The New York Herald Newspaper, February 3, 1879, Page 10

8 LITERATURE. anna Mary Wollstonecraft’s Letters to Im- lay—A Sad Life Chapter. BIOGRAPHIES—SHELLEY AND GOLDSMITH. . The Law of Copyright As It Is—English Literature, Fiction—Book Notes. re MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT'S LETTERS. It was inthe spring of 1793 that Mary Wollstone raft met the perfidious Gilbert Imlay in Paris, She had just published her vindication of the rights of woman, which made her more enemies than friends, -tive years of age. Up tothis age she had remained heart whole, but the moment the dash- ing American laid siege she surrendered, Biogra- phers differ on the question of her marridge, but Mr, Kegan Paul, who has written her latest memoir (Scribner & Welford), thinks, beyond a doubt, that they were married according to some form, if not one generally recognized. Mary Wollstonecraft was born at Hoxton, England, iu 1759, Her home life was unhappy, and after the death of her mother, her father marrying again, she resolved to leave his roof entirely. She went to live with her friend Fanny Blood, whose father was not unlike the disreputable Wollstone- craft. Miss Blood was an artist and earned B scanty living with her brush. Her mother took in needlework, and as long as she lived with them Mary aided her. Eliza Wollstonecraft had mar- ried a miserable man by the name of Bishop, whom Mary urged her to leave and arranged the details of her flight. She considered that Bishop had dissolved their marriage by his brutality. A legal separation ‘was at last arranged, and Mary, Eliza and Miss Blood took a house together at Newington Green and opened aschool, This venture was not a pecuniary suc and after two years the schoo! was given up. Mary accepted a position as governess in the family of Lord Kingsborough when she was about twenty- eight years of age. Up to this time she had written nothing but family letters, but these in great quan- tities. She was very unhappy and saw but little to cheer her in life. She wrote:— My harassed mind will in time wear out my body. Thave been so hunted down by cares and see 80 many that I must encounter that my spirits are quite depressed. I have lost all relish for life, and my samost broken heart is cheered by the prospect of jeath. After living a year with Lady Kingsborough she was dismissed for the reason that the children loved her better than they did their mother. Mr. Johnson, the publisher in St. Paul's Churchyard, made her sn offer of constant literary work, mainly in the way of translation from the French, and she also acted as his adviser and reader. It was while with Mr. Johnson that she wrote her famous work, “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,” which is dedicated to “M. Talleyrand-Périgord, late Bishop of Autun,” It was the title of the book more than its contents that raised such a hue and cry, for it contains no attack pon marriage, nor does she assail orthodox religion. ‘he book was really a plea for equglity of education. ‘While her views were being derided and decried by reviews and reviewers she went to France, and there, as we have said, met Gilbert Imlay. Imlay would probably never have been known to the present gen- eration but for his brutal treatment of Mary Wollstonecratt. He had been a captain in the Revolutionary War, and after peace was declared he became a commissioner for laying out land jn the back settlements. From Kentucky he wrote letters on the state of the country to an Irish friend, who published them in Dublin in 1793. The book passed through seycral editions, and may now be found on the shelves of second hand book dealers. .He was a man of marked ability and fine education. He seems to have fallen in love with Mary Wollstone- craft, who was an exceedingly beautiful woman, as her portraits in this volume prove. But his passion soon spent itself, for we find that in a few months’ time he left her in Paris and went to Havre. And now begin those heartbroken, sorrowful letters that Mr. Kegan Paul republishes in this volume. At first she does not understand that he has really deserted her, and writes him in loving words :— God bless you, my love: do not shut your heart against a return of tenderness, and as 1 now in fancy cling to you, be more than ever my support. Feel Dut as affectionate when you read this letter as I did in writing it and you will inake happy your Mary. After very affectionate letter she writes:—“I am afraid to read over this prattle, but it is only for your eye.” Poor woman, how little she dreamed of the thousands of eyes that would read and reread every one of the words torn from her heart. Being unable to stand their separation any longer she went to Havre, and after she had been there a fortnight Im- lay returned to Paris, leaving her behind. Perhaps she began to suspect that all was not right, for she wrote :— There are qualities in your heart which demand my affection, but, unless the attachment appears to me clearly mutual, I shall labor only to esteem your character, instead of cherishing a tenderness for your person. He must have assuaged her alarms to some extent, for after they have again changed positions—he in Havre and she in Paris—she writes, playfully :— If you do not make haste back I shall be half in Jove with the author of the “Marseillaise,” who is a handsome man, a little too broad faced or so, and plays sweetly on the violin. Then sad Having suffered so much 1m life, do not be surprised 4f I sometimes, when left to myself, grow gloomy and suppose that it was aliadream and that my happi- ness is not to last. “Fearing that her hold upon bim was weakening she held out attractions in the shape of their child, whom he had never seen, ‘Our darling is becoming a most intelligent little creature and as gay as a lark,” ond “My little one begins to show her teeth and use her legs. She wants youto bear your part in the nursing business, for [am fatigued with dancing her, and yet she is not satisfied. She wants you to thank hei mother for taking such care of her, as you only can One wouid think that she had reason to become dis- couraged; still she seems to have hope, and writes :— “Tell me when I may expect to see you, and let me not be always vainly looking for you, till I grow sick at heart.” Then, half apologetically, she adds:— “Adieu! Tam a little hurt. I must take my darling to my bosom to comfort me." To get her further out of the way Imlay sent her to the Netherlands on business for him, where she acted as his wife. Her letters written at that time were published and widely read for their beautifal descriptions of scenery. When she returned from the North she found her worst fears realized. She threatened to leave him, but scorned to accept any pecuriary aid at his hands, “Do not suppose that, neglected by you, 1 will be under obligations of a pecuniary kind to you! No; I would sooner submit to menial service. 1 wanted the support of your affection; that gone, all's over!” He joined her in London in 1795, but carried on a shameless intrigue with another woman at the same time. Poor Mary Attempted to take her life and threw herself into the Thames for that purpose, but was rescued by some boatmen. In one of her last letters to Imlay she wrote :— In tearing myself from you it is my own heart I ithe time will come when you will lament 4 heart that, even in # moment of passion, you cannot despise, After all his bad treatment she seems still to have ‘retained an affection for the man—“It is strange that, in spite of all you do, something like conviction forces me to believe that you are not what you ap- pear to be, I part with you in peace.” About this time shi William Godwin, who, if he-did not win such love from her as Imlay had, secured sufficient to induce her to link her fortunes with his, She married him, and five months after ond child, afterward tho wife of Percy Bysshe Shelley, was born. A few days after the birth of this child she died and was buried in cid ‘Bt Pancras churchyard. It wag at her tomb that Shelley plighted troth with her dangh The march of the Midland Railway broke in on the peace of this churthyard, and the remains of Mary Wolistoneeratt end William Godwin were removed to Bournemouth by their grandson, Sir Percy Shelley. MORE ABOUT SHELLEY. en me mee NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY. 3, 1879.-TRIPLE SHEET. Shelley, Byron and the Author” (Scribner & Welford), he gives @ preface and an appendix that contain much of fresh interest about Shelley. In his style of writing Trelawney reminds us somewhat of Walt Whitman. There is adownright manner in his state- ment of facts that carries conviction. He say! Shelley never was a boy in mind: while they of his age were playing marbles he was sending. His men- tal hunger for knowledge was insatiable. No one ever saw him without a book in his hand or pocket. At Eaton, after an illness, the doctor who attended him took a liking to him, and Shelley borrowed his medical books and was deeply interested in chemistry from that time, and, unlike doctors, he experimented with some of the drugs ou himself. The power of lwudanum to soothe pain and give rest especially de- lighted him; he was cautioned and knew it was wrong; the seductive power of that drug retained a hold on him during the rest of his life, used with extreme caution at first and at long intervals. People who tuke to opiates are enslaved and never abandon them, These may be ti in some ot Shelley’s flights of imagination and fancies of supernatural appearances. On one occasion in London, and again in Italy, he so overdosed himself that his lite was only saved by those measures that are used to counteract the drug, But it must not be thought that, like De Quincy and many others, he habitually used it; he only took it on rare occasions and when in deep dejection, He was impatient of Temonstrance, and so made a mystery of it. ‘The effect of opiates- on Shelley was to throw him into spasms, Professor Naccd, of Pisa, prohibited his using medicine in any form, and said that Shelley was of a healthy and vigorous frame and recom- mended his varying his dict. ‘Trelawney writes:— I often saw him in a state of nudity, and he always reminded me of a young Indian, strong limbed and vigorous, and there are few men who would walk on broken ground at the pace he kept up; he beat us all in walking, and, barring drugs and accidents, he might have lived as long as his father —to utnety. Mr. Trelawney recommends Jefferson Hogg’s book to all who really want to know Shelley as he was. He says that it is the ‘only true likeness.” His criti. cism of Shelley’s poetry he pronounces of no value, but what he says of the man is perfectly true. Mr. Trelawney continues :— Leigh Hunt often said that he was the dearest friend Shelley had; I believe that he was the most costly. His theory was that between friends every- thing should be in common; he said you could not do your friend a greater favor than constitute him your banker, and that he could receive no greater pleasure than answering your drafts. As Leigh unt had ailing wife and seven children those dratts werefrequent. Mrs, Shelley’s father, Godwin, was another dear fmend. His theory was that aman laboring as be did for the advancement of knowledge shouid be supported by those. who agreed with the justness of his views. Hunt and Godwin being heavily in debt, the worldly philosopher prevailed upon his son-in-lay to raise money upon post obit bonds. This Shelley did until his son and heir was born; then, doubting his right to pauperize him, he stopped the ruinous system. Shelley preferred his “Prometheus” unbound to any of his poems. “If that is not durable poetry, tried by the severest test, I do not know what is. It is a lofty subject not inadequately treated, and should not perish with me,” he said one day to Trelawney Shelley rarely read any book through; he was eager to get at the matter stripped of the verbiage. Novels were totally uninteresting to him, but he retained som+ of his early fondness for romances. After glancing at an old Italian romance, in which a Knight of Malta throws down the gauntlet defying all inf- dels, he remarked:—‘I should have picked it up. All our knowledge is derived from infidels.” Says "Trelawney :— There was a marked individuality in Shelley, He took no notice of what other people did; brave, frank and outspoken, like a well conditioned boy; well bred and considerate tor others, because he was totally devoid of selfishness and vanit; He did not laugh or cven simile; he was always in earnest, He had observed that people laughed at the misadven- tures of others, und therefore thought it cruel; but his eyes and face were so expressive that you could sce all the workings of his mind in joy or sorrow. * * * Thave met men similar to Byron, but ni to Shelley; he was the ideal of what a poet ‘shou. 5 Of Mrs. Shelley, Trelawney says she was of ‘‘a soft, lymphatic temperament, the exact opposite to Shel- ley in everything; she was moping and miserable when alone and yearning for society.” ‘Trelawney prints the particulars of the burning of Shelley’s body, as written down by him at the time, but they differ but little from his former published account. The volume of Keats found in his pocket when his body was washed ashore had been loaned to him by Leigh Hunt. The copy of Zischylus in his other pocket was in ‘Trelawney’s possession for thirty years and finally given by him to Shelley’s son Sir Percy. ‘He denies that Shelley’s heart was ever in Rome. He gave it to Mrs. Shelley, who gave it, in turn, to the Hunts, and they gave it to Sir Percy Shelley some years ago. “OLIVER GOLDSMITH.” To their series, “English Memof Letters,” Harper & Brothers have just added “Oliver Goldsmith,” which appears to have been written to order by the author of ‘The Princess of Thule.” It is evident enough, after a reading of this small volume, that Mr, Black is out of his element as a writer of biography. The novelist’s pen seems to have lost its cunning when applied to the more serious task of biograph- ical writing, and it is probable enough that he was so hampered by the limitations of epitomizing such a history as that of Goldsmith and his works that he did not feel himself in attempting his irksome task. It was hardly worth Mr. Black’s while to spend time on making a book like this, the purpose of which is simply to lead the reader to the better appreciation of Goldsmith's writings and to his qualities as a man, ‘The best thing in the book is the epilogue to the book proper, in which, very briefly, but forcibly, the young novelist gives his estimate of his subject. After a graceful panegyric upon the genuine pathos, quaint, delicate humor and the choiceness of dic- tion that belong to his subject, he adds :— Still less necessary, perhaps, is it to review the facts and circumstances of Goldsmith's lite, and to make of them an example, a warning or an accusa- tion. This has been too often done. His name has been used to glority a sham Bohemianism—a Bo- hemianisin that finds it easy to live in taverns, but does not find it easy, so far as one sees, to write poems like the “Deserted Village.” His experi- ences as an author have been brought torward to swell the ery svout neglected genius—that is, by writers who © ume their genius in order to prove the neglect. Lhe misery that occasionally befell him during his wayward career has been made the basis of an accusation against society, the English constitution, Christianity—Heaven knows what! It is time to have done with ail this nonsense. Gold- smith reso to the hack work of literature when everything else had faded him, and he was fai rly paid tor it. | When he did better work, when he struck ‘for! honest fame, the jon gave him all the = hy he could have desired. in plain truth, Goldsinith himselt would have been the last to put forward pleas humiliating alike to himself and to his calling. Llustead of beseeching the state to look afier authors; instead of imploring society to grant them recognition; instead of saying of himself, he wrote and paid the penalty,” he would frankly have admitted that he chose to live bis lite 8 his own way, and therefore paid the penalty. This | is not written with any desire of upbraiding Goid- smith, He did chouse to live his own life his own way, and we now have the splendid and beautiful re- sults of his work, and the world, looking at these with 4 constant admiration and with a great and lenient Jove for their author, is not anxious to know what he did with his guineas, or whether the milkman was paid. DRONE ON COPYRIGHT. * Itisaaingular fact that, notwithstanding the ex- ceptional interest that lias attached to the matter of copyright, especially of dramatic copyright, of late years, there were, within the period of nearly half a century, but two works publishéd on this important subject in the United States. Neither of these books was exhaustive nor of material value as an authority in the delicate questions constantly arising as to the rights of authors in their works. It is not, there- fore, & matter of surprise that such a book as “The Law of Property in Intellectual Productions in Great Britain and the United States” should have suggested itsolf to its author, Mr. Eaton $. Drone, as a desider- atum, and the large octayo volume which Little, Brown & Co. have put forth in the substantial sheep binding familiar to the attorneys’ shelves bespeaks tho writer's indefatigable industry in accumulating a mass of valuable material bearing upon a subject not only important to the legal — profes- sion, but exceptionally interesting to all who have to do with literary and art work. | And although the voluminous tome looks as ponder- ous and forbidding as a copy of the Revised Statutes, acareful perusal of its pages evidences that it is something quite apart from @ compilation of arid statistics, that itis not lacking in finished literary workmanship, while the author's enthusiasm in his subject lends color to the treatment of what is in itself merely practical and commonplace. In his dis- cussion of the rights of dramatists Mr. Drone hus coined a new term, “playright,” which certainly commends itself as at once euphonious and expres- sive, The author objects very properly to the con- veutional term, “dramatic copyright,” ordinarily ap- In Mr. E. J, Prelawney’s new edition of “Records of i plied Wo property in dramatic composition, as faulty and inaccurate. ‘We may,” he says, “as properly apply the term ‘poetic copyright,’ ‘prose copyright’ or ‘historical copyright’ to works in poetry, prose and history.” Copyright undoubtedly signifies the right to multiply copies of any literary production, but as applied to dramatic compositions it is not so intended, but covers the exclusive right of representing a play in some special form, ‘ According to Mr. Drone playright in the United States is seeured by the statute in published, and ex- ists by the common law in unpublished, dramatic compositions. ‘The English statute secures the right of performing both printed and manuscript dramas, and virtually takes away common law playright in unpublished as well as in published plays. The matter of the protection of American authors by our common law is, perhaps, less understood than are the copyright laws under the statute. When, for instance, a newspaper publishes a report of alecture in which parts of the writer's text are quoted the author’s rights are invaded and the mewspaper is rendered liable for any damages that the lecturer may succeed in proving. Custom, of course, shows that full reports of lectures are re- garded with favor by lecturers from a commercial point of view; but there are exceptions to this rule, and it may yet be reserved for some Eli Perkins to make a test case of this point. Mr. Drone holds that the principle is clear that such use of an unpublished production is piratical. “It is the same in princi- ple,” he says, ‘as the unlicensed representation of a manuscript play.” The impression that very generally exists among publishers and authors that the deposit of the printed title of a book, play, chart, painting or en- graving with the Librarian of Congress, with the fees, is sufficient to secure the copyright, is shown conclusively by Mr. Drone’s citations of authorities to be altogether erroneous. No copyright is com- plete or valuable in case of action for violation of stch unless the other provisious of the act—viz., the delivery of two copies of the book or article to the Librarian of Congress within ten days of publica- tion, and the printing of the usual form of the copy- right entry on the book or article as prescribed by law—are categorically complied with. To completea playright, therefore, under the statute, the play must be printed, two copies sent and the entry made as indicated. It is common law that protects the work in the manuscript form, in which most dra- matic authors prefer, for obvious reasons, to retain original works of this class. The question as to whether on a sale on execution of stereotype plates: the copyright goes with the plates or not, which has often been mooted among publishers, is decided in the negative by Mr. Drone. “The copyright in a work,” he says, “‘ is entirely dis- tinct from the property in the stereotype plates from which it is printed, and a sale on execution gives the buyer no right to print and publish copies of the work.” In a voluntary sale at auction or otherwise of the plates by the owner the rights of the buyer are to be determined by the intention of the owner, whether or not a formal assignment of the copyrights has or has not been made. In the chap- ter on international copyright, it is disclosed that treaties have long been in successful operation be- tween England and some of the Continental nation- alities, and Mr. Drone’s keen dissection of the statute of our own country has discovered that there is no bar whatever to s resident of the United States ob- taining copyright as proprietor for any painting, drawing, chromo, statue, art model or design pro- duced by a foreigner from whom he has purchased such. Although only an infinitesimal proportion of the copyrights obtained from the Librarian of Congress are ever contested in the courts, publishers and au- thors almost invariably pay the double fee required to secure a certificate of copyright as well as the official record of the entry. As the latter is alone required to make the copyright valid, provided the conditions previously noted are complied with, it would seem that some misunderstanding as to the proper fee exists, Last year there were 15,000 copy- rights granted and about $14,000 received for them, showing that the double fee was usually paid, as the necessary fee for recording is but fifty cents. It is extremely doubtful if this unprecedented liberality of copyright seekers to Uncle Sam will be continued so extensively in the future, now that Mr. Drone has pointed out- so clearly the requirements of the statute. As to the merits of Mr. Drone’s work as 8 valuable work of reference there can be but one opinion. It is both comprehensive and exhaustive, and has the exceptional advantuge of covering completely the statutes and interpretations of the law of copyright, both in Great Britain and in the United States. As the book is, aside from its legal aspect, one of pe- culiar value to the large circle of publishers and writers who have an especial interest in this subject, it would seem that its publishers would do well to issue a special edition for the regular book trade in a form better adapted to the library of the literary worker than is its present substantial but cumbrous shape. “CHAMBERS’ CYCLOPEDIA OF ENGLISH LITERA- TURE.” The American Book Exchange has issued the “Acme” edition of Robert Chambers’ well-known Cyclopedia of Literature—the first work of its kind published in England. The work originally brought out in 1443 was designed to supply a literary defi- ciency that then existed—namely, a popular chrono- logical series of extracts from the best known Eng- lish and American authors; an epitome of the pro- ductions of the English intellect from the Anglo- Saxon writers to those of recent times. A second edition of this work was published in 1853, and this, the third edition, has, after an interval of twenty years, been prepared with careful revisions, con- tinuing the extracts and biographical notices to the present time. The present issue is to comprise eight volumes, and the first includes notes and ex- tracts from Beowulf and Caedmon to Gosson and Puttenham (1590), The volume contains 400 pages, and, while the edition cannot be com- mended for its typography or for its paper, it will have a permanent value to many whose means will not permit them to own the larger works of this class that have, in a measure, taken the place once held by this Cyclopedia, “SPIRITUAL SONGS.” Rey. Charles 8. Robinson, D. D., has arranged a selection ot hymus for sacred worship (Scribner & Co.) which 18 exceptional in the excellence of the musical settin; In the list of composers we find Von Weber, Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Bach, Pleyel, Zenner, Bradbury, Cherubini, Herold, Rossini, Mehul, Mozart, Rousseau, Barnby, Blumen- thal, Donizetti, Wallace, Giardini, Sullivan, Schein, Rimbault, Zundel, Hatton, Root, Mason, Sankey and others—from the sublime to those of the lesser order. For the use of choirs with @ leaning toward the pro- wressive order of things, which is coming to bo found in the musical offerings of mauy of our churches, this book will commend itself from the va- riety of its selections and the taste displayed in their arrangement. The author could not refrain from a soupgon of sentimental gush in his preface, but one is not obliged to read that. The book is elegantly bound in gros grain silk, and the publishers’ part of the work is beautifully done. “MODERN FISHERS OF MEN.” When we took up the salmon colored duodecimo that bears the above title, with the addition of the startling sub-title, “Among the Various Sexes, Sects and Sets of Chartville Community,” we felt deeply moved by serious anxiety as to whether the book would prove an claborate exposition of “free love” theories ora prize exsay by some “right smart” Sunday school pupil who could not refrain from em- balming his lucubrations in the permanent casket of print. But after the discussion of its sixteen chap- ters it is found that the effort is intended as a con- tribution to American fiction. We were not quite sure of it until we reached the concluding pages, but at that point light shone from out of the dark- ness, and another “goody-goody” story was dis- closed as the result, The lucidity and depth of the author's style may be derived from the following suggestive extract, which is not without a certain in- torest of @ kind probably not designed by the writer :— In early life two persons of the samo sex often love each other passionately, with a love far greater than it is possible for either to experience inter in life; but when they reach maturity the “struggle for existence” almost always forces such as these apart, if not wo, into piaces whore they grow suspicious of other, if uot acknowledged rivals, then, they wish to experi the love that springs from confidence they mest sok it in the other sex—at least must do so now and continue to do so up to | that expected time so often prophesied, when the other sex itself shall attain to manhood. Then, bad haps, the romance of masculine life will be content to dream of the Fone diseyr ng past and © sae where no lips can pucker in response, Whore teal refrain, if uttered, would be “Goodby, Sweetheart.” D. Appleton & Co, are the publishers of “Modern Fishers.” LITERARY CHIT-CHAT. Moncure D. Conway spells devil with a capital D in his “Demonology. One Smith has written a life of William Cobbett, in which he says that instead of the United States achieving independence George III, granted it to them. “Black, but Comely,” is the title of Major Whyte- Melville's posthumous novel. / Dante G. Rossetti has a poem on ‘Francesca da Rimini,” in the Atheneum, A German translation of the Battle of Dorking bears the title, “England's Ende,” and contains a map of the scene of the campaign. By the desire of the late Mrs, Grote her body was borne to the church by four villagers, where the funeral services were read by the rector of the par- ish, and the latter portion over the grave by tho Dean of Westminster, Also, by desire of the de- ceased, neither hearse, mourning coach, pall nor hat- bands were used. Emile Zola is said to be writing 9 sequel to V'Assommoir.” ‘The daughter of the heroine of that popular novel will be the heroine of the new tale. Victor Hugo is going to appeal in favor of the Com- munists to the French Chambers in verse. In the new edition of “Gerrit Smith’s Life,” pub- lished by the Putnams, Mr. Frothinghain has left out his own conclusions in the chapter on Smith’s relations with John Brown. Macmillan & Co. announce the “History of Savoy,” by Mr. Loftie. ‘The Atheneum says that Dr. Schliemann’s “Troy” is not out of print, neither is a new edition contem- plated. Matthew Arnold has a new volume of ‘Mixed Es- says” nearly ready, J. Comyns Carr has a volume of “Essays on Art’’ ready in London. Anew novel by Granville Murray, entitled ‘The Artful Vicar,” is in the press.: Julian Hawthorne hasa poem in the Spectator, in which he says:— Lying here midst poppies and maize, tired of the loss and the re Dreaming of rest; oh! fain would I, like ye, trans- mute the terror of fate into praise. English readers ure perusing De Balzac’s letters. These letters show that Balzac looked forward to an old age of bric-i-brac. If he is not writing of his books he is generally haranguing about screens and oldchina, Even when he is complaining that, work as he will, he can scarecly make both ends meet, he rejoices that he has completed ‘his Wiesbaden tea ser- vice for seventy-five francs, and states that he is fitr- nishing a salon with furniture of carved wood of un- equalled magnificence, Walt Whitman proposes to deliver his lecture on Lincoln in New York before long. Whistler's pamphlet on Ruskin passed through four editions in a week. At a shilling a copy this should repay him for the annoyance of his trial. » Herr Von Hartmann’s pamphlet on Romeo and Juliet is a curious study. He blames Juliet for hay- ing fallen in love with Romeo at first sight, and de- clares her to be an undutiful daughter for having consented to marry her lover without her mother’s permission, Romeo he considers a more despica- ble character even than Juliet; and he points out that if Romeo had lived under the Prussian law he would have been heavily fined, and subjected to a term of several months’ imprisonment, for having taken from her parents’ custody a girl who was not yet sixteen years of age. This is certainly an original way of looking at the matter. Roberts Brothers will publish Mary Wollstone- craft’s letters to Imlay in this country, One of the cleverest things said in Mr. James’ “In- ternational Episode,” is on page 129, The Duchess of Bayswater is calling on Mrs. Westgate, whom she hopes to overawe by her position; but the American lady was happy in the consciousness of a dis- tinguished appearance. The only mitigation of felicity on this point was that having inspected her visitor's own costume, she said to herself, “She won't know how well I am dressed.” ‘The Era Almanack (A. Brentano, Jr.) is made up of matters of interest and value to ail persons in any way connected with the theatrical profession, Special editions of Punck’s series of Bright and Gladstone caricatures have been prepared by Scribner & Welford, The drawings are by John Tenniel and ne, imité de J, Habbertor,” is among the French Christmas books, Henry Janre, Jr.'s, “Four Meetings” appears in the Révue des Deux Mondles ag “Quatre Rencontres,” A biography of. Charles Lever is being prepared by Mr. Fitzpatrick. It will contain certain chapters of “Harry Lorrequer,” which went astray in manu- script, and which had to be rewritten from memory: Histories of Afghanistan are multiplying. An account of the privateering voyages of the Sumter and Alabama has appeared in Russia under the title of “‘Kreiserstvo Semetera i Alabamy.”” ‘The Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary has written a book of scientific travel. Roberts Brothers will issue Professor Seeley’s “Life and Times of Stein; or, Germany and Prussia in the Napoleonic age. NEW BOOKS RECEIVED. reial Prod f the Sea; or, Marine C od, Inde d Art.” By PLL. D. Appleton & Co., pul “The Com: ry illustrations. ith iMustrations, D, Apploton '& Co., publishers. By 8. G. Out Shove and Other Pooms,” sentim ine E. Dickenga, Chancy R. Bi Louis, “Tho New Ordeal.” By the author of “The Battle of Dorking.” William Blackwood & Sous, publishers, Edin- burgh and London, “Hampton Practs for Duty of Teac Broudwa ‘The Fre Xi ew York, Man of the Second Em- Octave Feutliet. T. hers, Philadelphia. Mrs. FH. Burnett. TB. Petor- ‘hief of Ordnance to the Secre- tary of War the Fi ar ended June 30, INTs, From Brigadier General 8, V. Benet, Chief of Ordnance U d States Arm: ashington trving.” By David J. Hill, Sheldon & Co., inbers, New York. . Ate of Kichard Faller, D. D.” By J. H. Cuthbert, D.D. dow & © BOSTON BOOKS. HAMERTON’S “LIFE OF TURNER.” Boston, Feb. 1, 1879. In the first two months of the year Boston books usually appear in the fashion in which Mr. James’ hero horseman used to prance upon the stage—i. ¢., solitary, and ths “Life of Turner,” by Phillip Gil- bert Hamerton, which Roberts Brothers now have in press, will have no companion worth mentioning for a weok or two. However, the triple interest which attaches to it as the life of a great artist, the work of another of no small reputation both in his own profession and that of the critic, and as in some measure a commentary on Ruskin's estimate of ‘Tur- ner makes the work of such value that most readers will be glad that there is nothing else to divide their attention with it. This will certainly be the case in Boston where the battle over the “Slave Ship” is re- peated every few weeks, and loses so little in heat that one constantly expects one party to mob the Museum of Fine Arts, and the other to make ita place of worship. Mr. Hamerton is always indepen- dont in his judgments, and his estimate of Turner, voth as artist and as man, is quite unbiassed by the conclusions of Mr. Ruskin, and of Mr. Thornbury, his former biographer, He sums up his opinions tlius; I should say, then, that Turner was 4 landscape extraordinary yet by no means uolimited ubtle and delicate but unfaithtul draughts lid and brilliant but rarely natural col- orin' man gifted with wonderful fertility of imagi- nation and strength of memory (though this last it is less easy to determine, because he altered every- thing); & student of nature whose range was vast indecd, for it included mountains, lakes, lowland, phe id the sea, besides a eg Wh cae fevt the appearance of @ ape (castles, ys, cities, vidlayes, houses, bridges, roads, Xc.); yet not universal, for he never uately illustrated the familiar forest trees and not the sentiment of perfection, "t should say thot ‘Turuer wae distin: ion. I sho ‘urner was distin. uished greatly by his knowledge, but still more dis- finguished by his exquisite taste and by the singular ebarm which it gave to most of his works, though { not to all of them; that | but im £ unsafe fons ‘at the same time both hy ; that he stands aj color, which in his hands is like a new art; that he | ‘was an excellent line etcher in preparation for mezzo. | | tint, and a engraver in mezzotint besides: and | | that’ with all these gifts and “acquirements he was a | very great and illustrious artist, but not the greatest of artists, I believe that his fame will last; that he was as much # poet on canvas as Byron and Shelley were in written langnage, and that although it is possible that his performances may be afterward ex- celled it will be very different for any future land- scape painter to rival his reputation in his own country * * * It is becoming more and more difficult to create a sensation in art, and without a sensation such a fame as that of Turner is impossible. ‘HIS ARRANGEMENTS, So much for the painter. Of Ruskin Mr. Hamer- ton says that the artist in him is so powerful as to act independently of the critical faculty, whether the | critical faculty be in itself positively strong or feeble, | and he shows that many of Mr. Ruskin’s happiest | periods about the national neglect of Ruskin, and his melancholy, almost solitary death, are periods and ‘nothing more. He denies Turner’s truth to nature by carefulcomparison of several of his landscapes with the seenes from which they were painted, and tells curious anecdotes tending to show that he did not even mean to be true. He was once staying at a friend's house where there were three children, and had with him a drawing, of which the distance was carefully outlined, but “there was no material” for the nearer parts. One morning, when about to pro- ceed with this drawing, he called in the children as collaborateurs for the rest in the following man- ner:—He rubbed three cakes of water color, red, blue and yellow, in three separate saucers, gave one to | each child and told the children to dabble in the sau, cers and then play together with their colored fingers on his paper. He watched the work of the thirty little fingers with serious attention, and, after the dabbling had gone on for some time, suddenly called out, “Stop!” He then took the drawing into his own hands, added imaginary landscape forms suggested by the accidental coloring, and the work was finished. On another occasion, after dinner, heamused himself in arranging some many colored sugar plums on a desert plate, and when disturbed in the operation by & question, said to the questioner, ‘There, you have made me lose fifty guineas.” What relation had | sugar plums to landscape painting? Simply this— that a landscape might afterward have been invented in the same color arrangement. ‘He cared no more about the truth than Victor Hugo cares,” says Mr. Hamerton. NOT A PRE-RAPHARLITE, Ruskin’s affirmation that Turner was the true head of pre-Raphaelitism is refuted partly by showing that ‘Turner’s work was always artificial, and therefore not conformed to the pre-Raphaelite principle laid down by Mr. Ruskin himself, that the most minute details must be obtained by working everything, down to the minutest detail, from nature and nature only; and also by comparing one of Seddon’s landscapes with one of Turner's, and showing that the latter works entirely from more or less successful invention, the former from observation. The book is divided into sixteen chap- ters, and is well but not exhaustively indexed. The preface speaks of Turner as an instructive subiect for the student of art, because he is always and above all things the artist, ‘With all his study of objects and effects he was never a naturalist,” says Mr. Hamerton. ART CRITICS. In another passage he expresses the conviction that the proper function of a writer upon art is first to inform himself as well as he can and then to say what he thinks with the most fearless candor, but without the slightest pretension to anthority, only aiming to deserve the credit that belongs to utility. ‘The march of humanity,” he says, “is like a procession by torchlight, in which men see their way by the light given by others, but also hold up torches of their own.” FINE ARTS, Tha WATER COLOR EXHIBITION—SECOND NO- ‘TICK, In this second article on the twelfth annual exhibi- tion of the Americam Water Color Soviety, which opens to the public this morning, it is proposed to continue the mention of those works. which most attracted the writer’s attention in his first walks around the galleries of the National Acudemy. After this second general notice of the collection the differ- ent galleries will be trested of separately. One of the best ttle landscapes in the exhibition— full of the drear sentiment of the last days of our American fall—is J. C. Nicolls’ “Twilight, Late Autumn” (11), in the North Room. Louis ©. ‘Tiffany's “Fruit Market, Geneva" (101), in the centre of the south wall of the same gallery, is a coarsely treated, effective work, in which the sunlight is real. The possibilities peculiar to water colors are totally ignored in Mr. Tiffany’s method of painting in them. He docs so well, how- ever, with opaqué that we should for once like to see him paint in transpurentcolor. On either side of the ‘Tiffany are Arthtr Quartley’s sterling little studies wonderfully pure and real in color, “Sketch from Nature, Keyport, N. J." (99), and “Dry Bones” (104), "The latter is a veritable little artistic gem. “Sketch, Evening” (29), is @ neat and charming J, D. Smillie, Kruseman Van Elten’s “Morning, Westchester County” (26), is rather pleasing, but not up to Ris stan. dard, being somewhat wishy-washy anc ineffective- “The Flag of Truce” (25) is one of I. P. Pranish- nikoff’s always interesting, careful, very clever, though rather unartistic productions. The action of the mounted oflicer who waves the white flag on the point of his sword is admirable, and the lifelike little face is marvellously well painted. The horse's hind quarters are weak in foreshortening, and the upstretched right arm of the Russian is larger than his leg. Admirable character and good color are seen in Henry Muhrman's striking study of an old smoker, called “Meditation” (46). “Bow Window, Alsace,” by Julius Scheldorn, is an effective little sketch, One of the most noticeable works in the East Room is William M. Chase’s “A Carpet Bazaar’ (163), which is perfectly dazzling in its real effect of sun- light. Throughout it is effective, and a noticeable point is the skilful manner in which the face of the stauding figure is touched in. Maurice Poirson’s “Drifting’’ (154) is false in color, but there is a charming senti- ment in the face of the girl, who has just dropped the oars. “Waiting” (163%), @ young lady out for a morning ride waiting on arise in the road for her escort, is the best picture Ivan Pranishnikoff exhib- its. The trim figure and handsome face of the fair uestrienne are adinirably painted with Meissonier- like minuteness. ‘Ihe horse, howev seems to ra good deal of ground, and the sheen on his is secon with most remurkable distinctness by the power of Chinese white. ¥. Hopkinson Smith sends but one. picture this ear, which is on the line in the corridor, and will noted later. He bas, however, an interesting | series of exceedingly creditable outdoor studies, en- titled “The Home Life of the Trees.” ‘An Early Settler” (186), one of these, occupies ® position of honor in the East Room. The little study by Wins- low Homer, “Girl in a Wind’ (177), is the first we come to of the admirable series of small figures in landscape settings which are some of the results of the artist's last summer's work. These were written of in these columns at length some time ago, when in his studio, and now form one of the salicnt features of the exhibition, The little figure in No. 177 is in strong sunlight and is well |. The representation of the effect of the wind on the girl's clothes is very clever. These little works of Mr. Homer haye the real feeling of nature in them and are individual in every touch. The salient features which the first quick glance at subjects impressed upon him are what he has tran: ferred to his paper in so remarkable a manner, A. Kappe’s “The Jewel” is full of character and humor. An oid father and mother have come to see the pre- cious grandchild which their daughter holds in her arms with pride. Francis A. Silva's “Fisherman's Home” is well drawn, chalky in color and remarkable for the real effect of sunlight and air, Walter Satterlee’s “Por- trait” can hardly be called # success in any way. John Wiggins should bi had some thought of the effect on the minds of visitors when he painted those ghoul-like cabs which stand in a row on Madison square in his otherwise rather creditable “Winter Morning” (151), ‘The utterly disproportion- ate side windows of the cabs follow one around the gallery like so many cyclopean eyes. In the West Koom, hung near each other, are four of the best of Winslow Homer's small studies, “Watching Sheep” (227), “Sketch from mene (eats “In the Orchard” (24) and “Girl on a Garden Seat’ (235). 8. G. McCutcheon has, in 268, a good study of the fireplace at the John Howard Payne home- stead. A dashing, hreexy little le of K. Swain Gifford is “A Corner of the 5 ‘Turning into the Black and White Pp first light on « frame of ‘Decorative fy wood cuts, pt.’ with p= is one, are 4 1 a Sketch’’ (692) ix an 6 bit of Work Shirlaw, 1770" (598) is a ven re in 1 pen ead ink by Bobert Blum, of an Old Woman (544), by G. Jakobides, loaned by masterly dra’ in Ted chalk. v and ink seen in the collection of heads by G, Reynolds, “Dr, Francis’ Old New York’’ (473). A female portrait head by Walter Shirlaw is charming 5 cusmansioy i and most subtly modelled. A strik i sketch, with a fine play of light and is Eoony Muhrman’s Curiosity Chamber in the Attic. Among i etchings, to woich we Cr carole pees + when reached, we note examples ford, J. D. Smillie, Henry Farrar, Blum, Brennan and Faleouer. The latter are # revelation of powers i the author which we never dreamed of. THE KNOEDLER SALE. There will be placed on public exhibition this morning at the Leavitt Art Rooms, previous to their sale on the evenings of the 11th and 12th inst., a col | lection of pictures belonging to the estate of the late Michael Knoedler, head of the well known art firm of Knoedler & Co., of this city, They are sold by order of the executors. A number of the paintings will be familiar to the public as having been exhibited in the gallery of the firm, Though there are many in the collection of 160 canvases which are unimpor- tant as to name and execution, there are several quite notable works and a nuomber of examples of good quality of well known men. Following the catalogue the first important work we come to is Georges Becker's gorgeous half length life size figure, “A Moorish Princess,” The next num- ber belongs to the most striking work in the collec. tion, if we xcept a Munkacsy. It is called “Cupid Captured.” The wicked boy is lovely in his anger, as he strives with lowered head and contorted body to break his bonds. It is a strong work, charming in color, with an excellently drawn, well posed and modelled figure. The handsome, angered face is given in a most masterly way. A. Lesrelis seen in a solidly painted “Trumpeter.” ‘Penelope’ and “A Merveilleuse” represent Paul Leon Glaize. ‘The latter is noticeable for an excellent pose and a very carefully painted setting, Paczka's “A Monk’’ is a vigorous study of a head. “The Standard Bearer” is a cheap looking example of L. Bellanzoni, Innocenti’s “The Minuet,” despite its too prevailing greens, is a pleasing work, with a daintily grouped and posed band of figures. A ‘Study of a Dog” bears the stamp of Constant Troyon. The story is an excele lent one and well told in Beyshlag’s ‘The Dreamer.” A daiuty, pleasingly colored’ wor, with a strong face, is D, Lossow's ‘Day Dreams.”’ J, Morero Carbonero wells an amusing story in an effective, skilful man- ner im _ his little “Improving the Master's Absence.” “The Flower Girl,” by Charles Brun, is a sympathetic, solidly painted little work, quict in color and fincly toned. Strained, jumbled, though pleasing colors, are re- marked in Kguaquiza’s rather tawdry “On. the Balcony.” We recognize ‘sgain the good sized Moyer yon Bremen, ‘Ti Well Learned Lesson.” Delicious, delicate Jacquet’s lissome touch isseen in the pretty but rather Tong t ce of the girl who is “Sad Weary.” A weil modelled tace in excellent light be- longs to Georges Becker's “Oriental iden.”” Leyen- decker’s ‘The Tunis” is stitfly but tairly painted, and very uninteresting. Mezoli’s “On the Danube’ is admirable. ‘Yheodore. Poilpot’s “The Sleigh"—a scene of the Gallo-Romanic times—is a good piece of work, with an interesting motive. * ame la Marquise,” a lite like, charmingly costumed large figure, does credit to Pietrasanta. ‘Of Munkacsy’s sterling painting, “The Idle Appren- tice,” sufticient has been said on its first appearance some time ago. William Rauber's ‘Travelling Ac- uaintances”’ isa dashingly and well told :ittle story. be Penne’s ‘Hounds’ are lifelike. J. G. Vibert’s rdinal and Bearer of Despatches”’ is an aqnarelle better in color than his oil paintings, and one of his cleverly given and characterful scenes. Leon Perrault’s life size figure of a girl ‘At the Church Door” is a.strong work, Note how exquisitely mod- elled, real in flesh tones and expressive the face is. Leyendecker’s historical scene is famillar to all visitors to the Goupil Gallery, and is a very interesting, carefully executed canvas. Among the other works we note Meissonier’s solid “The Two Mothers,” Jimenez’s jaunty “In the Park,” Toul mouche’s delicious “Reflections” and ‘Companion, the minute little Vibert, “The Mountebank ;”’ Sinkel's “Mother and Child,” Marie Collart’s strong landscape, Velten’s “The Hunting Party,” David Johnson's “Wallkill River,” a couple of bewitching Bruneris, Shreyer’s ‘‘Bedouins on the March,” and Leto’s dash- ing little “Caught Ina Storm,” Some of the other names represented are Bruck-Lajos, D. R. Knight, Koujeron, Carpentier, Valles, Peraire, Wahlberg, Piltz, Hugo, Kautimann, Pecrus, Lambinet, Cice! Schenck, Kobie, Voltz, Desgoffe and Coomans. THE ART JOURNAL, ‘The Art Journal for February has just been re ceived from the publishers, D. Appleton & Co. - The plates are Daniel Maclese’s “The Banquet Scene in ‘Macbeth,’ engraved by C. W. Sharpe; J. L. Gérdme’s Guard House in Cairo,” strikingly etched by P. A. Rajon, and Ary Scheffer’s “Adora- tion,” engraved by J.C. Armytage. The impression from the latter is muddy in the second line of fig ures. The opening article, one of the series on “British Painters, about John Mac- Whirter, A. . S.A, and is accom: by three illustrations of his works. The first article of new series, “The Land of Egypt,” by Edward ‘Thomas Rogers, late British Consul at Caro, and his sister, Mary Eliza Rogers, is finely illustrated. Under the head of “Ameri Painters” Thomas Moran and James Rusling Meeker are writen about, and some of their works illustrated. The text illustmtions have already appeared in “American Painte: a work recently published by the Appletons. | Tho real- dence of James P, Kernochan is described in the series, “New York Interiors.” Two illustrations ac- company the article. A. J. Blow has an interest. ing and clever article on “American Domestic Archi- tecture.” Finally, Lucy H. Hooper has more to say about tke Paris pictures, GENERAL NOTES, ‘The features of the monthly art exhibition and rex ception of the Art Students’ League, which takes placo to-morrow evening, will be a number of black and white drawings loaned by Scribner & Co, and which are the originals of engravings in their magazine, some pictures and sketches loaned by A. H. Wyant, bus reliefs by O'Donovan, and foreign works loaned by S. P. Avery. ‘The Daily Graphic on Saturday had a double page of sketches by Weldon and Hartt after a number of the water colors at the Academy, Some ten are of the works illustrated which have not been reproduced in the Water Color Society's catalogue. Those of Reinhart's, Newell's Mtranda’s drawings are by the artists. The sketches are of good size, neatly and in afew cases remarkably well exe- cuted, Note those of Chase, Muhrman, and Tiffany's, Beckwith’s, Shirlaw’s, Miranda's, Van Eiten’s, le man’s and’ Baugnict’s’ works. Harper's Weekly ro- produced eleven of the drawings from the illustrated catalogue in the number dated February 8. The Parisian military painters are in » quandary, Shall they send their battle pieces to the Munich In- ternational Art Exhibition next July ? Munich seems willing, and why should they hesitate ? A new industrial museum and a museum of copies is to be built in one of the suburbs of Brus- ‘In, nels. The Musée of the Luxembourg, after being closed for some time, has been reopened to the public. Several new pictures have been hung, and six new sculptures placed. HARD ON THE LAWYERS, Since the Henatp published the facts in relation to the threatened contest over the will of Cornelia Wal- dron—the aged lady who died so suddenly a few weeks since, leaving a large estate—the eyes of the heirs have been opened, and they now see that a con- test means an exposé of all little family misunder- standings. The cry of nearly all is, therefore, for peace, Edward and William Higgins buried the hatchet several weeks since and were startled when the report in the Henatp indicated to them that an 1 important roving thet they had oked the, pipe ot Ppeuce, was buried fa the musty les of @ law office rather than among the of the Surrogate’s Court, As to the veepiiur el es made, through attorney: by William Higgins against his brother Dr, Edward iggina, William now says he “did not see the notice fil ‘his attorneys until after it had been filed, or it would not have gone upon the record in the shape itdid.” He also says he “signed papers almost im- mediately thereafter (which was several weeks since) withdrawing his objections," and that “his brother Edward at the same time withdrew as executor,” Both these gentlemen allege that the stipulation signed by them was to have been placed on file im- mediately. CIGAR MAKERS’ WAGES. A mass meeting of cigar makers was held yesterday afternoon in Concordia Hall, Avenue A, to protest against a continued reduction in wages and to adopt plans for their protection, The large hall was nearly filled with German and Bohemian cigar makers, many females being present. KE. Main was elected chairman and Mr. M, Wurtz secretary, The chair- man, after calling the ieeting to order and explain- ing the object tor which they had met, introduced John Schaefer, who, after delivering an address in German, read along preamble and a series of resolu- tious denouncing the tenement house system, ‘The following comparative schedule of prices paid now oe with the prices paid in 1869 was then Seo. . Mixed Havana. oe 10 ig TR sd on differen’ gredee of etgetei—= 100, 810, Bid B1G. $18; 1819, 84, 90, 89, 812,