Images de page
PDF
ePub

OCT. 1, 1866.

because they had been told: If you recognize lite- of $300 for life for the copyright of all his works. rary property as property, you disarm the govern- An ordinary hostler asks $65 more a year than this ment of its supremacy over intellect. It is because man of genius received; and the strange sight was the existence of literary property has been denied to be witnessed of M. Perrotin being driven to his that governments have been able to establish censors country-seat by a man who received more for his and so many other restrictive measures. M. Riche manual labor than the genius did who in great part (the government commissioner) opposed the per- supported master, man, horses, and carriage. Can petuity of literary property on the ground that, if it you wonder at the animosity felt here towards pubwas granted, inventors would, with good ground of lishers? The other anecdote to which I will refer reason, claim the same privilege. He added, Messrs. likewise relates to Alfred de Musset. Tired of Villemain, Cousin, and Sainte Beuve were opposed M. Charpentier's selfishness, he went to see M. to the perpetuity of literary property. M. Thiers Hachette to get him to purchase his copyright. was likewise opposed to it. He said: "Ideas and The poet's health had begun to decline. M. Hastyle were like the water received from a higher chette said to him: "I will willingly purchase the neighbor with which one fertilizes one's own soil, copyright, and pay you thrice the amount of money and then transmits it to the neighbor below him." you ask; but upon one condition-you must marry He said the only people who would be benefited by before the contract is made. Were you to die in a it would be great publishers' and authors' creditors. year or two, unmarried, the copyright would soon M. Nogent de St. Laurens followed, and denied that expire, and I should lose money." The poet dethe fact of publication destroyed the author's title clined. He thought (Frenchman-like!) the misery in his book any more than the farmer sold his estate less to be harassed by creditors than to be curtainwhen he sold the wheat it grew. He denied the lectured by a wife. So he returned to Shylock. possibility of heirs or creditors suppressing books. You are now prepared for the necrological list of He said publishers agreed that the effect of the ex- the fortnight. It happens to be mournful. I copy piration of copyright was to bring into the market from a Paris newspaper: "In opening my letters I editions with shameful texts, which annually grew find a note which oppresses my heart. One of our worse. M. Paul Dupont said the misfortune was brethren, a young fellow of seven-and-twenty, as that the law did not take sufficient care of the living brave and good a fellow as ever lived, has just died author, whose position was precarious, and often in harness, and I may add, without fear of rousing dependent upon a publisher. Bernardin de St. too late remorse (for he was alone in the world), Pierre found the greatest difficulty in obtaining a Malbousquet died of poverty, perhaps of hunger. publisher for his "Studies of Nature," which was Last Friday he came to this newspaper office to only published because a journeyman printer, struck know the fate of an article which he had brought by the charm of the ideas and style, persuaded his the previous day. The article was accepted. He master to print the first edition. Aimé Martin wrote had the satisfaction of seeing the proof-sheets, and an excellent work on the education of women, he went away happy, although he had not dared to which he sold for $160. He insisted that the govern- say to us, 'If you would pay me in advance, I shall ment should enable the Literary Men's Society to dine this evening.' Nothing could lead us to think come to the assistance of literary men by aiding he waited for this paltry sum to supply pressing them at the outset, protecting them against embar- wants. He died the next day at two o'clock. rassments, and protecting their works after them. Malbousquet was not my friend. I scarcely was He proposed this society's treasury should receive acquainted with him. I met him accidentally at one per cent. on all works whose copyright has Nice five years since; met him afterwards at the expired which may be published hereafter. Such office of 'Le Nain Jaune,' and in some other newsis a rapid analysis of the general discussion on the paper offices. Although this was all my acquainquestion. I omit the debate on each article, and I tance with him, when I heard the intelligence of must forbear an analysis of M. Ste. Beuve's re- his sudden death, attended with such distressing port, for want of space. Suffice it to say, author's circumstances, I could not help feeling grief. When copyright in France is now extended to fifty years. one of our brethren falls a victim to the struggle, we I would mention two anecdotes told in the debate, bitterly remember how hard we found our first efor which grew out of it. M. Paul Dupont (a well- forts, the humiliations we bore, the tortures which known publisher and printer; the works he issues wrung us, our sterile anger, our ungratified desires, are connected chiefly with the public service) stated and we pity with all our soul the poor fellow who that the publisher of Aimé Martin's work made takes his departure before he has avenged himself $20,000 by it, and that the same publisher gave on men and things, before he has gathered the fruit, $400 for the copyright of Alfred de Musset's works. bitter though it may be, of this long and painful M. Charpentier was the publisher alluded to. He novitiate. It was particularly painful for Malboushas published a card denying he made $20,000 by quet; but he did not complain or let anybody see Aimé Martin's work, and declaring he paid Alfred his wounds. He would every morning come on de Musset at least $6,000 copyright on his works. foot to Paris from Fontenay-aux-Roses (a village The reading public have heard this statement with some six miles south of Paris), and after wasting indignation. Alfred de Musset is as popular here the day in fruitless solicitations, barren visits, and as Mr. Tennyson is in England; his books are in humiliating appeals, he would walk back to Fonteeverybody's hands; yet for all his works he received nay-aux-Roses, saying to himself, Maybe I shall be only $6,000, while newspapers gave him $1,000 for more fortunate to-morrow.' And he set to work any story or piece he would write, and the theatres again, and allayed the pangs of hunger by thinking would pay him $30 or $60 every night they played the lines he traced with a feverish hand represented one of his pieces. M. Charpentier has become very future meals." Is not this melancholy? Its sudwealthy, and he sells more of Alfred de Musset's denness is heightened by the consciousness that than he sells of all his other publications put toge- the poor fellow's misfortune was due to a common ther; nevertheless, he paid the poet who built his mistake. He forgot-as so many forget-that a estate only $6,000, and as this insignificant amount longer novitiate is required in literature than in any of money was paid him in driblets of $50 and $100 other profession. No man thinks of adopting the at a time, the poet had not even the advantage of law, or medicine, or engineering as a profession drawing interest on this capital. Beranger fared unless he is the master of money enough to support scarcely better. M. Perrotin gave him an annuity him in the school and during the first years of pro

ОСТ. 1, 1866.

I will start you; I will protect you, and through my exertions you will attain the goal you seek.' The only thing they do attain is-the river."

I intended to announce to you the death of M. Théodore Muret; but this letter has already reached such a length that I must postpone a sketch of his life to my next letter.

fessional life. But almost every man thinks he can let us, therefore, be courageous enough to brand earn money as a writer from the very outset, even these merciless men, no matter who they are, who though, as is often the case, he is ignorant of ortho- do not even pay the work done for them, and which graphy and syntax. We should hear a great deal appears under their name. This is their reasoning: less about the distress of young literary men if theyMy young friend, it is true I do not pay you; but would consent to use those assistances which are at hand during their novitiate. The most eminent writers recommend these assistances as protections to the dignity, as aids to the improvement and rapid success of the literary man. Spinoza polished glasses for optical instrument-makers while meditating and writing his extraordinary philosophical treatises. Franklin supported himself as a printer. I have been-I will not say negligent, but unforM. Michelet refused to earn bread by writing as a tunate, recently, in the bibliographical portion of hack, and supported himself by teaching until he my letters. Want of space has obliged me to omit felt himself able to write. M. Rénan supported it for some time past. Let me repair lost time by himself by teaching school until he ascertained that telling, in as brief space as I may, all the bibliohe was sufficiently master of his pen to draw sup-graphical intelligence likely to interest you. I port from it. M. Prévost-Paradol likewise supported may mention, in the first place, the publication of himself during his literary novitiate by teaching. Louis de Beaufort's "Dissertation on the UncerM. Taine, long after he became well known as an tainty of the First Five Ages of Roman History," author, continued to teach. Some of his friends which is supposed to have suggested to Niebuhr his expressed their astonishment. He replied: "I wish famous doubts; "The Correspondence of the Reto write only when, where, and as I please, and no formers in Countries where French was Spoken" (a author can enjoy this independence unless he is great many unpublished documents relating to able to do without editors of newspapers and pub-Calvin and other French reformers will appear in lishers. I have allotted to myself a minimum of this collection); P. Enfantin's "Intellectual Credit;" fortune, which I regard as indispensable to comfort the eighth volume of the Marquis d'Argenson's able material life; and when I shall have attained" Journal and Memoirs;" the twenty-fifth volume of it, I shall philosophize at my pleasure." Mme. the "Memoirs of the Academy of Inscriptions and George Sand supported herself by painting fans Belles Lettres;" A. A. Pihan's "Etymological Dicuntil her pen supplied her with a sufficient income. tionary of French Words derived from Arabian, Young authors ought to bear these examples in Persian, and Turkish;" a selection of the miscelmind, and to imitate them. There are a great many laneous works of St. Evremond, by C. Giraud; employments where the literary neophyte may earn H. Bazin "On the Condition of Artists in Greek his livelihood while he is fitting himself for his new Antiquity" (De la Condition des Artistes), 272 pp. profession. If he disdains these, from some dis- 8vo.; Ch. Benard, "Short Treatise, or Philosophicreditable vanity, and resolves to have no bed and cal Dissertation, with a Method for the Study of no board but such as his inexperienced pen may Philosophical Authors" (Petit Traité), 3f.; J. provide, he cannot complain if a life of hardship Bourlot, "General Geology; Reactions of the High and a premature grave are his portion. Temperature and Movements of the Internal Igneous Sea on the Globe's External Crust" (Géologie Générale), 108 pp. 8vo.; second volume of "Complete Works of Brantome" (published by Society of History of France), 9f.; Rev. Father P. Chocarne, "Private and Religious Life of Abbé Lacordaire," 692 pp. 8vo. ; the second part (Ab-Act) of the "Historical Dictionary of the French Language" (published by the French Academy); A. Du Casse, "Gen. Arrighi de Casanova, Duke of Padua,” 1st vol., 456 pp. 8vo.; Ed. Laboulaye, "Translation of Franklin's Memoirs, with Notes," 3f. 50c.; Dr. P. Garnier's "Annual Dictionary of the Progress of Medical Sciences and Institutions," 6f.; J. E. Marconis, "La Tribune Maçonnique, or a Selection of Discourses on all Masonic Subjects," 5f.; E. Mulsant, Monography of Coccinellides," 1st part, 298 pp. 8vo.; Alex. Pierron, "Voltaire and his Masters, an Episode of the History of the Humanities in France," 3f.; Abbé Cochet, "The Lower Seine, Considered Historically and Archæologically," 15f.; A. Tobez, "France under Louis XV.," 6f.; and P. Clement,

66

Since I am touching on the calamities of authors, let me quote a paragraph from another newspaper: The history of the secretaries of some celebrated men would be a lamentable chronicle. In our literary circles everybody is familiar with it; but the public know nothing about it. The public would scarcely believe, for instance, that an eminent philosopher (M. Victor Cousin ?) recently gave the unhappy slave whose intellect and science he had farmed $16 a month and a daily cup of chocolate for fourteen hours of daily lábor! The cup of chocolate is the best invention of this beneficent man. At first he gave his secretary an hour for him to breakfast, but as the wretch lived a long ways off, he sometimes remained an hour and a half absent. The philosopher soon discovered that he would have a considerable profit if he made his Serf swallow a cup of chocolate in five minutes. He gave it to him boiling hot, and in a few minutes afterwards exclaimed, Now let's to work again! In this way there was little time lost, and the correction of proof-sheets or the translation of Greek" The Police under Louis XIV.," 7f. 50c. G. S. philosophers went on faster than ever. Another quite as illustrious as the former treats his secretaries kindly. He does not pay them any better than the philosopher, and makes them work quite as hard; but he is always full of fun. One evening one of his colleagues in the French Academy said to him: 'I met by accident this week three of your old secretaries; they seemed half dead. Do you founder these poor young men?' The other replied, 'Oh dear, no! I only run them down at the heel a little.' The race of Chattertons raise little -ympathy in my breast. But all these suicides do not belong to this race; some die of hard work. So

NOTES ON BOOKS AND BOOKSELLERS. PUBLISHERS' TRADE LISTS.-In our present number will be found the proposition of Mr. Howard Challen, who desires to obviate the inconvenience now experienced by the retailers of books, in consequence of the many different sizes of the trade lists and cata-. logues of publishers. We have referred to this disadvantage on several occasions, and trust the Trade will patronize Mr. Challen's plan, at least so far as to enable him to test it thoroughly, and develop the advantages he believes it to possess.

OCT. 1, 1866.

LITTLE, BROWN & Co.'s LAW PUBLICATIONS.-The give still greater completeness to the series and rapidity with which Little, Brown & Co. are issuing bring it down to the present day. The set is now their numerous and valuable law publications, is comprised in one hundred and thirty volumes, and highly commendable to that house, which seems to in it are found Milton, Spenser, Shakspeare, Pope grow in energy as it grows in years. Within the Dryden, Swift, Thomson, Cowper, Goldsmith, Gray, last fortnight we have received from them the Burns, Campbell, Scott, Coleridge, Byron, Hood "Annual Digest," 2 vols., "Hilliard on Torts," 2 Keats, Shelley, Southey, Moore, Herbert, Words vols., "Wheaton's International Law," 1 vol., and worth, and many others. The present list of Tick"Redfield on the Law of Wills," 1 vol. It requires nor & Fields forms a natural supplement to such a large investments of capital to manufacture this collection, including as it does the poems of Tennyclass of books, and they appeal to a comparatively son, Browning, Kingsley, Barry Cornwall, Leigh small circle of buyers. Yet here are about four Hunt, Owen Meredith, Massey, Miss Mulock, Thackthousand five hundred pages of solid printed mat- eray, Adelaide Proctor, Swinburne, and others. ter, produced within a brief period of time, in addi- By this purchase Ticknor & Fields confirm their tion to issues in the Belles Lettres and general acknowledged position as leading publishers of Miscellaneous business of the firm. At the same poetry, and secure to themselves a list of poetical time, they announce works by Angell and Ames, publications unmatched by that of any publishing Bishop, and Drake, as nearly ready, and new works house in the world. In addition to their strength or editions by Angell, Blake, Curtis, Greenleaf, in editions of foreign poetry, their list shows that Perkins, Redfield, and Story, as in press. The legal they are the publishers of nearly all our principal literature of our country is growing, not only in American poets. Longfellow, Whittier, Lowell magnitude, but in intrinsic importance, and is Holmes, Emerson, Bayard Taylor, Saxe, Percival reflecting credit upon our country abroad. Indeed, Aldrich, and others are found there, and the whole the works of our own authors are fast displacing constitutes a catalogue of poetical riches nowhere to the annotated English text-books. No firm in the be surpassed. We learn that it is the intention of trade has labored more persistently or contributed the publishers to immediately reissue the British in divers ways more liberally to produce this grati- Poets in a new, elegant, and enlarged form. fying result than Little, Brown & Co.

MEMBERS OF THE TRADE ABROAD.-The American book trade has, during the past summer, been largely represented abroad. Mr. Joshua B. Lippincott, of this city, extended his visit to Europe until the close of the season. Mr. Robert H. Johnson, of New York, has been making very heavy purchases of choice, fine, and rare works in London, and will doubtless be able to present to his customers some novel and attractive volumes. Mr. S. C. Griggs, of Chicago, while in London and Edinburgh, added largely to a stock which rivals any other in our country, and excites the admiration of the East, as well as the wonder of the great West. At the same time, he extended his arrangements for direct importation to such a degree as to render him quite independent of agencies in the Atlantic cities. Mr. Ebbs, of Mohun & Ebbs, New York, has also made a personal selection, in London and Paris, of a diversified list of valuable and richly bound works, beautifully illustrated by the best masters of the art of book engraving. The West has been further represented by Mr. R. D. Barney, of the house of Robert Clark & Co., whose large and fine establishment in the Queen City has acquired a national reputation. Mr. Barney, by his enterprise, excellent taste, and general literary knowledge, has been enabled greatly to increase the facilities of his house, especially in the regular and prompt supply of English and French works of a rare and ornamental, as well as a standard character.

REMOVAL.-James S. Claxton, successor to Wm. S. & Alfred Martien, Philadelphia, has removed his book-store to the new and spacious premises, No. 1214 Chestnut Street.

LARGE TRANSFER OF POETICAL PROPERTY.-Ticknor & Fields announce that they have bought from Little, Brown & Co. the stereotype plates and the entire stock of the important and valuable series of books known as "The British Poets." This edition, prepared at great expense and with the utmost care, is the most complete and desirable collection of British poetry extant, and both in plan and execution has reflected great credit upon its projectors, Little, Brown & Co. They have now disposed of it to Ticknor & Fields, with the purpose of enabling the latter house to incorporate with it such of the later and living poets now included in its own list as will

This is the fir

NEW BOOKS.-The numerous readers and admirer of Marion Harland's works will be gratified to learn that a new work by this gifted author will shortly appear, entitled " "Sunnybank." continuous story from her pen since "Miriam, which was published in the fall of 1862; her later volumes have been composed of briefer tales ar sketches.

We doubt not this new book will b found worthy to rank with any of her former books so esteemed for their delineations of character and high moral tone.

The first book published by Marion Harland, and which admitted her at once to a place among the most able and successful novelists of our country was " Alone." Within a few months of its publica tion it reached a sale almost unprecedented by an American book. It will be sufficient to state tha the new volume "Sunnybank" reintroduces us t many of the pleasant acquaintances with whom w grew familiar in " Alone." It admits us to a galler of these life-pictures vivid with interest and truth ful to nature. This book will be published ear in October by Sheldon & Co.

The same publishers have in press, and w publish in a short time, a book for the holidays Marion Harland. It contains a few of her mo charming stories, and will be elegantly illustrate by wood engravings beautifully printed in thre tints, called "Christmas Holly."

The same publishers have also in press a ne volume by Spurgeon, entitled "Morning by Mor ing, or Daily Bible Readings," which will doubtle prove a very useful book to assist in the dai family devotions.

MESSRS. HURD & HOUGHTON have in press, for i mediate publication, an American edition of I William Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, under t editorship of Prof. H. B. Hackett, D. D., assisted many eminent scholars. The appendix will bei corporated into the body of the work, the referen verified, errors corrected, and numerous artie and engravings added, &c. &c.

BANCROFT'S HISTORY.-Little, Brown & Co., of B ton, will this day publish the ninth volume of George Bancroft's History of the United States. period embraced in this volume is from July, 17 to April, 1778, and the principal subjects treated are the Declaration of Independence and its eff

h

ост.

|

[ocr errors][merged small]

nounced that his publishers have already paid him

in Europe; the Battle of Long Island; Evacuation "ECCE HOмo" has reached its twelfth thousand in of New York; the Embarrassments of America; the England, and the demand still continues. The Course of Opinion in England; Border War, North author's name is not yet known; but if he prefers and South; White Plains; Fort Washington; Re-profits to fame, he is probably satisfied, for it is antreat through the Jerseys; Trenton and Princeton; the Constitutions of the several States; Preparations $30,000. in Europe and America for the Campaign of 1777; Evacuation of New Jersey by the British; Advance of Burgoyne; Bennington; Philadelphia Captured; Surrender of Burgoyne; the Confederation; Valley Forge. The tenth volume, which will bring the history down to the close of the War of Independence, and the recognition of the United States as a nation, is reported to be ready for the press, and will probably appear, with a good analytical Index, early next year. More fortunate than his great contemporary, Lord Macaulay, it has been the good fortune of Mr. Bancroft to complete his great history, which has already taken its place as a standard work.

OLD PLAYS.-James Russell Lowell is now editing a collection of Old Plays, from Marlowe to Dryden, which Little, Brown & Co., of Boston, will soon put to press.

THE" London Review" snubs "Punch." It says: "We cannot refrain from noticing, with regret, the badness of the illustrations, which, at one time the very perfection of comic art, are now, for the most part, neither comic nor artistic. The best thing in the current number is a little sketch of a hairdresser cutting the shaggy mane of a terrier, which is full of fancy and fun. Even Mr. Tenniel's cartoon is poor this week, and the large social illustrations are execrable. When we look back to the days of Leech and Doyle, we are conscious of a decline into something like barbarism-the result of a vicious style of drawing obstinately adhered to."

THE Oriental Translation Committee in London is about to resume its labors, after a lapse of two or three years. The "London Reader" says: "The Oriental Translation Fund was established in 1828 by several Oriental scholars and others interested in Eastern

"THE IMITATION OF CHRIST.”—The September num-literature, for the translation and publication of such ber of the "Contemporary Review," among other excellent papers, contains a fine article on the authorship of "The Imitation of Christ," in which the claims of Thomas à Kempis, as against St. Bernard, Gerson, and all others, are vigorously vindicated, both from internal and external evidence. As an illustration of the great number of copies of this work that have been produced, it is stated that in France alone there have been more than sixty translations and more than a thousand editions in French.

MR. THOS. F. DE VOR, the author of "The Market Book," the first volume of which, containing a history of the New York markets, was published a few years since, has been engaged for some time upon a work of a somewhat similar nature, but undoubtedly of more interest to the community at large. It is a descriptive history of all kinds of human food, such as is offered for sale in the various markets of the world, not only animal flesh, but fish, game, poultry, vegetables, fruits, etc. etc., giving the proper seasons for each, and rules for distinguishing the good from the unsound or unhealthy. The work will be illustrated with drawings by the author, who is a well-known practical butcher, and is regarded as an authority upon all subjects connected with markets. We see, by the "Round Table" of September 22, that the work is now in press, and will be published shortly. In this connection we might add that we look with interest for the second volume of Mr. De Vor's "Market Book," which, we understand, is devoted to the history of the Philadelphia markets.

works on Eastern history, science, and belles-lettres as are inaccessible to the European'public in MS. form and indigenous language. During a period of thirtytwo years the committee have published, or aided in the publication, of more than seventy translations. Of these many are highly valuable, all are curious and interesting, and several of them are of such a nature that, without the aid afforded by the society, they could scarcely have been undertaken. The Sanskrit translations include those of the Sankhya Karika, Rig Veda, and Vishnu Purana. Among those from the Arabic are found the travels of Ibn Batuta, and of the Patriarch Macarius, AlMakkari's history of the Mohammedan dynasties in Spain, and the extensive lexicon of Hajji Khalia. There are also on the list translations from the Persian, Syriac, Ethiopic, Armenian, Chinese, and Japanese languages."

"MEN OF LETTERS."-The "Athenæum" notices

the fact that two popular authors, holding superior appointments in the London post-office, are now running novels in English periodicals-Mr. Anthony Trollope "The Claverings" in the "Cornhill Magazine," and Mr. Edmund Yates "Black Sheep" in "All the Year Round." Mr. Trollope, born in 1815, and educated at Winchester and Harrow, is second son of the Mrs. Frances Trollope, whose "Domestic Manners of the Americans" caused so much excitement thirty-five years ago; and Mr. Yates, born in 1831, is son of the late Frederick Yates, actor and co-manager of the Adelphi Theatre, London, with the late Mr. Charles Mathews.

“STONEWALL" JACKSON.-We notice that there has Parliament a committee was appointed to receive DRAMATIC. During the last session of the British st been published in London the second and con- evidence and report upon the subject of theatres, uding volume of "The Life of Lieut.-General the increase of which has been very great of late homas J. Jackson," by Professor R. L. Dabney, years. Among the witnesses were Mr. Charles Kean, D., Richmond, Va., and it is advertised that the actor, and Mr. E. T. Smith, formerly lessee of the manuscript has been specially revised by Drury Lane Theatre, and now of Astley's and Creeneral Robert E. Lee." Nisbet & Co., who deal morne Gardens. Mr. Kean deposed that the aumost exclusively in what is called serious litera-diences of the American were much better behaved are, are the London publishers.

BURNS.-"The Bookseller" (published in London) ays that Mr. James McKie, of Kilmarnock, Scotand, who is collecting all the various editions of he Life and Works of Robert Burns, has made out list of nearly 200 volumes, comprising 125 differpublications. The list ought to be much larger. least thirty different editions of Burns have apared on this side of the Atlantic.

than those of the English theatres. Mr. Smith stated that, when he was lessee of Drury Lane Theatre, he had lost $15,000 by Mr. Charles Kean's engagement, and $17,500 by the engagement of the late Mr. G. V. Brooke. His opinion was that there are more theatres in London than there was deman for. At present there are only seven theatres open in London; by the end of the present month this number will be doubled.

OCT. 1. 1866.

[blocks in formation]

OBITUARY.-Mr. Sergeant Manning, an eminent English lawyer, who wrote a great deal of literary criticism, and particularly applied himself to philology, a study to which Max Müller has given such an impetus in England, is reported dead, at the ripe age of eighty-four.

[ocr errors]

AUTOGRAPHS. The correspondence of Josiah Wedgwood, the celebrated English potter, about 1500 letters, from crowned heads, as well as statesmen, artists, and literati, was sold by auction a few weeks ago, in London, for $110.

THE CAMBRIDGE SHAKSPEARE.-This fine edition, by Messrs. W. G. Clark and W. A. Wright, of Trinity College, Cambridge, published by Macmillan, of London, is now completed by the publication of the ninth volume, containing three plays and the poems. The text has been carefully and critically revised.

ROYAL ACADEMY OF ENGLAND.-The new building, to be erected at the back of Burlington House, Piccadilly, the front façade being presented, is to have Mr. Sydney Smirke as architect. It will be remembered that Hogarth, over a century ago, introduced a view of Burlington House into one of his satirical designs.

A FLAGRANT case of plagiarism is exposed by the London "Bookseller." Some years ago a Boston house published Mr. Bartlett's volume of "Familiar Quotations," which has just been stolen by Mr. J. Hain Friswell, and reproduced in London, with additions and blunders, under the title of "Fami

liar Words: An Index Verborum." The "Book-
seller" says:
"Mr. Bartlett, following the plan of
Mr. Murray's Dictionary, had arranged his quota-
tions under the name of the author from whom the
selection was made. Mr. Friswell first set to work
by cutting up these fragments, and then arranging
them under subjects. Had this been properly done,
and fairly and honorably acknowledged, no ore
could have complained; but Mr. Friswell neither
did his work well, nor did he acknowledge the
source of his inspiration."

THE London "Spectator" avers that the Russian collection in the library of the British Museum is more complete than any library in Russia. Owing to the severe censorship of the Russian press the thoughts of Russian and Polish liberals are force to seek publication elsewhere. A considerable aud increasing number of books in those languages are published at Brussels, Paris, London, Berlin, Geneva, and other towns. These books are of course not to be found in the libraries of St. Petersburg and Moscow. Similarly, the pamphlets of French political emigrants at Brussels are not to be mel with in Paris.

AN AFRICAN HARP.-At the recent annual meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Sir Roderick Murchison stated, in the Geographical Section, that M. du Chaillu's second expedition to Africa had failed, but that he had brought over the skeletons of a few gorillas, and sundry curiosities, among which was a harp, the strings of which were made of vegetable fibre. This had been presented to himself, but he, think ing it ought to be in the hands of one of the first harp-players in England, had begged the Duchess of Wellington to accept it, and it was now in her SHERIDAN KNOWLES.-When this dramatist wrote ladyship's collection at Apsley-house. One is reminded here of the anecdote of James Bruce, nius," and for several years later, he was a teache "Caius Gracchus," "William Tell," and "Virgi another famous African explorer, whose startling of elocution in Glasgow. He is buried in the necro statements, though much discredited at the time, polis of that city, and some of his friends ar have since been remarkably verified. asked him if there were any musical instruments the form of a cenotaph, over his remains. It A lady former pupils have lately erected a monument, i in Abyssinia? He answered, rather hesitatingly, "I think there was one lyre there." very handsome, and is built of fine durable sand The lady replied, by no means sotto voce, "Yes, and there's stone, surmounted by a sarcophagus of gray polishe one less now that you are not there!" By the way lion heads of some of the leading characters in hi Aberdeen granite. Among the ornaments are meda the British Association met at Nottingham, close to Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest, which is popularly his daughter, Master Walter and Julia, Caiu plays-viz: William Tell and Emma, Virginius an believed to have been a town a thousand years be-Gracchus and his mother Cornelia. The only is fore the Christian era! There certainly had been houses on that site long before the first Olympiad, or the birth of Romulus.

CHARLOTTE CORDAY.-M. Adolphe Huard, of Paris, has published a biography of Charlotte Corday, who killed the infamous Marat on July 14, 1793, and was guillotined for the deed. From this it ap pears that, instead of being a Normandy peasant, as generally believed, she was noble by blood as well as by intellect, and that a younger sister of Corneille, the dramatic poet, was among her ancestry. An elder cousin of hers, who survived until 1851, remembered Charlotte as one who was grave or gay, reserved or loquacious, serious or laughing, as the time warranted; but ever with a love for children and their companionship, and with (as she was wont to say) the manners of a well-bred young lady-according to the usages and traditions of the De Corday family. There is a sketch of Charlotte Corday in Lamartine's new work, "Biographies and Portraits of Some Celebrated People." She figures therein in company with Lord Bacon, Shakspeare, Lord Chatham, W. Pitt, Madame Roland, Mirabeau, Danton, and Vergniaud.

of his birth and death.
scription gives Knowles's name in full, with date

and 1848 a considerable number of valuable man
STOLEN MANUSCRIPTS.-Between the years 15
scripts were missing (said to have been stole
from the great literary collection now known as t
Bibliothèque Impériale of Paris. It has lately be

discovered that thirty-three of the most valuat

volumes of which the Library had been plunder Place, in Sussex, England. They were sold to are now in Lord Ashburton's library at Ashburnt.s lordship by a certain M. J. Barrois, who died July, 1855, and without any doubt was the culy There were 702 of the Barrois manuscripts soli Lord Ashburton: it is not expected, his purch having been bona fide, that he will return the ma scripts to the library in Paris.

AFRICAN EXPLORATION. Queen Victoria knighted Mr. Baker, and made Captain Gran Companion of the Bath, the first having diseorthe Albert Nyanza, and the latter (with the Captain Speke) the Victoria Nyanza, from wl. lakes the Nile flows.

« PrécédentContinuer »