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    LITERATURE, SCIENCE, ART, &c.

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    In introducing a literary summary into the Leader , a few words of explanation as to its scope and purport are , perhaps , due to our readers . It appears to us that , as in the political , so in the literary world , there is a fund of small matters , each of apparently minor importance , hut of great importance in the aggregate , each too small in itself to require the expanded discussion of a leading article , and yet each requiring some comment for its illustration . It is , too , for the accommodation of these waifs and strays in politics that the

    first article in the Leader is designed , and we see no reason why literature should not be similarly accommodated . In carrying this out , it must he distinctly understood that we do not intend to overstep the tjounds assigned to public journalists by taking any cognisance of private and personal gossip . Such topics only as are fairly within the range of public discussion will be alluded to . Perhaps in . selecting the present week for the commencement of this experiment we may be accounted particularly unfortunate , seeing that

    publishers , exhausted with their first crop of seasonable books , have issued nothing / of paramount importance during it . Indeed , if we are to judge by what has already appeared ^ and more by what is announced , there will oe rather a dull season , iiithe book trade . To seek to account for this upon philosophical grounds would probably be to undertake a task of difficulty ; no doubt' the stirring years of stern and warlike action which have preceded the present have had much to do with the phenomenon . They have had other work upon

    their hands than the composition and perusal of books , and it is only in that class of books whose subjects are intimately connected with matters occupying the public mind that any degree of activity is to he noted . After a brief breathing space , and should the clouds that lower on the . European horizon be happil y dispersed , we have no doubt that this matter will speedily right itself . Among the publishers , Messrs . Murray and Messrs . Xongman naturally take the load , both as to the numfcer and character of the . works which

    they have produced . The former doyen of the publishing trade offers , among some other valuable ¦ works , the best book of travels , with the exception of Dr . Livingstone ' s , that has appeared for many years . We refer , of course , to the Rev . William iSllis ' s Missionary in Madagascar , a graphic and interesting insight into a country and a race of people of whom littlo has hitherto been known . The Forest of Dean , by the Rev . H . G . Nicholls , is also a very valuable work , giving an account , oddly enough , for the first time , oi a remote district of England , of which almost as little has been known as of Madagascar itself . This week witnesses the issue of the third volume of Sir Henry Rawlinson ' s translation of Herodotus ¦— a magnum opus truly , for when a great scholar , and a great traveller to boot , who is intimately acquainted with the Lands spoken of , undertakes to retranslate the oftof

    translated " ^ Father History , " we may be sure that he has something both new and valuable to tell us . And Sir Henry Rawlinson ' s edition has already achieved a very high reputation among scholars . Tlie fourth volume , which cannot bo expected for another year , will complete the task . The only important issue by Messrs . Longman during the week has been an exceedingly beautiful edition of Wordsworth's White Doe of Jtylstone , as

    splendid as thick , prepared papor , fine typography , gorgeous yet tasteful binding , and the graphic pencils of Noel Humphreys and Birkct Foster can make it . Quo of the chiefest among the splendid Christmas books which tempt the wealthy buyer at this season ifl this . A bpok to lay upon the yclvotcovered tables of palaces or at the feet of your mistress , - who would like it , however , all tho better if tlKjy oould find some way of getting rid of that scent of oil which is tho peouliav and not very agreeable . characteristic of these books printed upon prepared paper . Mention of Birket Foster

    leads one to observe that he is displaying a facility and a fecundity in supplying : illustrations ' to this royal kind of literature . Wherever there is a Christmas book there are we sure to find him . In all the beautiful-works wilh which Messrs . Koutled ' " -e - and Messrs . Sampson Low ( who appear almost to nave a monopoly of this class ) have glorified the Christmas of ISoS-rand there are many of themhis labours are everywhere apparent . Surely there may be too much of this ! Mr . Birket Foster is a clever illutrator , but his works are ¦ characterised by a degree of sameness which sooner or later must become tedious , if they have not already reached that undeniable climax . ¦

    Messrs . J . W . Parker issue another series of " Cambridge Essays , " wliichtheyintrodu . ee as " concluding one , " an announcement which cannot fail to be received with satisfaction by those who hold that even , academical learning aud _ good English may become disagreeable when allied with views narrowed within the boundaries of a university and a pert intolerance of everything beyond . The first article in the series , that on " Newspapers and their Writers , " is by A . J . Beresford Hope , who ought to know something of his subject , seeing that he was one of the former proprietors of the Morning Chronicle , and wrote letters in the columns of that journal under the well-known signature of D . C . L . Mr . Hoce has also the credit of being largely

    concerned in the Saturday Recieir . The magazines for the month , in good soofh , are not brilliant . Japan is the only way which the great turbid stream of events has cast up . to its service , and it is cunning to note how eagerly they have plucked at it , albeit , with the exception of a few letters to the Times , nothing has been added to our knowledge of the ~ subject for two hundred years , unless Commodore Perry ' s very American account of his visit there ever betaken for reliable

    information . Blackwood , Fraser , Bent ley , have all japanned their pages thickly . Speaking of this , what a pity it is that the genial entertainer of the public , jMr . Albert Smith , did not prolong his stay sufficiently to take advantage of Lord Elgin ' s treaty and give us some insight into life in Jeudo . That would have been a novelty indeed , and well worth the delay ; for Shanghae and Canton are not new to us , but of Nangasaki , Takaboko , and Simoda , we know not much .

    Among the events of the week few will create more amusemement and less astonishment than the escapade of that garrulou 3 old gentleman , Sir Francis Head , m favour of the hero of the cpup d ' etat . Of the whole faggot of French sticks surely this is the rottenest . Because the revolution interfered with trade and damaged the commercial prospects of an old rag-picker whom Sir Francis picked up in the purlieus of the Temple , and rendered business less

    brisk with the gravedigg-ers of Perc Lachaisc ( revolutions usually have a contrary tendency ) , we arc to be told that Louis Napoleon was the man for the crisis , and that he is now no despot , his people no slaves . This is about as logical as Sir Francis's other proposition—that , because the workmen in the ateliers forbade political discussion during working hours , therefore they prefer to have their mouths gagged and their papers prohibited from entering into such discussion at any time .

    It would he strange indeed . if a celebrated political quarrel and subsequent reconciliation could occur without provoking an allusion to tho wellknown ninth ode in the third book of Horace " Ad Lydiam . " Tho hist case of such an application is , however , by far tho happiest and the best wo have over yet met with . In his very rcadublc articlo on " Horace and his Translators , " in tho last number of the Quarterly , Mr . Hannay gave ( procured , wo presume , from private sources ) a very elegant

    trans-So far so good ; the GloU has also " reaso n ' to believe that the following will bc found , a fanadaptation under existing circumstances -. "— - ' Derby . " While Peel ' s old Ministry could twine Thy lht political with mine , Ere vet on corn we disagreed , As colleagues we were blest -indeed . Gladdy . Whilst them did ' st feel no riv-iil dame Nor Gluddy next to Dizzy came , O then thy Gladdy ' s ¦ echoing mine Excelled its since Homeric fame . Derby . My heart from Peclite lives outworn By Dizzy ' s corkscrew curls is drawn- My forfeit life I'll freely give . So I'iz—my better life— -may live . GladJy . My bosom burns to yield possession Of all my charms to Bright ne st session ; I'll face two several deaths with jov , So fate but spare my broad-brimmed boy . Derby . What if our ancient love awoke , And bound us -with its golden yoke ? If l ) iz were sent eouie Indian venture , And Gladdy his old place re-enter ? GladJy . U right as the Alorniny Star is B ., Thou rougher than the Adrian Sea , And fickle ' as light bark , yet I With thec would live—with thce would die .

    Such notes as remain must be briefly dismissed . Mr . Samuel Carter Hall , founder , once proprietor , and always editor of the Art Journal- —a periodical which has now attained its majority by completing * its twenty-iirst year—has projected two lectures on the " Authors of the Age ; " and on Wednesday evening gave a preliminary-rehearsal at his own residence in Ashley-place , , ' Yict oria-strect , before a select circle of literary and artistic friends-. The audience was friendly but critical , and when we say that two Lours were fully occupied without exciting the slightest symptom of weariuess , a better compliment could

    scarcely bc suggested . The lectures consist entirely of the personal reminiscences of Mr . and Mrs . S . C . Hall , respecting the celebrated persons ' whose intimacy they have enjoyed during their long connexion with literary circles ' . The portraits nix * all of the dead , and they arc drawn with a friendly , loving hand . They : ire all exceedingly lifelike , culling up the memories of the departed with a truthfulness which is always interesting and often affecting . Those of Amelia Opie , Thomas Jtfoorc , Miss London , tlio Ettrick Shenherd , and Hood , were especially

    admirable . Perhaps the painful circumstance ot Mjss Lnudou ' s death are dwelt upon with too much minuteness ; but when we remember what subsisted between Air . and Mrs . Hall and that unfortunate but gifted girl , strong feeling may be permitted to excuse it . lu our opinion Mr . Hall estimates too highly both Thomas Moore and liood ; but here again friendship pleads at the bar of criticism , ana tho court will not be too severe . A letter Dy Thomas Hood to Sir Robert Peel—the lust he ever wrote—excited a very profound feeling among tno audience . We do not doubt that these lectures , whenever they arc given to the public , Mill prove

    attractive in the highest degree . One more item of literary gossip and we naro done . It is whispered that tho unhappy bcmabWO which lms agitated tbe Garriek Club , as to whether or not Mr . Edward Yules hits as much right w carlcuturc Mr . Thackeray as the latter lias to caricature other people , is in a fair way of being sottico in a quieter and more satisfactory " !« " » " ^ T making it tho subject of a lawsuit . Mr . Yatcs » to express sorrow for his oHcncc , Mr . A 1 " ^ ™}^ to withdraw hia harsh letters , and the latloi ww then write to tho committee requesting I icm i rccultho exile . This will be a lit oudiugt sucU an important matter , and will prove thai m ««• Gurriuk Club , at least , they liavo oarncd to pcuu > tion the art— - Nufcjia aiUloro pondus .

    lation of this ode from Hie accomplished pen of Mr . Gladstone . Owing , however , to tlio negligence of either the printer or tho reviewer , two very important mistakes occurred . " Thressa ChloU" was rendered •« Thnvcinn" instead of " . Thvfllcinn Chloe , " J " pro quo bis potior niori" was translated ten several deaths . " To sot tins right , Mr . Gladstone himself sont a porfeot copy of his translation to tho Times , where it duly appeared , with an editorial intimation , that * ' we have reason to believe that tho following will be found to bo a corroot version . "

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    SKETCHES OF ALGERIA . Sketches of Alyaria during tho Kitbglu War . Jty tenant Colonel Hugh M . ' llsIo £ hftpmftn „„

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    LITERACY CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK .

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    1314 - T H E 1 ) E JL I ) JE R , _ [ No . 454 ^ December 4 , 1858

    Literature, Science, Art, &C.

    LITERATURE , SCIENCE , ART , &c .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 4, 1858, page 1314, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2271/page/10/