Literary Gossip.

It was too bad of genial George Augustus Sala , in alluding to the Civil List Pensions and their recipients , in a recent column of his " Echoes of the Week , " to confess ignorance of the name and writings of Robert Stephen Howker . We pointed out , when the widow of the " Vicar of Morwenstowe " was accorded a pension some months since " in recognition of the position of her late husband as a poet" how much Mr . Howker bad penned of a

merito-, rious character . The clerical poet usually wrote over the signature of the "Vicar of Morwenstowe , " hence , probably , Mr . Sala ' s non-acquaintance with the name of Howker . "Mercator , " alluding to this subject in Society , draws attention to the fact that Mr . Sala cannot be unacquainted with that spirited imitation of a seventeenth century ballad , containing the . well-known lines -.

—" And shall they scorn Tre , Pol , and Pen , Ancl shall Ti-elawney die ? There ' s thirty thousand Cornish men , Shall know the reason why !" This ballad was written b y Mr . Howker during his academic career , and was pronounced by many antiquarian authorities , including Davis Gilbert ancl Sir

Walter Scott , to be a genuine antique folk song . It is quoted by Msieaulay in his inimitable history . In 1 . 827 Mr . Howker canned off the Newdigate prize for English verse at Oxford . He has published sini : e several volumes of elegant poetry , chiefly enshrining the old traditions of the West Country . Morwenstowe is a remote parish on the northeu shore of Cornwall , and there Tennyson , on a visit to the vicar , composed his beautiful stanza

beginning"Break , break , break on the cold grey crags , 0 sea . " There , too , Canon Kingsley , under Mr . Bowker ' s guidance , was introduced to scenes he afterwards embodied in his charming story , " Westward Ho ! " Many admirers of the Vicar Of Morwenstowe ' s poetical prodnntiotis will be surprised that a man of such literary knowledge as George Augustus Sala should be unaware of the name and writings oi one so widely appreciated .

All arohceologists will note with pleasure the knighthood just conferred upon Mr . J . A . Picfon , F . S . A ., the Liverpool architect and historian . He is an indefatigable student of old world literature , ancl a liberal supporter of art and education . Long- may he enjoy ihe title oi Sir J . A . Picfon , Knt . Mr . Charles H . Barnwellof Hullwill shortly publish a volume of poems

, , by Mr . Edward Lamplough , whose contributions in verse to various periodicals have been much admired . The book is to be called " The Siege of Hull , and other Poems , " and from what we have seen of the pieces to be included , we can promise the subscribers an enjoyable collection of poems .

Cassell ' s Magazine of Art is now a very commendable serial , both as regards literary ancl artistic merit . It bids fair to become a formidable rival to the higher-priced art journals . Its contributors are wielclers of pen ancl pencil of the highest competence and experience , and the enterprising publishers seem to have spared no expense in making their magazine a success .