LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1872, 4 October 1913, Page 9

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

Stray Leaves. Tho Kaiser must to his literary laurels, for another addition to tho now too lengthy list of royal authors is King Nicholas of Montenegro, who has written a play entitled "The Empress of the Balkans," an English translation of which is shortly to bo published by Eveleigh Nash.

One of tho shrewdest and most outspoken of the many foreign and American students of our. political and economic history is Mr. Andre Siegfried, and I have often wondered why no English translation of his book, "La Democratic dans la Nouvelle Zelande," has ever beon published. The omission, I notice, is now to be 1 repaired, Mr. Downio Stewart, of Dunedin, having made a translation, which is to be published shortly by George Bell and Sons, under the title of "Democracy in New Zealand."

Mr. Shortor also directs the attention of those of his readers who are interested in Johnsoniana to a volume of selections (by C. Hughes) from the journal kept by Johnson's great friend, Hester Lynch riozzi, afterwards Mrs. Thrale. It appears that Mrs. Thrale left a journal in six folio manuscript volumes, and to these Mr. Hughes has been given access by ono of her descendants. Mr. Hughes's volume, which is entitled "Tlirahana," is published by Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., at tho modest price of 3s. 6d. It contains many unpublished stories concerning not only Johnson, but Goldsmith, Garrick, and other notable members of the Johnsonian circle. ' .

An entirely now and authoritative "Life of Honry Labouchere" (tho famous "Labby" of London "Truth"), will shortly bo published by Constables. The author is Mr. Algar Labouchere Tborold, "Labby's" nephew, who has had access to many intimate letters, notably those which passed between Labouchere and Mr. Joseph Chamberlain.

Another notablo biographical work, largely autobiographical in character, announced by Constables, is "Tho Life of Professor Charles Eliot Norton, "tho American friend of Carlylc, Dickens, and Thackeray. ' Edward FitzGerald, of Omar Khayyam fame, corresponded regularly with Norton, some of whose rominisconces, published recently _in "Scribner's. Magazine," throw some interesting side-lights upon many English literary colcbrities of the middle and lator periods of tho Victorian era. • • • Yet another American biographical work, in this instance a work of considerable in-, tercst to scientists, which is announced bv Constables for early publication, is "The Letters and Recollections of Alexander Agassi?.," with a sketch of his life and work, cditod by Alexander Agassiz. • * » One of the most attractivo of the many colour-books announced f«r publication for the "gift-bosk"" season, due in a couple of months or so,-will probably be the new edition of Barrio's "Quality Street," which is to be illustrated by that clover artist, Hugh Thomson. Hodder and 'Stoughton are the publishers.