LIBER'S NOTEBOOK.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2138, 2 May 1914, Page 9

LIBER'S NOTEBOOK.

Dr. C. Murray Lovick, R.N., . Zoologist of the Scott Expedition, and who lived for a year close to a big penguin camp in the Antarctic, has written' a study of ''Antarctic Penguins," which Heinemann is publishing. A. special feature of tho volume will be its wealth of illustration. N

Henry Lawson lias won fame outside Australia. All Austrian writer, Von Adelc Fuchs, has just published, in Vienna, a monograph of a hundred pages, on Lawson and his work.

Now that Mexico and affairs Mexican are an cvery-day topic of conversation, it is worth noting that a shilling edition of Mrs. Alex. Tweedie's lively work. "Mexico as I Saw It," has been issued by Nelsons. A new volume in Nelson's excellent French series (Is. net) is "Bijou," by tho clever, if occasionally, rather naughty, "Gyp."

One can extract, at times, most curious and amusing information from books of professedly quite a serious character. Thus, in Dr. Pollard's "Heign of Henry_ the Seventh, from Contemporary Sources," there are given somo items of expenditure from tho King's Privy Pursej which throw curious side-lights upoii the Court doings. For instance, for a barometer, called a nronosticacon, 6s. Bd. is set down; for "taking Crown jewels out of pawn," £350; for a "lyon," £2 ] 3s. Gd.; for a leopard, £13 6s. Bd.; for a mountebanko eating coals, 6s. Bd.; for a wrestling priest, 6s. Sd.; to "a Spaniard that played the fool," £2; to "a young damoysell that daunceth" (the Maud Allan, 110 doubt, of the Tudor period), £30! .

A "Life of Walter Bagchot,"' the famous writer on economics, and, incidentally, a singularly acute literary critic, has been written by Mrs. Russell Barriugton. .

It is curious wo havo had to wait so long for a "Life of Ouida" (tho late Louise de la Ramee), for this clever, if extravagant writer, A -so popular with a certain class of readers in tho second half of the last century, had a very interesting career. For tho first time a full account of Ouida's life is given in r> "Memoir" written by Elizabeth Lee. The author of' "Under Two Flags" was born at Bury St. Edmunds, and it was Harrison Ainsworth who was instrumental in getting her earliest stories published..

"Have you a copy of Amiel's 'Journal 1 ?" inquired a gentleman in a bookseller's shop, and tho young lady assistant replied coldly: "Wc don't keep periodicals."

"Punch" for March' 6 is specially worthy'of attention by all who ; are interested in the late Sir John Tenniol's, fine pen drawings. A special Me--Supplement'-is -given-, containing; fifty? °of r the 'great cartoonist's; masternieces. Tenniel's most successful eft fort as a cartoonist was tlio famous "Dropping the -tPilot," symbolising tho dismissal; of Bismarck . by the young Kaiter. Many, however, who noyer cared very much for Tenniel's political cartoons will sco his best work in tho delightful illustrations to Lewis Car-: roll's "Alice in Wonderland." The pictures of the White Knight, the Walrus, the Carpenter, tho Mad Hatter, and.tho ineffable Cheshire Cat, are all delightfully funny.

A new and highly attractive feature in ' the "Times" Literary Supplement, now obtainable at a penny, l separately from the daily journal, is a series of signed articles on literary subjects. The'first_ to appear was a delightfully witty article. "Books "Within Books," bv Max Beerbohm. This was followed by In most penetrating and critically enlightening contribution by Henry James, entitled "The Younger Generation," in which tho veteran American novelist and essayist examines tho work of such men as Arnold Bennett, H. G. Wells, Gilbert Caiman, ■ Compton M'Kenzie, Joseph C'onrad, and Hugh Walpole. The wise bookman will promptly order the T.L.S. iii its new and cheaper form. It is an astonishingly good pennyworth.

In good old ''Chambers's" for March (Chambers, Edinburgh), tho most-inter-esting of tho general articles are those on "The American Loyalists: Tho Founders of Canada," by A. G. Bradley, and Cagliostro and Mario Antoinette. "How to Prevent Explosions in CoilMines" is one of those popular and excellent scientific articles for which Chambers has always been noted, .and I lira glad to welcome tho name of Mr. J. Drummond, F.L.S., a well-known' New Zealand nature student, who contributes a pleasantly written article,' "Forest Dwellers," descriptive of- native lifo in the North Island. Another New Zealand article, in this instance by an anonymous author, deals with the lost treasure of tho-General Grant.

On more than one occasion I liavb drawn attention to that excellent monthly, "Tho British Review" (Williams and. Norgatc). Tho March issue is_ a splendid shillingsworth, being specially rich in purely literary features. Tho contributors include Hilairo Belloc ("The Military Argument Against tho Channel Tunnel"), Mrs. Andrew'Lang ("With Dumas in Devonshire"), Edward Storer ("Dramatist's ,of To-day"). Adrian Dingli (a neiv name) contributes. ' a thoughtful article on "Democracy and tho Proletariat," and Richard Fitzwaller's "Pen Pictures of Tipperary and Mayo," though suggesting comparisons with Syngo's work, arc not ill done.

11l tlio April "Windsor" (Ward, Lock and Co.; por S. and W. Mackay), tlio always welcome "art article" by Austin Chester deals witli "Humour in Paint." Tlio illustrations aro well cliogen. L. E. Tanner gives ail interesting account of Westminster School, which shares with Eton and Winchester tlio distinction of being one of the three Royal Colleges. Rider Haggard's latest Alan Quartermain's story, "The Holy Flower," becomes increasingly exciting, and a second serial, "The White Horses," is contribute:! by SutclifFe. Amongst flic contributors of short stories are Eden Philpotts, Barry Pain, and an Australian writer. Mary Grant Bruce.

Thomas .Hardy has tlio followine little poem in the latest edition of "Poetry and Drama":— My spirit will not haunt the mound Wherein I rest, But travel, inoinory-posscfsed, To where niy tremulous being found Life largest, best. My phantom-footed shape will go When nightfall grays Hithor and thillicr along the ways I and another used to know In backward days. And (here you'll see nie, if a jot You still should rare For me and for my creepy air; If otherwise, then I-shall not, L'Vir you, be there.

dog novel, is "Munito Ootawemow" — or godfather—to seventeen little Indian boys and girls, and each year his sends a present to these .little forest people through the Hudson Bay Company-

"Richard Dehan," that is to say Jiiss Clo. Graves, lias a volume of stones, "Tho Cost of Wings," appearing with lleineniann. 1

Two sonnets that appeared in the, February and May numbers of the "Atlantic Monthly" in 1870 have been found to be the work of William Morris. They are not included in his published collected poems. One of these, "Rhyme Stayoth Shame," is given in the "Manchester Guardian."

If as I come unto her she might hear, If Words might reach her when from her I go, , . Then speech a little of my heart might show, Because, indeed, ,nor joy nor grief nor fear ' . ' Silence my love; bat her gray eyes and clear, Truer than truth, pierce through my weal and woe: The world fades with its words, and naught I knowBut'that my changed life to My lfifc is • near.

Go then, poor rhymes, who know my heart indeed, And sing to her the words I cannot say,— That Love has slain Time, and knows 110 to-day And no to-morrow; tell her of my need, And how I follow where her footsteps lead, Until the veil of speech death draws away. Tho companion soroKvfc is "May Grown a-Cold." The sonnets were discovered by Mr! Buxton Formaii, after the examination of the six-monthly index of the magazine.