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    -—~— ^ ~— r~ ^ 4fiO Taxuaby 15, 1859.1 T...

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    -—~— ~— • r~ LITERATURE, SCIENCE, ART, &...

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    LITERARY CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK. ' ' ? . ...

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    As an immense relief to a week otherwise...

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    THE HISTORY OF BRITISH JOURNALISM. Tho H...

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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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    -—~— ^ ~— R~ ^ 4fio Taxuaby 15, 1859.1 T...

    ^ ^ 4 fiO Taxuaby 15 , 1859 . 1 THE LEADER . 73

    -—~— ~— • R~ Literature, Science, Art, &...

    - —~— ~— r ~ LITERATURE , SCIENCE , ART ,

    Literary Chronicle Of The Week. ' ' ? . ...

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

    As An Immense Relief To A Week Otherwise...

    As an immense relief to a week otherwise barren in matters of literary interest , comes Mrs . Grace Dalryrople Elliott ' s " Journal of My Life During the French Revolution ; " an interesting book in every sense , both for the matter of the journal , the story of the authoress , and the luxe of type and engraving which Mr . Bentley has had the good taste to lavish upon it . As Mrs . Elliott was what is

    sometimes called a doubtful ¦ " character , " we may be sure that much curiosity will be excited as to her revelations ; and , as if determined that the appetite of the curious should not be balked , the editor of the journal has favoured the reader with a glimpse of her in Carlton-house . It is a matter of spec ulation in literary circles how such a document ever found its way into Mr . Bentley ' s hands ; but it is whispered that the family of Sir David Duridas , physician to George III ., at whose suggestion the journal was written for the amusement of his Royal patient , knew something of the matter . But we must not anticipate ; the

    book will receive ample and detailed notice in these columns . A curious work , entitled " Frederick the Great and his Merchant" ( Bentley ) , translated by Lady " Wallace from the German ; a bombastical poem by Edward Fitzball , Esq ., author of " Nitocris , " styled " Bhanavar , " and issued with much luxury of type arid engraving , —these are the most notable books of the week . The subject of the last is borrowed from George Meredith ' s charming work , " The Shaving of Shagpat . " Scarcely enough to satisfy the errudgiucrs of the Publishers' Circular .

    Of works talked about , we note a promise of some notes on Italy collected by Lord Brought on during many visits thither . Glad arc we to welcome back a pen that has iong beep , idle in literary work , busy as it may have been in political business . The friend of Byron , the author of the " Travels in Albania , " and one of the founders of the Westminster Bfiview , the antecedents of John Cam Hobhousc are so thoroughly literary , that we can scarcely regard him in any other light . Tennyson ' s new poem , " King Arthur , " is much talked of , and is

    even said to be in the press . To borrow a mercan * tUe figure , should the bulk be equal in quality to the splendid sample of the " Morte d'Arthur , " this will , indeed , be his magnum opus . If it be not , the contrast will be so violent between the fragmental masterpiece and its surroundings , that the failure will be all the greater for the partial success . Sir William Hamilton ' s " Lectures on Philosophy , " and another series of Mr . Helps ' s "friends in Council , " are also to appear shortly . Certainly the foreign book-market is at this present time much busier than ours . In Paris the

    most notable appearances arc the three last volumes of the works of M . Brifaut , edited by his friends MM . Rives and Bignari . Madame Clmrles llcybaud ( the wife of the celebrated writer of that name ) has published three romances , called " Sidonio , " " Mise" Brun , " and " Faustinc , " which have been received with great approbation . Strange to say , tho Seventh Commandment is not broken by any of the characters , and yet the tales have gained popularity . Surely a sign of the times , ana one auguring better things for France ! Dumas is publishing in the . Stidc , as ono of the results of his Russian journey ( for Alcxondrc lo Grand usually makes his travels as profitable to him as Mr . Albert Smith dpos his ) , a series of letters on the emancipation of the serfs in Russia , which is attracting attention . Tho series will bo a long ono , for he has only got -as far as tho yoar 085 ab ttrbe cqndita , M . Mignard , the eminent archaeologist and litterateur , has just published a Provencal romanoo of tho fourteenth century , written by Girard do RossiUon , of which tho curious in aweh matters speak in terms of high praise ; In the Gorman , book world the only groat novelty which calls for speoial notice ifl u contribution'to the hterai ^ ro of Islamism , being a " Clu ' oniolo of 11 P'ty of ¦ Meooa , " by Gutb-od-Din , a Moslem who Jived 000 of tho Hogira . To those who have made themselvos , acquainted with Captain Burton ' s moat interesting acoounb of that city , and of his adventures in penetrating to tho heart of

    Mohammedanism , under the disguise of a true believer , this work will possess great interest . Italy adds little to the library , but the cognoscenti of Rome are anticipating with , much curiosity De Rossi ' s work on the " Catacombs , " which , though long announced , has not yet made its appearance . Apropos of Rome , it will not be out of place to mention that , among the crowds of English visitors now awaiting the Heir Apparent in

    the Eternal City , is Mrs . Browning , whose fragile health drives her to the sunny clime of Italy . From Australia , we have intelligence of a plea sant book of travels , entitled , "A Trip to Tahiti , " by W . K . Bull . ( Melbourne : E . Ray and Co . ) Mr . Bull , it appears , is a gentleman who , having nothing better to employ his time , hit upon the curious notion of taking a , pleasant trip to the South Sea , and has brought back with him the materials for this booK . Mr . Bull , it is

    said , like his great prototype , displays very anti-Gallican tendencies ; for he is never so happy as when he is having , a fling at the French . It may afford some satisfaction to adventurous tourists to learn that Mr . Bull did not find his trip to the realms of Queen Pomare a very expensive one . Starting from Melbourne , and spending six months in the islands , it did not cost him more than 140 / . Before quitting this antipodean wanderer , we are tempted to subjoin one of his anecdotes , which goes far'to prove that candour and good sense are not wanting among the damsels of these

    climes . It seems that a certain young lady at Raratonga was taken to be married to a gentleman , the match having been entirely concocted between the parents , without consulting the parties principally interested in the slightest way . The ceremony ( which appears to . have been performed according to the ritual of the English Church ) proceeded until the lady was asked , " Wilt thou have this man for thy husband ? " To which she replied , " No . " "No ! why not ? " " Because , " said the bride , with the most unreserved sincerity , " because I don't like him . "

    The three judges of Fate for the Crystal Palace are reported to be hard at work upon their Burns's " Odes "— -doubtless repentant by this time of the awful task . Many suggestions appear in the public prints as to the modeVnd conduct of the ceremony ; how the name of the fortunate bard is to be announced ; how the chosen poem is to be recited to the populace ; whether the bard himself is to be the mouthpiece , or whether the golden lines are to roll forth upon the majestic accents of Mr . Phelps ; all these points are powerfully exciting the attention of the hopeful aspirants and of the Directors

    of tho Crystal Palace . Let us hope , meanwhile , that taste and good counsel will prevail , and that the great model of the Olympic games will not be neglected . Surely some actor may be found sufficiently imbued with classic lore to impersonate the president of the games in appropriate costume , and to bind the wreath of laurel upon the brow oi ' the happy bard . Let the whole matter be arranged according to the best , information on tho subject , costumes , altars , processions of music , as correct as possiblo , and we are quite sure that the public will derive a compensating amount of amusement , if not of instruction .

    The History Of British Journalism. Tho H...

    THE HISTORY OF BRITISH JOURNALISM . Tho History of British Jownaliam . By Alexander Andrews . Two vols . Richard Bentley . Mr . Andrews in the presont volnmos has taken possession of ground wnioh may be considered as little , if at all , occupied . Mr . Knight Hunt ' s book upon the " Fourth Estate" wns nothing more , as its authofttdiuiCar-bait a few contributions Hurriedly thrown together towards a history of newspapers . Its compiler was constitutionally incapable of performing any task that required steady industry and laborious research , oven if his many engagements upon the daily press hud not fully occupied his time . A . number ol leoturos doliverou at various literary institutions , a number of articlos scattered about in magazines and roviows , with incidental allusions in biographies and encyclopaedias , can hardly Imvo done moro than prepare the way for suoh a work as tho one before us . Anything that can bo said of tho importance of tho subjcot troatod can sonrcoly

    be an exaggeration , and the history df the struggles of a free press is the history of all good and wholesome reforms . Whatever advantages we now enjoy have only been obtained by an earnest , steady , suffering hand-to-hand combat with the governing classes . The work is not yet complete . The wartax upon paper yet trembles in the balance ; let it be kicked over . The censorship of printing and speaking is gone for ever ; the censorship of plays still remains . Even as we write , and jvhile we are pitying the Emperor of the French in his Montafembert defeat , our own infallible Government is

    contending in Ireland with a number of Moore s prophetic Almanack ! We could see the absurdity of this if it had happened in Paris ; shall we be equally clear-sighted when the folly is enacted nearer home ? ¦ Mr . Andrews must not be taken as a perfectly reliable guide , although he has been nibbling at bis subject for some years past in the pages of the New Monthly Magazine . He has collected names and dates with ordinary British Museum research ; he has gathered much of the floating gossip concerning the very recent press celebrities , or the contemporary men of the aay , and he has arranged his materials in chronological order , for which he deserves the thanks of his readers . His work is necessarily imperfect , because it covers too wide a field , and is too great a task for any one man to

    perform for love , money * or fame . Hardly one date or so-called fact of literary history will bear the test of a rigid examination , and no man can be pronounced an unerring guide who has to deal with hundreds of such slippery items . The ordinary , or extraordinary pay of literary labour would not compensate any writer for the time expended and the expense incurred in obtaining a perfect verification of details ; and it . is no discredit to Mr . Andrews to say that a , thorough history of British journalism can only be produced by an enthusiastic capitalist ; , or with the funds of a learned society . Going through our author ' s two volumes , we will present our readers with some of those heads of informationwhich he has been the first to gather and arrange in

    a chronological form . Setting aside the English Mercurie , which long held its ground as the first reputed English newspaper , but which has been proved to be a forgery , the list begins with news-books , bearing some such title as the following : — " Newe Newe 3 , containing a short rehearsal of Stukely ' s and Morice ' s Rebellion , " it o , 1579 ; publications which continued up to 1020 , inclusive .

    The first of any regular series of newspapers preserved in the British Museum is dated 23 rd May , 1622 , and entitled " The Weekly Newes from Italy , Germauie , & c . London : printed by J . D ., for Nicholas Bourne and Thomas Archer . " In 1640 the editorial " we" was adopted by the printer , who was the ostensible director of the paper , to whom all letters were addressed . This plan continued until about 1740 , when they were sent to

    the author . A few years later—about 1645—we come upon a crop of " Mercuries , " the name which the newspapers of the time then assumed . Some of them were remarkable for odd titles , as " A Preter-pluperfect Spick-and-span new Nocturnal ; or , Mercurie ' s Weekly Night Ncwes , " 1645 . "A Wonder ! A Mercuric without a lye in his mouth , " 4 to , 1648 .

    Tno great press-writer at this time was Marcnmont Hedham ( born 1620 , died 1678 ) , who , like many of his modom imitators , was not particular on which side ho wrote . Contemporary with , and antagonistic to Hedham , was John Birkenhead , who was assisted by Peter Hoylin . These three men may bo considered as tho principal'Meroury writers of their time , and their organs game out at n > 3 onco a week , afterwards thrioo , but certainly never

    daily . It is at this period ( 1648 } that tho first advcrtisoment appeared , iusortoa in the Impartial Intolligoncerhy a gentleman at Caudish , in . Suffolk , offering a reward for two horses that had boon stolon from him . Tho first illustrated paper was also a Mercury { London ' s Intelligenoor ) , which caino out in 1648 with a variety of rudo woodcuts . t About 1047 tho press was put under omoial re-, slrictions , nnd a liconser was appointed whoso name

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 15, 1859, page 9, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_15011859/page/9/