LITERARY GOSSIP.

Lady Herbert of Lee is translating the "Mémoires Inédits de Lamartine."

According to the Canada Bookseller, Prof. Goldwin Smith has undertaken the editorship of a new magazine that will, before long, be started in the Dominion.

"The Public Library at Penzance possesses a gift from Mr. J. O. Halliwell, of which the British Museum might be proud,-namely, a noble collection of volumes illustrative of the ancient English stage, its acted drama, its literature, and its history. Penzance is worthy of this donation. The spirited little town is the intellectual capital of Cornwall. The unanimity with which every effort is made there for local and for general good, is pleasantly attributed, by some of the inhabitants, to the fact that Penzance is exempt from the affliction of having to return a member to Parliament."-Atheneum.

At Helsingsfors there appeared last year a translation into Finnish of Sir Walter Scott's "Ivanhoe," which has been followed this year by a translation of the "Legend of Montrose." The title of this in full is, "Wanha Tarina Montrosesta. Historiallinen Kertomus Walter Scott in Kirjoittama. Englannin Kielesta Kääntäyt J. Krohn. Helsingissä."

Another of the old London booksellers is gone. Mr. Strange, of Paternoster Row, died lately, at the age of seventy-one years. Mr. Strange for fifty years was principally engaged in the trade of a wholesale publisher. In partnership with Mr. Gowie, he published many years ago a satirical journal, known as Figaro in London, a paper that at one time reached a circulation of 70,000 copies weekly. About the same period Mr. Strange obtained the possession of a rare document, which gave in detail the names and amounts of a variety of unclaimed dividends lying at the Bank of England, as far back as the year 1802. This document was published under the title of "The Unclaimed Dividends of the Bank of England." It was issued at the price of 20s, and reached a sale of 30,000 copies within two years. In 1848 an injunction was laid against Mr. Strange for publishing copies of the private engravings referred to in a "Descriptive Catalogue of the Royal Victoria and Albert Gallery of Etchings." It was subsequently found that copies of these engravings had been purloined by one of the workmen employed by a printer at Windsor to take impressions for Her Majesty. On an appeal, before the Lord Chancellor, the judgment was confirmed. The heavy losses occasioned by this untoward event compelled Mr. Strange to make an arrangement with his creditors. He, however, recovered from the blow by his unwearied perseverance, and was much respected in the "Row."

Dr. Hill Burton, author of that amusing work "The Book-Hunter," has returned from a journey on the continent, in the course of which he has been collecting new materials for a revised edition of his well-known" History of Scotland.”

The new work upon which George Eliot has been for some time engaged, a story of English provincial life, will be published in December by Messrs. Blackwood & Sons.

Mr. George Smith, of the Department of Orienta[ Antiquities of the British Museum, so well known to scholars for his faculty for deciphering the Assyrian writing, is about to publish a "History of Assurbanipal from Assyrian Sources." The book consists entirely of interlinear translations with the text from Assyrian Inscriptions, with a complete lyllabary of the Assyrian characters and will be of great service to the historian, and Assyrian scholars. The work is printed by Messrs. Harrison, with the same type with which they are printing Mr. Norris's Assyrian Dictionary.

In Sir T. Duffus Hardy's first Appendix to his Public Records Report of this year are many interesting illustrations of old English customs and laws. Thus, in 1361, the escheator of the Duchy of Lancaster is ordered to restore to widow Emma le Norreys her lands, which she had forfeited to the Duke because she had married one of his villains, or nativi; she had afterwards obtained a legal divorce. In 1355 the sheriff is ordered to pay the knights (or M. P.'s) elected for the commonalty of the duchy 241. for their expenses in coming to the Parliament at Westminster. In 1382 a carrak, or small ship is wrecked on the coast, and, because the crew escape alive, proclamation is made that the goods of the ship are not to be seized In 1383 the sheriff is ordered not to put Adam de Prestall, of Salfordshire, on juries, because he is so deaf that he can scarcely hear a sound, &c.

In his Preface to the Alfredian Anglo-Saxon version of Gregory's Pastoral, Mr. Henry Sweet will give a short sketch of Anglo-Saxon lexicography, showing that Junius was the only original worker at the subject, and that succeeding English compilers have done little more than plunder him.

Joseph Skipsey, a heaver of coal, a genuine pitman of thirty-seven, who has been at work in the pit since he was five years old, and who taught himself to read, has just published a small volume of poems at Blyth, "printed by William Alder," which contains a few touching pieces on the accidents that a pitman is liable to.

The death is announced of M. E. Bertin, of the Débats.

Gilbert Banester's verse legend of Sismond, which is added to Chaucer's "Legende of Good Women" in the Additional MS. 12,524 in the British Museum, has been copied by Mr. Brock for the Chaucer Society.

At the gathering of gentlemen interested in literature and science which recently met in Devonshire, under the presidency of Canon Kingsley, Sir George Cornewall Lewis's "Astronomy of the Ancients" was denounced by one of the speakers as the most absurd book that ever was written !

CORRESPONDENCE.

Tom Paine Nails.-Wrought iron shoe nails, impressed with the letters T. P., were formerly in great request, but have now become quite obsolete, being superseded by other patterns and varieties. But old veterans, followers of St. Crispin, “stuck to the last" in upholding their favorite nails. till no more could be obtained for "love or money." In connection with this subject, the following tale is traditionally recorded: It is said that nails so marked first originated through the high feeling of detestation in which Tom Paine (author of The Age of Reason," &c) was held by the people, and that these nails were especially manufactured and impressed with the initials of his name, so as to allow the people the trifling satisfaction of knowing that in the wearing of them they were thus treading, ideally, the infidel under foot and crushing out the very name of that pernicious reasoner! I believe it to be a fact that Paine's works are now as little thought of, at the present time, as the once popular “T. P.'s.”

J. PERRY.

Junius.—I cannot help smiling at the new clue to the authorship of "Junius" which has been discovered by the united labors of Mr. Lilly and Mr. Bates. Surely the bare idea (stripped of Porson's witty addition) of one work being read when another is forgotten, is so exceedingly commonplace that it might have occurred to many men, many women, and many children; but, granting it to be brilliant and recondite, I cannot see what would be gained by proving that Sir Philip Francis was acquainted with "The Toast," unless it was established at the same time that the other Junius claimants had never seen it. I observe that Mr. Bates gives May, 1811, as the date of the first appearance of Porson's joke, but it was certainly quoted by Lord Byron in the note to page 16 of the third edition of " English Bards and Scotch Reviewers," which appeared in 1810, and most likely in the first and second editions which were published in the previous year. It is quite possible, however, that the saying may have come from Porson's lips before it proceeded from his pen, and that Byron heard it on one of those occasions when he describes him as "reciting or rather vomiting pages of all languages, and hiccuping Greek like a Helot."

CHITTELDROOG.

Portrait of Henderson.-I wish to ascertain who possesses the portrait of this actor, painted by Gainsborough, and shall feel obliged by information on the subject. CHARLES WYLIE.

[It is certain Gainsborough painted more than one portrait of John Henderson. See Fulcher's "Life of T. Gainsborough," ed. 1856, p. 222.-ED.]

Lockhart's Life of Sir W. Scott.-Amidst the distraction of many books and the rival claims of many favorites, book-loving men have often amused themselves by considering what their choice would be if by circumstances (captivity, shipwreck, &c.) they should be reduced to a very limited number-say half a dozen. I believe there are many persons of my mind, who would choose Boswell's Johnson and Lockhart's Scott among the foremost of the half dozen.

Those who value the book would have gladly seen Scott's centenary marked by a new and enlarged edition of his "Life" instead of the empty noise and bustle of a vapid ceremonial.

Scott's "Life" was published so soon after his death that many details and narratives, as well as many letters and MS. records of the greatest interest, were obliged to be suppressed. See, for instance, what Lockhart says of Scott's Diary:

"The reader cannot expect that any chapter in a diary of this sort should be printed in extenso within a few years of the writer's death. The editor has found it necessary to omit some passages altogether, to abridge others, and very frequently to substitute asterisks or arbitrary initials for

names."

Thirty-five years have elapsed since the publication of the "Life," and there is probably no one now living on whose account any matter need be suppressed which may be fairly desired for publication And who could be found in every way more suitable to complete this great national work than Mr. Hope Scott? 2. 2.

Mr. Gilbert A Beckett.-It is hazardous to dispute Mr. Shirley Brooks's dictum respecting the staff of Punch; nevertheless when he says that Mr. Mark Lemon was from the very first the "sole" editor of that periodical, I am inclined to question his accuracy. I have in my possession a copy of the original edition of a book I dare say he well knows-A Shilling's Worth of Nonsense-and the title-page states it to be by the "Editors" of Punch. It may be necessary to add, for the sake of many of your readers, that the book I refer to came out in the earliest days of Punch. As to the authors of the brochure, I can only make guesses, like any other outsider.

C. T. B.

Watch Making.-When were watches manufactured in London by J. Pike? I have lately seen one with a very elaborately engraved case, of floriated design, the cutting being very deep, and the drawing good. Is there any history of watch-making or watch-makers? ROBERT YOUNG.

[Consult Curiosities of Clocks and Watches from the Earliest Times, by Edward James Wood, London, 1866.]-ED.

Mdlle. Violette-Mrs. Garrick.-Lord Strafford, in a letter dated March 27, 1746, calendared in "Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts," Second Report, mentions the first appearance of the new dancer, Violetti, afterwards Mrs. Garrick :

"She surprised the audience at her first appearance on the stage, for at her beginning to caper she showed a neat pair of black velvet breeches with rolled stockings; but finding they were unusual in England she changed them the next time for a pair of white drawers."

C.

Chess "The Diversitie of Mates."-I shall be glad to know where the following old quotation is to be met with :

"The Queen's Mate, a gracious mate.
The Bishop's Mate, a gentle mate.
The Knight's Mate, a gallant mate.
The Rooke's Mate, a forcible mate.
The Pawn's Mate, a disgraceful mate.

The Mate by discovery, the most industrious mate of all.
The Mate in a corner of the field, Alexander's mate.
The Mate in the middest of the field, an unfortunate mate.
The Mate on the side of the field, a coward's mate.
The Blind Mate, a shameful mate.

The Stale Mate, a dishonourable mate.
The Mate at two Draughtes, a foole's mate."
THOS. RATcliffe.

Actress at Antioch.-Some time ago I heard mention made of the martyrdom of an actress at Antioch during one of the early persecutions. I should be grateful to any of your readers who would tell me where to find the narration. H. B.

The Washington Relics.-"The State Library at Albany is not likely soon to contain the relics of Gen. Washington, the obtaining of which was partly provided for in the supply bill of the last Legislature. These relics are owned by Mrs. Lewis W. Washington, of Halltown, West Virginia, and were offered to the State for the sum of $20,000. The State accepted the offer on the condition that the money should be paid only on the certificate of Martin Grover, J. Carson Brevoort, and the Chancellor of the University. Upon examining the articles offered, Mr. Grover refused to give countenance to their purchase, although the Chancellor (Mr. John V. L. Pruyn) and Mr. Brevoort certified to the genuineness of the relics, and thought it desirable to have them placed in the State Library, and thereupon Comptroller Nichols was asked to pay over the $20,000 called for in the bill, or much thereof as should be found necessary.' The comptroller declined to do so for the reason that the consent of the entire examining committee was necessary in such a case. Mrs. Washington then sued out a mandamus to compel the payment of the money, and on Tuesday last the case was argued in the Supreme Court, and the action of Comptroller Nichols was sustained. The relics offered were: Washington's farewell address, one of the first drafts, in his own handwriting; Washington's state sword, presented to him by Frederick the Great, and worn by him on State occasions; Washington's opinions of the generals of the army, in reference to the choice of a commander-in-chief, in his own handwriting, never published; Washington's horse-pistol, one of a pair presented to him by Lafayette; Washington's account of his household expenses, a part of the time while President, in his own handwriting; Washington's two seals-one of gold and one of silver-with watch-chain with his name, the same worn at Braddock's field in 1755; Washington's surveying compass and brass instruments used by him as engineer; the chains, Jacob's staff or tripod, used in connection with the foregoing; colored plates and manuscript descriptive (in a quarto volume prepared for the Duke of Cumberland, Commander-in-chief of the British army) of the uniforms of the British troops in 1742, and presented to General Washington, by the son of the engraver, Pyne."-N. Y. World.

Border Ballads.-The following account of the deceit practised on Scott by Surtees is taken from "The Book Hunter," by John Hill Burton (Blackwood, 1862):

"He was addicted to literary practical jokes of an audacious kind, and carried his presumption so far as to impose on Sir W. Scott a spurious ballad which has a place in the "Border Minstrelsy." Nor is it by any means a servile imitation, which might pass unnoticed in a crowd of genuine and better ballads; it is one of the most spirited and one of the most thoroughly endowed with individual character in the whole collection. This guilty composition is known as 'The Death of Featherstonhaugh,' and begins thus:

'Hoot awa', lads, hoot awa',' etc.

This imposture, professing to be taken down from the recitation of a woman eighty years old, was accompanied with some explanatory notes characteristic of the dry antiquary, thus: Hardriding Dick is not an epithet referring to horsemanship, but means Richard Ridley of Hardriding, the seat of another family of that name, which, in the time of Charles I., was sold on account of expenses incurred by the loyalty of the proprietor, the immediate ancestor of Sir Matthew Ridley,' &c.

"In the Life of Surtees,' the evidence of the crime is thus drily set forth in following up a statement of the transmission of the MS., and of its publication. Yet all this was a mere figment of Surtees' imagination, originating probably in some whim of ascertaining how far he could identity himself with the stirring times, scenes, and poetical compositions which his fancy delighted to dwell on. This is proved by more than one copy among his papers of this ballad, cor. rected and interlined, in order to mould it to the language, the manners, and the feelings of the period and of the district to which it refers. Mr Surtees no doubt, had wished to have the success of his attempt tested by the unbiassed opinion of the very first authority on the subject, and the result must have been gratifying to him.'"-The Book Hunter, 270-272.

Luther on Dancing." It is asked whether dancing must be considered as sinful? I know not whether dancing obtained among the Jews, but as it is customary with us to invite guests to eat, drink, and be merry, to make oneself smart, and likewise to dance, I do not see how this habit can be laid aside.

"Evil doing and sinning is not to be attributed to dancing. If everything is conducted honorably and with order, you may very well dance with the other guests. Through dancing will Faith and Love not be driven away, otherwise cne could not allow children to dance.'

Allibone's Dictionary of Authors.-Dr. Allibone has received many testimonials from scholars in England and America as to the value of his great "Dictionary of Authors," the last, though by no means the least valuable of which, comes from Lord Mahon, the historian, in an autograph letter to the author, dated July 19, 1871, in which his lordship says: "Having received, and made myself acquainted with, the third and concluding volume of your Dictionary, I have great pleasure in offering you my testimony to the great industry and power of research which that work throughout displays, as well as to the impartiality and fairness of its critical remarks. It fills up what has long b.en a blank in English literature, and cannot fail to be consulted with advantage by all who labor in that field." It is certainly gratifying to an author, who has labored as long and as conscientiously in perfecting his work as Dr. Allibone has done, to know that even though his labor will never be repaid in a monetary way, he has made us all, readers and scholars alike, his perpetual debtors.

THE WASHINGTON STATE PAPERS.-The Treasury Department officials, in making arrangements for the better preservation of the valuable papers, have lately removed from a vault, in which they have laid for more than half a century, the accounts of Gen. George Washington while he was Commander-in-Chief of the American Army during the Revolutionary War. The accounts are stated in Gen. Washington's own handwriting, and are written in clear and bold characters, and arranged with systematic accuracy. The title-page of the accounts bears the following inscription: "Account of G. Washington with the United States, commencing June, 1775, and ending June, 1783." Entries are made of every item of his household expenses, and for all moneys used in transportation of troops, and in fact every expense incidental to the Revolutionary war. Reference to history will show that Gen. Washington, although offered a compensation while serving as Commander-in-Chief, repeatedly declined to accept any, as these accounts show. Gen. Washington's determination not to cover up and take advantage of the oversight of other Government officers, is well illustrated by the following entry and the marginal note in explanation of the same. It appears as follows:

"By cash, £133 16s. Note.-This sum stands in my account as a credit to the public, but I can find no charge of it against me in any of the public offices, where the mistake lyes. Know it, but wish it could be ascertained, as I have no desire to injure or be injured."

Washington also submitted a table giving the amount of money received at different times, giving its nominal value and value by depreciation, from which it appears that in October, 1777, $1,000 was worth $911; in January, 1778, $2,000 was worth $1,370. The market value of money continued to depreciate, so that in March, 1799, $2,000 was quoted at $200, at $500, and at $50. The final note at the end of this statement is as follows:

"I received moneys on private account in 1777, and since which, except such sums as I had occasion now and then to apply to private uses, were all expended in the public service, and through hurry, I suppose, and the perplexity of business, for I know not how else to account for the deficiency, I have omitted to charge, while every debit against me is here credited. July 1, 1783."

In April last, after the death of Professor Otto Jahn at Bonn, his library of Musical Works, unique of its kind, was sold by auction. The Prussian Government, assisted by Herr Killmann, of Bonn, has recently secured for the Royal Library, at Berlin, the Mozart collection, the most important numbers of the Haydn collection, a good many from the Beethoven, and several from the Glück. These are inestimable additions to a library now the only one in Europe possessing all the works of Mozart, and which, with some little cost and trouble, may equally secure for itself an entire collection of Haydn, Bach (J. S.), Handel, and Beethoven.

A Laconic Note.-A few days ago a certain gentleman wrote the following pithy laconic note to a person indebted to one of his clients :-" By paying immediately the debt which you owe Mr. , you will oblige me; if not, I shall oblige you."

An Old Bible. We spoke yesterday of a Testament printed in London, in 1617, and owned by Mrs. Harris of Hartford, Vt. Mrs. Eames of this city has a Bible printed in 1608, in the old black letter. It bears on the title page : "The Bible translated according to the Ebrew and Greeke, and confered with the best Translations in divers Languages, with most profitable Annotations upon all the hard places, and other things of great importance as may appeare in the Epistle to the Reader. And also a most profitable Concordance for the ready finding out of any thing in the same contained.-Imprinted at London, by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most excellent Maiestie, 1608."

This edition is sometimes called the "Breeches Version," because in the seventh verse of the third chapter of Genesis, it is written, "they sowed figge tree leaves together and made themselves breeches," instead of "aprons," as in the modern translation. Bound up with this Bible is "The Booke of Common prayer," and "The whole Booke of Psalmes collected into English meeter by Thomas Sternhold, John Hopkins and others, with apt Notes to sing them withall." This part is "printed for the Companaie of Stacioners, 1609."

This Bible was bought by Mrs. Eames in Exeter, England, Sept. 2, 1867.-Concord Daily Patriot.

Somnambulism of La Fontaine -The celebrated author, La Fontaine, invited two friends to supper, but forgot to tell his wife of the circumstance. When evening came, he appeared sleepy and heavy, and expressed a wish to retire to rest; and he went to bed without supping or bidding his family good night. At the appointed hour the two friends came, and Madame La Fontaine was surprised to find that they stayed hour after hour with the air of invited guests. At last, an explanation took place, and they all laughed heartily at La Fontaine's absence of mind, and sat down to partake of the meal Madame La Fontaine provided on the emergency. "As he is in bed," they said, "there let him rest; we will sup without him." But they had scarcely begun supper when the door opened, and La Fontaine entered in his nightcap, without shoes or stockings, just as he had risen from bed. His eyes were half open, but he evidently saw no object; he crossed the dining-room where the party were sitting, went into a little closet or cabinet that served him for a study, and shut himself up in the dark. Some time after, he came out, rubbing his hands, and testifying much satisfaction, but still asleep; he then went through the dining-room, quite unconscious of the presence of any one, and retired to bed. His wife and friends were very curious to know what he had been about in the dark. They all went into his study, and found there a fable newly written, the ink being still wet, which brought conviction that he had written and composed it during his dream. The admirer of this most original author may wish to know which fable was composed under these extraordinary circumstances. It is one that is replete with the most natural and touching language-it is that which unites the utmost grace of expression language is capable of-in a word, it is the celebrated fable of The Two Pigeons.