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    460 THE LEA DEB. [No. 472, April 9, 185Q...

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    LITERATURE, SCIENCE, ART, <fcc.

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    LITERARY CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK. ¦ ¦ — : ...

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    It -would be futile to deny that the mos...

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    HUGH MILLER'S LECTURES 0$ GEOLOGY. , Ske...

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    460 The Lea Deb. [No. 472, April 9, 185q...

    460 THE LEA DEB . [ No . 472 , April 9 , 185 Q .

    Literature, Science, Art, <Fcc.

    LITERATURE , SCIENCE , ART , < fcc .

    Literary Chronicle Of The Week. ¦ ¦ — : ...

    LITERARY CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK . ¦ ¦ — —? ¦ -. ¦ ' ¦ ' ¦ .

    It -Would Be Futile To Deny That The Mos...

    It -would be futile to deny that the most interesting literature of the week is to be found in those columns of the daily papers containing the addresses of honourable members about to face- — and soine with wry faces , too- —the perils of a general election . One of these documents has , indeed , a direct literary interest , as the work of

    no less a person than G . II . M ., the uming-qut oracle ^ in the Times , who astounded plain men , the other day , by the announcement of his great discovery of the four fundamental sauces . This epicurean politician addresses the burgesses _ of [ Rochester in terms as mellifluous as an invitation to dinner , assuring them of his fondness for economy , and his '' disposition to conserve "— - conserves , he should have said .

    "Divina Commedia" of Dante has just made its appearance in the shape of a handsome volume , privately printed by the Messrs . Boone , at the expense of Lord Vernon , and under the superintendence of Mr . Panizzi , who has prefixed to it a highly interesting bibliographical preface . These early editions of Dante were published at Foligno , Jesi , Mantua , and Naples , respectively . The editions of IToiigno and Jesi both appeared in the year 1472 ; that of Mantua bears the same date , and may have

    been published earlier even than the Foligno edition , which passes for being the editio < prineepsy while that of Naples , which is without date , could not have been published , according to Mr . Panizzi , before 1475 . All these editions are of such excessive rarity that bibliophiles in general , and Dantophiles in particular , will doubtless feel themselves much indebted to the munificence of Lord Yernon for having reprinted them in this highly convenient form .

    A new edition of the Russian Imperial Code has just been published in fifteen volumes , a , copy of which , handsomely bound , having been presented by the Russian Government to the Foreign Office , is now deposited in the Library of the British Museum . Our Canadian Government has published a collection of the several Jesuit" Relations " concerning the missions in Canada , or " New France , " as it was called in the seventeenth century . This work is in three volumes , handsomely printed , but not on the best paper , and is entitled " Relations des Jesuites contenant ce qui s ' est passe de plus remarquable dans les Missions des Peres de la Compagnie de Jesus dans la NouveHe-Fiance . " Quebec : A . Cote . The " Relations" extend from 1611 to 1672 , and are highly interesting . Messrs . Hurst and Blackett have favoured us with their list of literary novelties for the coining season . Among them we note : — " Sixteen Years of an Artist ' s Life in Morocco , Spain , and the Canary Islands , " by Mrs Elizabeth Murray , with coloured illustrations ; " Lectures on Art , Literature , and Social Science , " by Cardinal Wiseman 5 " Realities of Paris Life , " by the author of " Flemish Interiors , " & c . ; " The Life and Times of George Villiers , First Duke of Buckingham , " by Mrs . Thomson ; " The Jews in the East , " from the German , by the Rev . P . Beaton , M . A . ; ** . Nathalie , ' - ' by Julia Kavanagh , forming the

    understand , for it is scarcely possible that tliey can entertain a hope of supporting an independent literary existence for some time to come , at least . So far as we can foresee the consequences of such a measure , we agree with our contemporary in regarding it as one to be deeply deplored . It is some satisfaction , however , to learn from the same source that our American cousins are about to commit , at least , one act of Justice , by contracting with Mr . Dickons for the sale of the copyright of his new tale . Whether this will be a complete protection to the enterprising and honest publisher who has consented to this ,, we doubt ; because

    whatever precautions may be taken for bringing the numbers out in New York as early n . s possible , there is no perfect security that some piratical individual , avIio does not pay for- his copyright , will not step in and reap all the profits . When Messrs . Harper and Son contracted with Mr . Dickens to pay him a good sum for stereotyped plates of ?' ¦ Bleak House , " and brought it out in New York as early as its issue in England , the conductors el ' a well-knowii New York daily paper managed to get early copies of every number , and to bring out the numbers in their columns almost as early as the authorised edition . A trap was laid by some

    insignificant alterations of the text , and the paper was convicted , but the . rejoinder was , that it was done to punish Messrs . Harper for their past transgressions against English authors , and the public , only too Avell accustomed to such transaction ? , laughed at and applauded the successful " dodge . " According to the latest accounts from America , the coming spring trade in books will be rather dull ; not so much for lack of books-, as because the leading publishers are becoming more inclined to adopt the English plan , and make their own arrangements with the book trade , rather than leave it to the auctioneer .

    From France we receive an account oi the re ^ ception of the new Academician , M . Lnprade . The comparative insignificance of this acquisition to The Forty " is such as to warrant fully the insinuation of Piron , when hu wrote for his own epitaph : — Ci git Piron , qui ne fut rien , Pas merae Acadfanictcn . M . Laprade is a poet of inferior , merit , recognised as a pupil of the school of Lamartine . This gentleman succeeded to the chair of Alfred dc Musset , a poet of undoubted genius , although spiled with some of the grosser stains of humanity . Among the most notable of literary novelties may

    _ S 3 . _ . <• > - > i / ' / f T ITT ! , i ., Miin ilii be mentioned the third volume of " L'Hwtojrc du Gouvernment Parlcmentaire en France * " by M . Duvergier 4 e Hauranne 5 and Die second part ot M . Afbert de Broglie ' s " L'Eglisc ot l ' . fcmpirc Honiara au IVc Siccle . " M . Victor lJoimet Imp put 'forward a work of some financial interest in these times , entitled , "Questions Econoniiuues . Financieres i \ propos des Crises ; . " and J \ l . L . con Auroc another on the condition of the small rural communities in France , called , " Des Sections de Gommuues , " It will be observed that nil these works have an interest almost exclusively political , Works of fancy and genius are not now to i > e looked for in France ,

    fourth volume of Hurst and Blackett ' s Standard Library . Messrs . Hurst and B ] ackett also announce the following new works of fiction : — "A Life for a . Life , " by the author of " John Halifax , Gentleman ; " «« Woodleigh , " by the author of " Wjldflower ; " " A Good Time Coming , " by the author of " Mathew Paxton ; " " Newton Dogvane , " by Francis Francis , with illustrations by Leech ; " A Mother ' Trial , " one vol ., by the author of " The Discipline of Life , " & c . ; " Through the Shadows , " by the author of " Sidney Grey , " Sec . ; " Miriam Copley , " by Mr . Jeaffreson ; and a new story by the author of " Mai'garet and her Bridesmaids . "

    Messrs . Smith , Elder , and Co . announce that they will publish during the present Spring :-r-* ' Memorials of the late Perey Byssho Shelley , * " edited by Lady Shelley ; " " Life and Liberty in America , " by Dr . Charles Mackay , with eight tinted illustrations ; A new Volume of Lectures , by Mr . Ruskin ; " The Fool of Quality , " by Henry Brooke , now and revised edition , with , Biographical IJrcfaeo by the Rev . C . Kingsley , Rector of Eversley , with a portrait of the author ; " Spanish ( Scenes , " by G . W » Thombury r with illustrations ; A Curate's Confidences , " by the author of " Rita . "

    Xho press necrology of the week includes , wo regret to say , the name of a respected veteranthe Edinburgh Advertiser , one of the oldest of the Conservative journals , having attained the ripe ago of ninety-five years . Our contemporary , it xs said , died , of Conservatism ^ aggravated by a serious _ attack of ponnypapensm—a new disease which ia proving ' very fatal to many of our provincial , and ttomo ot our metropolitan , friends . Iteqidescat in pace I The Publishers' Ciraular announces , with regret , that the Canadians have imposed a duty ot 10 per cent , \ ipon the importation of books , what may be the meaning of this , wo do not very well

    The Association for obtaining the Repeal of the Taxes on Knowledge takes opportunity in time , and issues a manifesto , calling upon the constituencies to pledge every candidate to support the repeal of the Paper Duty . As we are not aware that there is any constituency in England consisting entirely of newspaper men , we do not anticipate much result from this appeal . The Newspaper Press Fund has hold its first general meeting , and from the report issued its affairs seem to be in a slightly better form than would appear from the prospectus lately referred

    to . The list of members now includes 105 names , and after payment of all expenses— -which , being preliminary , are , of course , exceptionally heavy ^—there is a balance , left of nearly 70 / . ' The committeemen elected were Messrs . S . C . Hall , Stirling Coyne , Joseph Bee , and Edward Barrow ; Messrs . M . Cooke , D . Morier Evans , and James Lowe , were elected auditors . The resolutions proposed for separating the funds arising from the members , from those collected from the public , ¦ were also put and unanimously carried .

    The Libri sale is concluded , and the sum total obtained amounts to £ 6 , 515 , quite as much as was expected by those who understood the value [) f the MSS . We are glad to know that some of the best lots have found their way into the national collection ; though not so many as was perhaps desirable . It is , however , impossible for the Museum , with only a very limited sum at the disposal of its agent , to compete with wealthy private collectors , who are determined to secure certain coveted gems ; and at this sale considerable difficulty was experienced , owing to the high bidding of Sjir Thomas PhiUins and other collectors . The choicest lota sold during the week were the following :- ^ -A romance called La Vbue de Paonne" ( the vow of the Peacock ") , by Jacques

    de Longuion ( 619 ) . This was on vellum , and sold for 58 / . A vellum copy of Lucretius de Rerum Natura , * Lib . VI ., with various readings of value ( 626 ); this sold for 62 / . A collection of old mathematical writers , a vellum MS . of the twelfth century ( 665 ) , fetched 100 / . A treatise on Fortification , by Robert Dudley , Duke of Northumberland , 1629 ( 727 ) , bought for 511 . A vellum of the tenth century , containing Commentai'ies , by Origon and Hieronymus , illuminated ( 744 ) , brought 951 . 11 s . A vellum copy of Ovid's Fasti of the fifteenth century ( 751 ; , 501 . 10 s . A vellum copy of Persius' Satires , of the tenth century , 60 / . A beautiful vellum MS . of the fourteenth century ; containing poems of Petrarch and Dante , beautifully executed and illuminated ; this was a perfect-gem , and fetched the enormous price of 250 / . Another beautiful MS . of Petrarch sold

    for 78 /; Two collections of charts and maps , by Portulano , sold , one for 01 / . and the other for 91 / . As we have before stated , this is one of the most important sales of manuscripts that has tak . . place for some years , or is likely to take place for some time to como . M . Libri ' s splendid collection of rare , and other printed books , is expeotod ttf be offered for competition about the beginning of June . The Critio communicates the following interesting items of literary intelligence : — A reprint of the flrst four odltions of the

    Hugh Miller's Lectures 0$ Geology. , Ske...

    HUGH MILLER ' S LECTURES 0 $ GEOLOGY . , Sketch-book of Popular Geology / being ci Series oj lectures delivered before tho Philosophical Imtuut tion of Edinburgh . By Hugh Miller , with an introductory Preface by Mrs . Miller . _ Edinburgh : Constable & Co . Tins is the last of the posthumous workuof lluah Miller ,- and it fully sustains his reputation . i " « only fault of any importance wo can urge w »_} title given to tho volunio ( wo ¦ presume l > y ivus-Millor . ) It is inadequate , by being too goncnu and pretentious . Tho lootnres do not , n « «"' title page would lead one to oxpoot , systoinatioiiny lay down tho rudiments oi the autunuo of uoology . Thoy are a" simes of addrousoti , delivered to u \ l people of Edinburgh , in which thowholu pnnonunii of goology , principally of tho jinlwojsoio iinu inosussoicTpewods , is unfolded , in oounoMon witn

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 9, 1859, page 12, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_09041859/page/12/