tho World," Georgo Eliot's "Scenes of Clerical Life,' 'and Bret Hartc's "Tales From tho West." Really nobody need bo without his littlo stock of good literature nowadays. Personally I find Strindberg's writings altogether too morbid and unpleasant reading, but tho booksellers tell mo ho has an ever-increasing number of readers. These will be interested to learn that Frank Palmer is publishing another Strindberg novel, "By tho Open Sea," and an allegorical play, "Lucky Pehr." ■ # * * Gradually a complete set of thp works of. Samuel Butler, of "Erewhon" fame, is being issued by Mr. Fifield. Recent additions hiivo been a'roprint of Butler's 'essentially characteristic novel, "Tho Way of All Flesh," and a volumo of "Essays on Life, Art, and Science," in which Butler elaborates many of the theories and views ho sketched out in brief in his "Note Book," which was published last year. Fifields, I notice, now issue an excellent half-crown edition of the famous "Erewhon."