Literature.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2113, 23 January 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

Literature.

— The fourteenth American edition of 'Miss Cleveland's book, " George Eliot's .Poetry, and Other Studies," is announced by the publisher*, Messrs Fuuk and Wagnnlls, New York. — It is stated that almost 10,000 copies have been wold already of Mr Howeil'n " Rioe of Silas Lapham," and also of Miss Bknche Howard's " Aulnay Towor." — The Boston Literary World statos that Mr Walt Whitman's receipt* from the sale of his works for the entire year just past was only about twenty-eight dollars, or le«s than £6. — Mr R. D. Blaokmoro has written a new novel, which will bo published serially in Harper's Magazine during the coining year. It is a story of the period of the Napoleonic wars, and the scene i j laid in rural England. The title of the story is "Springhaven." —The Wyolif Quincentenary Committee, having failed to raise funds for the erection of a statue to Wyclif, has handed over its balance of sixteen guinpas to the Wyolif Society for the publication of Wyclif s Latin works, and thus ended its labours. — Mr Monoure Conway has discovered the tombstone of " Edmond Helder," the mythioal "pall-bearer of Shakespeare," in Stafford County, U.S. An account of his adventures in bunting the myth and the stone appears in the January number of Harper 1 * Magazine. —Here is a chance for booksellers ! The Stationery Office agency in England for the sale of Acts of Parliament, Parliamentary papers, &c, for the next ten years is vacant. The gross value of the sales hitherto effected, exclusive of sums realised by Acts of Palliament, has averaged £50,000 a year. .. —The orders for the "Memoirs of General Grant," published by Messrs Webster and Co., New York, on December 1, reached the enormous number of 316,500 copies at the end of October. The work was published in London on the same day by Messrs Sampson Low and Co. — Mr William Sharp is engaged upon a selection of the best sonnets of this century, from Wordsworth's down to those of contemporary date. He has followed three main principles in the selection of each sonnet — structural correctness ; individuality, with distinct poetic value ; and adequacy of sonnetmotive. The volume, which will also contain a lengthy note on the sonnet as a poetic vehicle, and on its place and history in English literature, may be expected about the end of January. — A gentleman of Baltimore sends to the Boston Literary World an amusing description of his feelings when purchasing "a pirated book": — " It is against my principles to buy pirated books, and I don't often do it. When I do, the following conversation takes place outside the bookstore : Myself (the Beggar) : ' I want that book.' Conscience ; ' It's stolen." The Beggar: • But I want it.' Conscience (getting fainter) : • But if you wrote a book, and somebody took it without your leave, and .' But here I rush into the store, and get ' my ' book, and rush out again. All the way down the street I feel as if somebody were following me. Wiien I read the book, I feel like a thief, and I make a vow I will never do this wicked thing any more. But I do.