The International Weekly Miscellany - Volume I, No. 2 | Page 8

little earth."
* * * * *
Emma is from the German, and signifies a nurse; Caroline, from the
Latin--noble minded; George, from the Greek-a farmer; Martha, from
Hebrew--bitterness; the beautiful and common Mary is Hebrew, and
means a drop of salt water--a tear; Sophia, from Greek--wisdom; Susan,
from Hebrew--a lily; Thomas, from Hebrew--a twin; and Robert, from
German--famous in council.
* * * * *
AUTHORS AND BOOKS.
* * * * *
Mr. James and Copyright.--It appears that the visit of Mr. G.P.R. James,
with which we are presently to be honored, is not, after all, solely for
the "gratification of the natural curiosity" of the author of the book with

so many titles, as some time ago he advised one of his correspondents
here. The London News observes incidentally: "The long-vexed
question of an international copyright with our transatlantic cousins
shows symptoms of rising to a speedy crisis. Up to a recent period the
Yankees had all the advantage of the defective state of the law. They
could steal freely from our literary richness; whereas, not only had they
little of their own to be robbed of, but their handful of authors took
very good care to secure English publishers, and, therefore, English
copyrights, for their works. This defense, however, a recent law
decision has wrested from the Coopers and Irvings of the States; so that
English booksellers have now a perfect right to treat American authors
as American booksellers have long been in the habit of serving English
authors. And there is something just in this lex talionis. If Dickens, may
be reprinted and sold for a shilling in New York, why may not Cooper
be reprinted and sold for a shilling in London? At all events, the
reprisal system will possibly incline our Yankee neighbors to listen to
reason, and to favor the embassy which Mr. James, the novelist, is to
undertake to the States, with a view of making preliminary
arrangements for a full and satisfactory code directed against all future
international literary free-booting."
* * * * *
Albert Smith and "Protection."--The Spectator, misled by a statement
in the Morning Post, to the effect that a Mr. Albert Smith was present,
by invitation, at a Protectionist meeting at Wallingford, made some
caustic remarks on the supposed adhesion of the witty novelist to the
cause of dear bread. The latter, astounded thereby, sends the Spectator
a note, in which he says:
"The Sphinx, at which you pleasantly affirm I came home laughing
from Egypt, never propounded a darker puzzle to any of its victims
than you have to me. From last week's Spectator I learn, for the first
time, that I was at a Protection meeting at Wallingford on some
particular day, and that I wept at the prices of 1845. Allow me to assure
you that I never was at Wallingford in my life: nor, indeed, did I ever
attend a public meeting anywhere. I have not the slightest notion what

the prices--I presume of corn--were in 1845; and I should never think
of expressing an opinion, in any way, upon politics, except against that
school which abuses respectability and philanthropizes mischievous
rift-raff."
* * * * *
R.H. Stoddard is preparing for the press of Ticknor, Reed & Fields, a
collection of his Poems, to include most of those he has contributed to
the periodicals since the appearance of his "Footprints," two years ago.
The book will be welcomed by the lovers of genuine poetry. Mr.
Stoddard is a young man of unquestionable genius, and we have been
pleased to observe that there is a decided improvement from time to
time in his compositions, indicating the industry and wise direction of
his studies, in refinement of taste, elegance of finish, and a rapid and
vigorous expansion of his imagination. His masterpiece, thus far, is The
Castle in the Air, fitly praised by our neighbor of the Albion, as one of
the finest productions of the present time. We do not know of any poet
at home or abroad to whose fame it would not have added new luster.
In the July number of the Knickerbocker we find the following "Dirge,"
which is not unworthy of him:
There's a new grave in the old church-yard, Another mound in the snow;
And a maid whose soul was whiter far, Sleeps in her shroud below.
The winds of March are piping loud, And the snow comes down for
hours; But by-and-by the April rains Will bring the sweet May flowers.
The sweet May flowers will cover her grave Made green by the April
rain; But blight will lie on our memories. And our tears will fall in
vain!
* * * * *
Inedited Correspondence of Goethe and Schiller.--By many friends of
German literature it will be