up and follow the chase farther. He might be worse occupied than in
tracing out the original John Trilby MacFarlane, and whence he got his
English-sounding name, his fairy powers and his connection with Saint
Columba--the last probably from Nodier himself, who may have been
reading Montalembert's "Monks of the West" before setting out upon his
pilgrimage. Mr. Dole, by the way, irreverently converts the Dove of the
Churches into a "Saint Columbine," unknown to any respectable
hagiographer. Think, Mr. Lang, what a delightful coil this romancing
Frenchman, let loose among your Hielan' men, fairies, monks and Scotch
novels, has made for you to straighten out, and how many strange
discoveries may be made while you are about the job!

Miss Smith (2) has prepared another translation of Nodier's story, and,
though there is little choice between her version and Mr. Dole's, we
prefer it. It seems a trifle less exact, but it is more idiomatic; and,
if anything, she perhaps intensifies the local color a little, which
does not do the tale any harm. Her book is got up in tartan cover; Mr.
Dole's has a design adapted from Paul Konewka.

* * * * *

Mr. Richard Mansfield has secured from Estes & Lauriat the right to
dramatize and produce Mr. Dole's translation of Nodier's "Trilby, le
Lutin d'Argail."

Nodier's "Trilby, le Lutin d'Argail"

It was not long after the appearance of "Trilby" that our readers
detected the French origin of the name of Mr. du Maurier's heroine. The
story of the unearthing of this delightful French fairy-tale may be
followed in this series of communications to _The Critic_:

On looking over Roche's "Prosateurs Francais," I find that one of the
"plus jolis" contes of Charles Nodier (1788-1844) is entitled "Trilby";
therefore the title of du Maurier's much-bought novel is not original
with him. I should be pleased if any reader of _The Critic_ would inform
me as to the plot of Nodier's story.

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI RECTORY,

WM. J. MCCLURE,

MT. KISCO, N. Y., 29th Oct., 1894.

* * * * *

The following lines occur in the "Reponse a M. Charles Nodier" of Alfred
de Musset:--

"Non pas cette belle insomnie
Du genie
Ou Trilby vient, pret a chanter,
T'ecouter."

This would seem to offer some clue to the origin of the name chosen by
Mr. du Maurier for his heroine. Can you enlighten me as to the identity