Literary Notes

No foreign statesinan has so iirm a hold on American aduniration as Mr. Gladstone. So ürm indeed is his hold that few sharp reviews of his career are ever seen hy American readers. The criticism of" Gladstone, therefore, whieh his oíd friend Thomas Hughes, author of "Torn Brown at Rugby" contributes to the September Forum is a novelty in periodieal literature. With the September number the Forum enters its eighth volume, and its publishers announce that there has not been a single month in its career when it bas not made a permanent increase in its number of readers. lts subscribersat the beginning of the Sth volume are fifty per cent. more than they were at the beginning of the 6th volume one year ago. Th is is proof that the kind of articles which the Forum presents - discussions of important present problems by the best writers that it can employ - iinds an increasing number of readers. I.ora, the Mojor's Ottngtiler. Worthington Company announce for immediate publication Heimburg's new novel, "Lora, the Major's Daughter," translated by Mrs. J. W. Davis, profusely illustrated with photogravures, 1 vol. 12mo, cloth $1.25, in paper covers 75 cents, (325 pages 5] x 7 ; ) This, the third novel by W. Heimburg, publ8hed by Worthington Co., deepens the admirable impression that "Gertrude's Marriage " and "Two Daughters of One Race," have made. Lora is a pathetic story of modern life, full of color, action. incident and interest. The heroine, Lora von Tollen, is a noble creation, a representative of the highest circles of society whose oharaoter is drawn with rare skill, spirit and cleverness. The drama of the story is handled with conBummate trrace, and altogether it is the best story Heimburg has so far written. It is issued in the refinec! style of its predecessors superbly illusirated with photogravures and f)rinted froin clean cut type on white aid paper. It is bound in cloth and in paper covers. The September Century contains a paper on Napoleon Bonaparte of unusual interest and importance, beinjr cotemporary accounts, by British officers, of the ex-Emperor's exile to Elba, his voyage to St. Helena, and life on that island. Not the least valuable part of this record consista of the conversations here preserved with Napoleon on soine of the most prominent passages of his career. The Lincoln instalment is crowded with absolutely new material, and has to do mainly with Lincoln's triumphant re-election. An article appropriate to the season is Mr. Hamilton Gibson's ingenious and original study of butterfly and plant life, accompanied by illustrations by the author. Mr. Payne, whose article on " The Pharoah of the Bondage" will be remembered, presents an illustrated study of the identity of "The Pharoah of the Exodus and his Son" - in the light of their rnonuments. George Kennan closeshis account of " The Kara Political Prison," in an article devoted to the tragic history of the institution. Another illustrated article is Emmet O'Brien's account of "Telegraphy in Battle," during the civil war. In fiction thdre is the second instalment of Joel Cnandler Harris's " The oíd Bascom place;" a etriking, strange, true story, by Cable, "Atalie Bouillard," and a story by Mrs. Eichberg King, "Jufrow Van Stein," illustrated by Edwards. The latter is a companion story to the same author's "Papa Hoorn's Tulip." James .leffrey Roche has a poem on " 'Albemarie' Cushing," and there are other poems by Charlotte Fisk Bates, Langdon Elwyn Mitchell, Louise Morgan-Smith, Nathan Haskell Dole and Richard E. Burton. "Ballot Reform Progress," and "Eight Hours a Day," are treated editorially. Brander Mathews contributes a timely "Open Letter," on the "Centenary of Fenimore Cooper," and " Bric-aBrac" contains contributions by Clinton Scollard, J. A. Masón, George Birdseye, etc.