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LITERATURE, SCIENCE, ART, &c.
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Literature, Science, Art, &C.
LITERATURE , SCIENCE , ART , &c .
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Thebje is something approaching the- ludicrous in the dolorous tone with , which the last number of the PitblfsJiers' Circular bewails the rarity of new books of importance . It is strange how prone men are to become spoilt by the apparent advantages of the times . We recollect hearing an old and staunch Conservative describe Machinery as " a permitted evil rather than a positive good , " and although there was much of obstructiveness in the sentiment , ¦ we cannot but admit that Literature at least has not gained by the "fatal facility" of production which modern * mechanism , and an extended system
of publishing offer to the scribblers of the age . Here is the organ of the booksellers complaining because forsooth a rn . 6 n . th passes without the appearance of any " great books . " Why , the time was when the reading public was satisfied , if one or two " great books" were added in the year to the standard literature of - ' the . country . And here is a thing to be reflected upon , —with all our superior mechanism , our populous Paternoster-row , and scarcely less important outlying strongholds of bookdom , we do not get as many really great books as readers did when the whole publishing : trade
was divided between some two or three houses around : " Paul's . " En revanche ,, we get p lenty of books , ephemera , books of the day , written for the day , and likely to last no longer . These make the round , of the circulating libraries , speedily sink to half-price , soon far below that , and in six mouths you may see your guinea-book ticketed up on the book-stalls behind St . Mafy-le-Strand for a fourth or a fifth of its publisliing price . But of great standard wprksi things that will be remembered twenty , fifty , a hundred years hence , how many dp we £ ? et ? This past year perhaps one—Thomas ¦
Cariyle ' s story of the Great Frederick . ; the year before perhaps another—Macaulay ' s new volumes . Great works ! Why , who are we , and what is our generation , that we should cry for great works , when all the ages of the world have Scarcely produced a thousand volumes of them . . But the truth is , and no doubt it is in obedience to the ruling spirit of the age , letters are now falling into a trade , like any other , and are gradually ceasing to be an art . The inhabitants of Grub-street nave turned upholsterers , and because they make tables and chairs , flatter themselves that they are creating works of art . There is another more fatal mistake than even this , and that is , to think that
they are better than their predecessors , who worked for the hire of fame , and not the hire of money . Let not the present dwellers of Grub-street , richer though they be than the threadbare giants of old , sleeker by reason of their tradesmanlike habits , and the regularity both of their books and proceedings , fancy lor one moment that they are doing the world as good service as the creative artists whom they affect to despise , all beggared and insolvent as they were , These , however , are wide questions of literary metaphysics , and it is time that wo descendod from such stellar speculations to deal with the matters of fact of the day . But the greatest piece of news of the week is that Mr . Bentley ' s new Quarterly Review ^ so long talked of and so much speculated upon , is to appear at the beginning of February . Rumour says that Mr . Bentlev has snared neither labour nor oxnonse
to secure the best pens , and it is expected that tho new comer will assume a lighter ami loss dogmatio tone than the Polphic oracles of Edinburgh and London have done for some time past . This will certainly be an improvement , so iar as the readableneas of the now magazine goes ; but we question very much , with due deference to Mr . Jiontloy , whether tjlio ago for Quarterly Reviews is not past . We get oyer the ground very quiokly in these timos , and , generally speaking , the question of approval or damnation is definitively soltlod'before the Quarterlies give forth the deep bellow of thoir blank cartridges . Nino times out of ton a book has become sooond-hnnd boforo theao olephauts of literature ooino into aotion— -the riflemen and light artillery of literature huvo settled tho matter long ago . 'Ml sucooss , however , to Mr . Bontloy and his RVviow , tvnd to the orudito Dr . Dorau as well , whom
we hear confidently spoken of as the future editor , iu himself a sufficient guarantee against d illness and fogeyism . l ? or the past week , the only notable issues are a ' * . History of British Journalism , from the Foundation of the Newspaper Press in England to the Repeal of the Stamp Act in 1855 , " by Alexander Andrews , an old press-man , and contributor to the New Monthly and other magazines , in which much of the contents of this volume originally appeared . With so much experience Mr . Andrews ought to be of the t
more accurate than to speak Stamp Acas repealed , which it is not . The book is , however , full of interesting matter , and will be eagerly perused by those who like to get a peep belaud the scenes of that awful mystery , the Press . Messrs . Edmonston , of Edinburgh , have also pub lished a well-selected volume of tales from the Norse , with an essay upon tales in general by the editor , Mr . Dasent . Messrs . Longmans have pub , lished a valuable work on the human voice and the art of curing stammerings by Mr . Hunt , whose father acquired great celebrity in that art , and who
has himself relieved many a nervous sufferer from that fearful clog upon worldly progress . Messrs . Hurst and Blackett have published an agreeable collection of papers , in two volumes , by the accomplished editor of Chambers ' s Edinburgh Journal ^ Mr . Leitch Ritchie . These appear to be the most noteworthy issues of the week . One or two productions , belonging rather to the department of art than of literature ^ should not , however , be left unmentioned . First , there is a volume consisting of some forty etchings of the Junior Etching Club , illustrative of Thomas Hood ' s poems , and got up with great , taste
and expense ; secondly , a splendid work , published by Mr . Maclean , of the Hay market , upon the gardens of England , illustrated by glowing chromolithographs , and dedicated to the Duchess of Sutherland . The American news betokens rather a falling off in the activity of bookselling trade there . There were plenty of Christmas-books , and gift-books , but for the most part of English manufacture , not ' only as regards the matter in the books , but also the paper and type on and with which they have been printed . " The uninitiated American publisher , " says a sarcastic correspondent ,. " doubtless congratulates himself on the improved state of art
and bookcraft in this country , which can produce such beautiful specimens as these . " The American Notes and Queries states that Mr . Charles Lamman , of Washington , has undertaken a monster work , — no less than a Dictionary of Congress from tho earliest times to the present . We wish him joy of his task ; but it will be useful as a work of reference whenever . finished . To sum up our items , of American news , it may he noted that the American papers are " down upon" Mr , Thackeray for some blunders perpetrated iu " The Virginians . " The Pittsbur // Gazette points out that the troops are ou tho wrong side of the Monongahciu River , and the New York Post is very severe upon him for making maple sugar in the autumn . " This , " says
our Transatlantic contemporary , " will be news to the makers of maple sugar , who , so far as wo have observed , do their work in tho spring . " A graceful compliment has been paid to a distinguished philosopher by the . presentation , the other day , 01 a splendid testimonial to John Stuart Mill , Esq . The presentees wore the gentlemen in the office of examiners of Indian correspondence in tho India Houso , over which ho , until lately , presided . Nor was tho gift rendered loss precious by tho addition of a warm and cordial expression of admiration , affection , and good Wishes , May tho historian of British India , tho groat logician and political economist , long live to onjoy his testimonial in dignified retirement , anil to writo for us many more books tlmt will endure . Seneottts non tmpeclU quQminna litarurwn stadia tttuoanim vaque ad ultimum tdmpus aenaotutis . lii anothor quarter , honour has boon dono to a
groat man , luougii cioad . rue uononors 01 tno Temple have resolved to cull tho building iu wluoh Johnson ' s old chambers stood after his name . It is not that such as " bravo old Sain " need briok or murblo to pornotuato their moinorios , but the compliment is woU meant .
—a novelist and a courtier—to where bows and silver sticks are of little use , and the most terrible fictions of small avail . Sir Thomas Isaac Horsley Curties , for thirty-live years a member of the royal household , has died at the age of ei g hty-one years . Sir Thomas Curties donned the royal livery in the reign of George III ., and served all his successors as Ex . 011 of the Yeomen of the Guard until 1 S 39 , when . he retired upon a knighthood and . a . pension . Sir Thomas ' s claim to have his death record e d here is based upon his authorship of the " Watch Tower , " " Monk of Udolplio , " " Sable . Mask , " and . other novels , once devoured by the worshippers of the Minerva Press , but now passed away , with the once renowned institution that gave them birth .
Lord Brougham , active as ever , accepts every honour and every office thrust upon him . There is to be a great dinner to him at Edinburgh iu the spring , and now he has accepted the post of Honorary President of the Associated Societies of the University , and he writes to say that as soon as he has disposed of the-opening'of Parliament he will be ready to deliver his opening address . Wonderful old man , in an age of wonderful men ! For who shall dare to speak of human strength degenerating when we can point , to such a row of Ncstors as Brougham , Lyndhurst , Lansdowne , Campbell , and St .. Leonards ? Such men truly verity the old Roman adage that " Weakness is more frequently found in youth than in age . " An ancient gentle-man has gone from among us
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WHAT WILL HE DO WITH IT ? Wliat will he do with it ? By Pisistratus Caxton . 4 vols . . Blackwood and Sons . A new novel by Sir Edward Lyttori Bulwer Lytton , nov e list , dramatist , poet , and ¦ Minister' of State , would at any time -command attention ; a novel in four volumes , when reputation and ' honours are at their culminating point , must bo cspecially au attraction . But the edge of curiosity has been , somewhat blunted by the piecemeal publication . Jilacktcood of " What will he do with it ? " it is , therefore , only to that class of readers who have not seen it in the * Sc . ottish serial , and who have wisely waited until the work was iu a finished form , that our notice will have the interest . of novelty .
The story opens with a couple of personages , Frederick Vance , an artist , find Lionel liaughton , a young sentimental gentleman , who plays the principal second rolo in the future story . They are at a country fair , which is described somewhat u la Boz ^ and here they first make the acquaintance of " Gentleman Wail ' e , " a comic nctor , whoso antecedents are under a cloud ; and Sophy , a beautiful child , his granddaughter . Very soon after this , onn Merle , who combines the anomalies of cobbler , cockney ? and astrologer , nmkes his appearance . Liond ' Haughton falls as much in love with Sophy
as a young man of twenty can be supposed to- do with a child of twelve . The reader very soon begins to seo daylight ,. and to feel quit u sure that , Lionel and Sophy somehow or oilier arc at tho end destined to form tho most prominent characters in a hymeneal procession . Lionel Haughton is penniless , but well educated , amiablo , and somewhat ambitious ; he finds himself abruptly summoned to tho house of Guy Darrol , his relative and benefactor , in order to hear the i ' uUtrc prospect chalked out for him . This Guy Durrel is the roul hero of tho novel . All the strength ot tho author hap boon put forth to make llus character striking , original , and attractive . Guy
Darrol is depicted as a . man somewhat advanced m years , bub of magnificent presence , and uf high , rare , and peculiar mental qualifications . Ho had commenced life with prospect * no brighter than Lionel Haughton ' a . lie had chosen tho bar us tho fittest arena for tho exurtiou of his abilities ; ho had succeeded thoroughly , and had imulo liimsoU first jn reputation as well as first among tho prominent in poouuiary gains . A rich relative dies and loaves him in possession of wealth " beyond tno dreams of Hvarioo "—i-and now coin moneys Ins reverses . Tho wifo lie nwirriod when poor proved to bo too " frivolous and Highly for tmeh a nlgumiudad husband . Sho dies ju ' fot in tjmo to biivo nor reputation , but not to save nor husbauU ' s , from Ww
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42 THE LEADER . [ No . 459 , January 8 , 1859 ,
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LITERARY CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 8, 1859, page 42, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2276/page/10/
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