Literary Notes

Harpeu's Magazine for April !s a biilllant oumber, with sixty-eiaht illiiftratimis, and an unusnal rartaty of exccedinffly interesting reading-matter. 'l'lie IV mlispicre of the nuinber. is a characteristic porlrait of Abraham Lincoln, trom a photojrraph taken before he becarae president. Mr. Wendell Phillips Garnson, who is the owner of tbis piiotojrrapli, eonirlbutes a pnein, entitled 'The Vtaion of Abraham Lincoln, Apiil 14, 18G5." The most important of the il'.ustrated anieles is a personal sketch of the Prince of Wille?, by Willhun liowaid Russell. uperbly illiistmled from drawillgg, by I!. Uatnn Woodvilli;, A C Uorbould, Sidney P. Hall and others. The long-promiscd series of Baltic sketelu- by F. i) Millet is begun in tuis number, under the tille of "AYVild-Goose Chase,'' characteristically illustrated f rum drawings by the author und H Swain Giflbrd. James Lane Allen contri butes a hutnorous story, entitled " Too Much Momentum," and there is a very curiousatid nteresting short tale by Annie Triinibiill Slosson, entitled "How Faith C.une and Went." A MAN OF DESTINY. By Siva. Letters AIDRSSEI TO OROVhR CUBVKIjANI), PltKSIDKNT-KLECT. 12M ¦. t'l.nTH, (1 00. PAIKR COVERS, SUC. ÜELrORD, Cl.AKKI A CO., Chicago and Jet York. Since the days of the fainous "Letters of JuiiiuV few writiiifrs have commandi'd so mucb attentiou hs i hese Letten ut Siva t a President-Elect. They have been frequetitly and deservedly compared with the "Letters of Junins," while in the Judgmeut of somc of the ablest ei itics, they ai e regarded as beinx farin ad vanee of ilmsr r.in:i] kalilr epifllcs. For inagterly grasp of the subjecls disenssed, for Keen and subtle satire, for an exhaustive survey of the whole political situation, ihey stand unmatehed in the politir.al literature of töis generation. They first made thcir appearance In the form of a eries ol letters published in the öaturday cdition ol' tlii' Cliicago Inter-Ocean. The very tirst letter strnck fire, and each sucCflsding letter bas added to the popuhtrity of the series. These letters contain not only a kt-en and merciless dissection ot the person to whoin they are addressed, liut they present In gu-trp and vivid out line the political history of the past flve and twenty years. No man has a keener eye thau "Öiva" to the perils that beset tlie new ailministration, and with wellpoised lance he pierces to the very heart ol these prospeitive difficulties. Ñothing more pungent or bitter bas been published coiiceniinj: a public m:in or agre.it party for many years. Those immediately joncerned may console thcmselves that the worst that can be said has been said In the worst way. The fact that they liave been publislied auonymously, adds reatly to their vulue. They challenge attentionon their OWB nierits ai.d not on the reputation of their author. Much curlosity has been minifested concerning their authoiship, and the common questionof to-dny is, "Who is Siva?" The most thoiightfnl readers are at a loss for an answer. These letters have been ascribed in turn to the Hou. J. G. Blalne, Hon. W. M. Evarts, Hon. Roscoe Conkllng, Col. E. G. Ingeisoll, Judjfe Tournee, Hon. E. B. Washburne, Charles A. Dana, Hon. Emory A Stcirr-, ' Guil Hamilton," D. K. Loeke, Oeneral Orant, Gen. B. M Prentiss, Margaret Sullivan, James Redp:ith, and other distinguislied ])ersons. This fact alone Is ovidenco of their remarkable charactcr. Tbere oan be no doubt that these "Letters of Siva'' are destined to exert a great influence thioughout the whole land. They are addre-sed in the flrsl instance to a prrsident-tlect, but they derive to be rund and pondvnd by every tuotigtful American.