Literary Gossip.

the life of the late Lord Beaeonsfield , comprising no less than 4734 words ; and the second containing 3541 words from the book of Psalms . From the same we receive clearly printed photographs of circles the size of a penny piece , one of which contains the Lord's Prayer eleven times repeated in longhand ; and the other the same sublime composition written in shorthand as many as thirty-four times . The whole of these caligraphical curiosities may be had from the Meteor office , 38 , Upper Bainbrigge StreetDerbyfor the trifling sum

, , of two shillings . Shorthand , a quarterly magazine for practisers of the " winged art , " contains a variety of matter of much interest to all who write any of the various systems of shorthand . Mr . Edward Pockwell , of Falcon Court , Fleet Street , an experienced pressman , is the publisher and conductor of the serial . Mr . John Sampson , of York , announces as nearly ready for the pressthe

, first volume of a highly important work from the pen of Canon Trevor , a distinguished northern antiquary . It will be an elaborate civil and ecclesiastical history of the old cathedral city , and is to be issued , to subscribers only , under the title of " Memorials of York . " "Ned Farmer ' s Scrap Book , " a new edition of which is just now being issued by Benvrose and Sons , is a miscellany of simple but beautifully pathetic

verse by Mr . Edward Farmer , whose ballad , " Little Jim , the Collier ' s D y ing-Child , " is universall y known and admired . Mr . F . E . Long-ley sends a handy biographical sketch of the late Reverend William Morley Punshon , "the prince of preachers , " as Lord Palmerston not inaptly termed him . The many who have listened to his marvellous pulpit and platform oratory will do well to secure a copy of this account of Mr . Punshon ' s

life , ivhich contains also specimens of his sermons and lectures . The new number of Leisure contains a capital story by Mr . Horace Weir , entitled " Lost ; " also articles on the "Father of Railways , " and " Quintin Matsys , " by Mr . Thomas B . Trowsdale ancl "Nemesis" respectively , and a number of other very able contributions in prose and verse . The general literary excellence of Leisure is well sustained from issue to issue .

Messrs . Batsford , of High Holborn , are about to bring out a work on " Charitable aud Parochial Establishments , " written by Mr . H . Saxon Snell , F . R-. I . B . A .

The Stephenson Centenary has called into existence quite a little library of biographical brochures concerning the career of the originator of railroads . Smiles ' s admirable and exhaustive life of Stephenson must always remain the standard work on the subject , but an excellent little brochure , issued b y the Tyne Publishing Company , deserves a word of praise , it being without doubt the best biography of this " king among men " obtainable at the price . Visitors to Oban and the picturesque Western Highlands ought to obtain

copies of Maclure and Macdonald ' s handbooks to these now fashionable holiday resorts . The locality is accurately described by accomplished writers well acquainted with their subject , and many of the most noteworth y places are shown on charming steel engravings . These handbooks are in every respect a welcome departure from the stilted phraseology and exaggerated illustrations of the ordinary guide-book .

The June part of The Illustrated Phonographic Meteor , which , under the editorshi p of Mr . Horace Weir , has taken a place at the head of stenographic serials , contains a number of smart literary notes and technical articles , besides papers from the pens of Mr . W . H . Davenport Adams , Mr . W . C . Leng , of Sheffield , Mr . T . B . Trowsdale , aud other writers of repute . The phonographic printing is admirable , and the illustrations of hi gh artistic merit .