LITERARY NOTES. (From Our London Correspondent.) London, November 2.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 430, 21 December 1889, Page 6

LITERARY NOTES. (From Our London Correspondent.) London, November 2.

Our old friend Luscombe Searelle, musical conductor, operatic composer, and theatrical manager, makes bib appearance in a now role this week, vi/ 5., that of a poet. I have not seen "The Dawn of Death," as Mr Searelle's volume of verses is called, bufc I gather from the press notices attached to ashowy advertisement in the *'Pall Mall Gazette," that they are "forcible and graphic," "picturesque and powerful,"' " pure and passionate," likewise " full of beautiful thoughts." What more could the public want or expect for 4s 6d ? Mr Frank Harris, of the *' Fortnightly Review," has acquired a half-share of the "Hawk' 1 newspaper, and the vivacious Augustus Moore will, in consequence, vacate the editorial chair. This means that the organ of the Pelican Club will become at once duller and more respectable. Jules Mary's new novel is advertised in Paris by a dozen sandwhich men, who walk up and down the boulevaids in a row, reading it with wrapt attention. At Christmas " Tit-Bits " will take a new departure, and include amongst its manifold other attiacbion3 a serial story by a popular author. Mr James Payn has been selected to open the ball, and on dil receives £SCO for a novel called '"The Word and the Will," the initial chapters of which are to appear in the issue of December 24th. With the November magazines Cassells are bringing out the first number of a new art publication called " The Picturesque Mediterranean,"' which, both as regards illustrations and letterpress, throws all their previous efforts in the same line completely in the shade. The prico'(2s. 6d per part) is certainly heavy, but if the work is continued and completed with the same finish and care it has been begun with, the book will be a really beautiful one. Caesells announce the woik has been several years in preparation. The illustrations are by numerous artists, including MacWhirter. A.R.A., William Simpson, Charles Wyllie, and other celebrities ; and the letterpress, instead of being vamped up by one of the firm's " tame authors,'" is being entrusted to Messrs H. 1). Traill, E. Dicey, Grant Allen, Frank Bairett and -Miss Belham Edwards. Altogether the venture pro mises well. Mr George R. Henty, who has written such a number of boys' books, appears this autumn as novelist proper, with a twocalled "The Curse of Carnea Hold." It is the story of a young "officer in the army, who through a combination of awkward coincidences and - circumstantial evidence, appears to have committed a peculiarly .dastardly murder, and who only gets off because he ia believed to be insane. He changes hi name and enlists in the Cape mounted rifles, fighting through the Kaffir War with conspicious gallantry. Eventually an accident cleare his character and enables the young man to return home. It is a readable book, the scenes of rough soldier life at the Cape being clearly and picturesquely described. The strong point of "The Pariah," the long • promised "serious" novel, by the whimsical author of "Vice Versa," is its plot, which is most ingenious. I contess, indeed, that long experience of novelists' tricks did not prevenl me from being led completely astray, and that in the third volume my sympathies ! abandoned the luckless heroine as completely as did her lovers. With his characterisation, however, MrAnstej has been less successful. Allen Chadwick, the Pariah, is simply our old friend "Arry' ! redressed. Mr Anstey's intention is to interest the reader in the mishaps of the unfortunate young counter-jumper, suddenly forced into close association with unsympathetic ladies. He does this so well that Margot Chevening's intense aversion for the poor lad seems unnatural. The story, however, is on the whole above the average, and woith asking for at the libraries. !k r eb another " series "' of handbook biographies is announced, viz., " The Heroes of Nations," by Messrs Putnam. ,The earlier volumes will comprise " Nelson,'" by Clark Russell ; " Pericles," by Evelyn Abbott; "Hannibal," by Professor Freeman ; " Theodoric," by Thomas Hodgkin, and "Charles, the Bord," by R. Lodge. In the li Universal Review " for October, Harry Quilter indulges in a- terrific onslaught on what he calls " The Lang Finn " of the Savile Club, who are „ continually thrown into ecstasies of admiration by each other's literary performances, but have never a word of praise for outsiders. " How Came He Dead," is the title of a criminal romance, by Fitzgerald Molloy, commenced in last Sunday's "New York Herald " (London edition). Trischley. likewise announces a " shocker " called " Doad,'' by May Ostlere (of waltz renown), and somebody else has a cheerful story in the press christened " Still as Death." Mr Froude's " Beaconsfield," which will be the firsp of Sampson Low's " Queen's Prime Ministers '' series, is expected to create considerable stir, as Lord Rowton has afforded the biographer access to a number of important documents. "Buttons," John Strange Winter's annual, is a silly, trivial story about a cavalry officer who,' in order to marry beneath him, enlists as a private for a time in another regiment.

Russia, with all its teeming population has only 15,414 regular physicians, and one surgeon to 100.000 population A reporter, describing a wedding, said "It was all over in a few minutes.',' GraQious ! Tha.fc eonntfs like a hanging.