LIBER'S NOTEBOOK.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2144, 9 May 1914, Page 9

LIBER'S NOTEBOOK.

A Masterton correspondent- ("Peneope") wants to kjioiv the proper pronunciation of tlio word "Liber." "Well t's according to taste. According tt ■lie old-fashioned. English pi-onunciatior jf Latin, it should bo as "Lie-ber" ; ac:ording to more modern usage, "Leejer." A second query from this corre soondent refers to tJio authorship o; I .book of Cornish tales entitled "i'ene ope Ann." As lam writing these note! n bed, being temporarily "downed" bj :ho bronchitis iiend, and away from rc 'erence sources, I must defer my answei mtil next week. Added to "Liber's" collection of curims titles: "The Cuckoo Lamb," "Ob Vfr. Bidgood," "Baba and tho Blacl Sheep," "Firemen Hot," all novels 'Firemen Hot" is the title of a new :ollection stories by Cutliffe Hine, ol 'Captaiu -Kettlo" fame.' According to a puff preliminary by hii >üblis'her, Air. Patrick M'Gill, the cx lavvy, whoso "Children of the De-.\< End'" is being well reviewed by tin Home press, is "now hailed as a grea writer, and compared with Kipling ant jeorgo Borrow.' Tho coupling of Kip sing and Borrow is surely a mistake. Recent additions to that excellent ser ies, "The Nation's Library" (Collins'; Clear Type Press), are "The Panam; Canal," by Reginald Enock, an admittcx authority 011 the Central and Soutl American States; and "The New Birtl »f Ireland," by L. G. Redmond-How ard. Much, perhaps - too much, ha been written 011 the Panama Canal, bu there was still room for 'a brief, com pact, and, within its limits, comprehen sively informative book, such as tlii of Mr. Enock's. To thoso who canno afFord the many more costly works wliic have appeared on tho subject of th Canal, its earlier and later history, an< its proablo future as a commercial high way and factor in international warfare Mr. Enock's book, at its modest pric Df fifteenpence, should be very welcome. Mr. Redmond-Howard's book, "Th New Birth of Ireland," deserves th sjccial attention of all who are interest in the much-discussed "Ulster Prot (em," and tho Homo Rule,.question geii ijrally. Apart, however, 'from its' use ful summary. of past political liappei: ings, and its resume of the leading pro ind cons of : the present situation, Mr Redmond-Howard's ' book deals wit! Irish economics, art, literature, and so iial life; Tho author is, perhaps, a times, a trifle too flamboyantly oratori :al, but he writes with great earnest ness and evident sincerity., and in siSirifc of moderation wliicli is decided! refreshing after the tone of acrimoniou prejudice which is noticeable in so man. books on tlie Irish question. His boo' is worthy of a detailed review, but th many demands on my spaco render t-hi at least for tho present (Price, lad.) Messrs. Collins Bros, and Co. hav published at tho extremely moderat price of sevenpenco an interesting littl book, "Tho Life of Lord Stratlicona. : The author, W. R. Richmond, gives well-written account of the career, a trader, financier, railway magnate, pol: tician, and philanthropist, of the arden Imperialist, to whose indefatigable er deavour Canada owes so. much. 1 am glad to see tliat Mr. JOII2I Lan is issuing a shilling edition of Anatol France's "Red Lily," ill Miss Winifre Stephens's translation. If tho entei prising "Bodley Head" publisher woul but give us a comploto Anatolc Franci at a shilling a volume, what a boon i would be for the poorer class of bool lovers. • Mcthucns have added to their exce lent "Shilling Library" a volume of si lected proso from Oscar Wilde's work: Mr. Robert Ross, Wilde's literary cxeci tor, adds an interesting preface, and special feture of tho book is tlio inch sion of two hitherto unpublished lettei bv Wilde. A longer notice of this ii teresting little publication will appes later. Lord Charles Beresford's autobios raphy, "A Sailor's Life," wili bo pul lisiied very shortly in two .volumes, t Messrs. Methuen and Co. "Couch Bercsford" has had a very intercstm career, arid his book should bo decidei ly readable.. It will bo interesting i see how lie deals with liis'old encm. Admiral Sir Percy Scott. Copies of tho 'first four folios—tl Shakespeare folios —-were sold in Londc 111 March' for £1200. These wero fro tho library of the late Mr. A. B. Stei art, of Bawcliffe, Glasgow, lho prn is very low, but it is probablo tho coi dition was indifferent. Top prices, ai brought only by copies 111 really hrs class condition. Mr. Lindsav Buick's book on "Tl Treaty of 'Waitangi" is, I liea selling .well. I am glad to hear tin as few people havo any idea of thou remitting industry and scrupulous ca which is involved in tho writing of 111 torical works of any importance. 31 Buick's work deserves a placc 111 cvei library, public or private, in which a tontion is paid to Now Zealand histor In Auckland the other day I heard tl book praised very highly by a gcntl man who is himself an expert authori on early Now Zealand. Reviews of two more book's rolatir to New Zealand will appear next. Satu day. These are the "Lifo of Sir Frede ick Weld" (Murrav), and Miss Ma. Hall's "A Woman's Trip Round tl World.". At the auction sain of Major W. I Lambert's uniquo collection of Thac.ce ayana. in Now York, 389 items realise over £0500. A humorous letter fro Tharkeray to Mrs. Brookfield, in wliw Thackeray says: "My leg is to bo an putated to-morrow, but I shall be w< on Thursday, and shall come and si you with my leg in my hand," brougl £65. A love letter to Mrs. I3rookfiel< in which Thackeray declared that 1 thanked God he had never concealed tl affection lie had for her. brought £10 Another letter to Mrs. Brooklield, wri ten in French,, expressing bis love f< her "saintly figure," v.-as bought, i £95. It is staled thai, these lette. have never been published.