Forthcoming Masterpieces.
"It is not often," says a writer of what is called "Literary
Intelligence," "that a novelist adopts a living fellow-worker as the
central figure of his story. This is, however, the case with _My Lady of
the Moor_, which Messrs. LONGMANS will shortly publish for Mr. JOHN
OXENHAM. While wandering on Dartmoor he stumbled into a living actual
romance, of which Miss BEATRICE CHASE, author of several popular books
about Dartmoor, was the centre. This book tells the tale, which is named
after Miss CHASE, _My Lady of the Moor_, and it has of course been
written with her full consent and approval."
But the "Literary Intelligencer" did not know that Mr. OXENHAM is not
the dazzling innovator that he might be thought. Why, even at the moment
that Mr. OXENHAM was serving up Miss CHASE on toast, but always, of
course, with perfect taste, Miss CHASE was performing the same culinary
business for him. For her next novel, to be entitled with great charm
_My Gentleman of the Cheek_, will present a faithful picture of the
gifted JOHN and the figure he cut on Dartymoor all among the thikkies
and down-alongs and tors.
Mr. HALL CAINE, having just been pleading in public for more War realism
from literary artists, has in preparation a fascinating new romance
entitled _Marie of Stratford_, which depicts, with all this master's
restraint, power and genius, various phases in the life of a
sister-novelist of whose existence he has recently heard. Nothing at
once so charming and so arresting has been published for days.
It is announced that Miss MARIE CORELLI, who for too long has vouchsafed
nothing fresh to her countless admirers, has just completed the (Isle
of) Manuscript of a story which, like all her works, is epoch-making.
Connoisseurs of literature, always eager for a new _frisson_, will be
fascinated to learn that this novel has for its subject a
fellow-novelist of whose retired existence she has but lately become
aware. It takes the form of a saga and is entitled _Hall of the Three
Legs_. Editions of a size commensurate with the scarcity of paper are
being prepared.
Meanwhile we are informed that Mr. TASKER JEVONS is at work upon a
trilogy of vast dimensions and meticulous detail, of which the heroine
is Miss MAY SINCLAIR.
* * * * *
"The General Manager, in reply, said: Seeing that the privilege
of addressing you in annual meeting comes to me once only in
every forty-four years of service, and having regard to the vast
interests included in this vote of thanks, there might be found
some excuse for elaboration of acknowledgment were it not that
discursiveness is entirely at variance with the habits of the
staff."
_Pall Mall Gazette._
After another forty-four years' silence we hope he will really let
himself go.
* * * * *
An Exchange of Ivories.
"Wanted, piano; dentist willing to make artificial teeth for
same, or part."
_Edinburgh Evening Despatch._
* * * * *
A Hint to the Censor.
"To cool hot journals apply a dressing made of 11 lb. blacklead,
23 lb. Epsom salts, 9 lb. sulphur, 2 lb. lampblack and 5 lb.
oxalic acid, mixed and ground together."--_Ironmonger._
* * * * *