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Title
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Literature. Literary Gossip.
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Description
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Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935), Saturday 5 February 1898, page 31
|iTiimro
LITERARY GOSSIP.
Mr. Louis Becke is meeting a competitor in South Sea Island stories, and will no longer be able to claim a monopoly in this field of literature. "In Summer Isles," by
Burton Dibbs, published by , William Heinemann, the qualities of sensuous charm, of childish innocence, coupled with a capacity for lurid savagery, which combined together constitute the attraction of island life, are presented with a realism which speaks of personal experience. Mr. lieeke is perhaps stronger in action, hut Mr. Dibhs more than equals him in grace of literary expression. There are five stories included in this volume, of which A Lotus Eater is by far the longest and mo3t ambitious. It describes the manner in whieli an English gentleman surrenders to the insidious spell of Samoan native customs until lie loses all desire to return to his natural sphere, and under the influence of love and languor abandons home and friends to become a perpetual exile in this land of soft sweet sadness. There is something of tragic intensity in the conditions under which his short idyll of love is broken through the malicious interference oL a European meddler. He
maiden, who is tiie lode star of his existence, but he is in ignorance that to give the rite validity between an Englishman and a native the ceremony must be ratified by the British Cousul. At the instigation of his enemy, Causton, Leata's relatives are induced to remove licr, and she and her child are drowned on the homeward voyage. A Half Caste's Heart describes a pathetic incident. - A Veiius in Bronze is a mere trifle, hut The Psalm Singer strikes a holder note. It pictures the disappointments of a young and enthusiastic mis-, sioner.who in trying to convert the Samoans "becomes himself a castaway under the witching influence of a Samoan girl. He gives up eliurcli and home, and loses his life m a kind of semi-piratical expedition, where tho influence of his old scruples leads him to prefer sacrificing his own life to tailing those of others. Mr. Burton Dibbs writes with brightness and with knowledge' of the aspect of island life which he describes with so much vivacity. An admirable volume on astronomy has been added to the Concise Knowledge Library, .published by Hutchinson and Co., London. It is impossible to over-estimate the value to students of a popular yet accurate synopsis of ' the most recent developments of knowledge in this branch of scientific inquiry. The work has been entrusted to authorities of unquestionable'
uuxiiwj. -a -Lists Tillies -"A. VjIUIKC, WilO IlUS previously shown her capacity for an undertaking of tills kind, gives a most lucid and interesting review of ' the historical progress in astronomical knowledge from Hipparclius to the present time. A description of the solar system is also supplied by the same hand. Mr. Fowler, demonstrator of Astronomical Physics to the Royal College of Science, supplies an outline of the general principles of spherical and . gravitational astronomy,, and also shows the possibilities which at present exist of ' astronomical research. The sidereal heavens are: treated by Mr. J. Ellavd Gore, F.E.A.S. The book is produced with every attention to detail,, anil the photographs and drawings are numerous. We have received this volume through Messrs.. Melville, Mullen and Slndc. The January number of the "Century Blustrated Magazine," besides the uniform excellence of its engravings, includes many articles of a very interesting and varied character. ' General Wolfe, whose victory on the heights of Abraham won Canada for the Emnire.was so little known to the general public when lie became the hero of the day that the London print sellers in their anxiety to 'meet the extraordinary demand for his portrait had resort , to the ingenious but unscrupulous method of satisfying curiosity; and at the same time reaping a golden harvest by utilising their old stock of engraved plates- and selling the likenesses of forgotten worthies as those of the veritable victor at Quebec. Many of these fictitious portraits' have since been reproduced as accurate.. ;Mr. Ford, who writes on this subject, brings forward convincing evidence to prove that there are not more than four pictures extant 'which ran present any claim to genuineness. One of these is by Gainsborough; painted just before lie entered ou his last campaign. Another is as a youth, a third one in the uniform of a line officer, painted between the years 1748-53; and the fourth now in the National Portrait Gallery — supposed to have been done by Captain Harvey Smith, an aide-de-camp of Wolfe on his Canadian undertaking. Wolfe was not by any means an Apollo in appearance. Everyone will he familiar with Thackeray s pen and ink sketch in "The "V irginians :— "There was little of the beautiful in his face. He was very lean and very pale ; his luiir was red ; his nose and cheek bones were high, but he had a tine courtesy towards his elders, and a cordial
greeting towards his friends, and an anima/ tion in conversation which caused those who heard liim to forget and even .to admire liis homely looks." Archibald Forbes disposes of the mythical ride of Wellington before Waterloo to meet Bluelier at Wavre, and arrange for the co-operation of tho Prussians next day. The story has gained wide credence, and is included in some histories of the battle; hut. the absolute denial given by the duke himself, with improbabilities marshalled convincingly by Mr. Forbes, proves this suppositious incident to be the unveracious invention of the untrustworthy chronicler. An article on every day-heroism eulogises the heroes of peace; who, in such examples as we have recently seen in the sewer accident, display a courage and heroic self-sacrifice not to be surpassed in any martial deed of valor. In fiction; jioetry and general articles, this magazine ;akes rank among the very best.. Tim "St. Nicholas" for January is a very bright number, admirably illustrated, and with stories, articles and verses specially, selected to suit the tastes of young readers; There is much that is entertaining, and also . much that is instructive. Messrs. Angus and Robertson, publishers, Sydney, besides giving encouragement to, local poets and authors, also- devote special ittentiou to educational facilities. They, inve just issued a useful little book by Mrs. ; J. 0. Boyd, intended to encourage pupils to study the French language for purposes of everyday use. The idea is sound, and the causeries familieres, or friendly chats, ought to be a great assistnnpe to those who bungle wearilv over the inane sentences of the
Ollendorff, method. The Australian Letter-ing Book, designed for use in Australian schools and in draughtsmen's offices, should also be appreciated Dy those for whom it is intended. From the same source we have-received a record of the annual writing com-petition established by the firm, which is open to pupils in the schools of Australasia. For 1898 new and more liberal conditions are announced. - A pamphlet on Popular Government and Federation, by A. B. Piddington, member for Tamworth, has also been issued. . The Juntiary number of the "Review of Reviews" contains, another instalment of Prince Ranjitainhji's reflections on the reasons which may be advanced to explain away the English defeats in the test matches. The Biege of San' Sebastian is the " Fight for the Flng which the author of "Deeds that Won the Empire" contributes this month. Mr. Stead expresses in glowing language the esteem in which he holds the talent of literary reproduction which Mr. Fit-chett - has displayed. ' This exhibition of mutual admiration i3 an interesting lllus-tration of literary vanity. Character sketches are given of the Ameer of Afghanistan and of ' the Secretary of the Congo Free State. The. future of Austro-Hungnry is predicted by a writer, E. Segrob, who displays a knowledge of tho political conditions, which are tending to the disintegration of the dual monarchy.
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Date Issued
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1898-02-05
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Creator
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NA
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Publisher
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The Leader
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Location State Territory
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Victoria
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Location Town City
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Melbourne
