Public Amusements.

We have now merely to remark upon the performance of the pantomime in its present form . Mr . Cave plays Mother Goose . Squire JBtifle was personated by Mr . W . Bruntou with no lack of pantomimic humour , and Miss Julia Summers was a vivacious Colinelie . JNow that Burlesque openings are the rule

, it is a veritfble novelty to find the sense expressed by action only ; and , as a matter of course , the ordeal through which the performers pass is , in proportion , severe . The clown , Mr . J . W . Lawrence , is perfectly at home in comic business , aucl was cordially received by the Sadler ' s Wells public on Monday . Mr . G-.

Skinner Avas probably in a pantaloon ' s dress for the first time , and , under these circumstances , Avas tolerably proficient . Miss Etty Brandon baa the advantage of a pleasing appearance , and of Mr . C . Paulo as harlequin Ave must speak in terms of unqualified praise . A more graceful dancer is seldom

seen , and Mr . Paulo is exactly the figure for harlequin . Master (?) Stevens danced a hornpipe with a freedom , spirit , and admirable effect which drew doAvn a complete storm of applause , and compelled bim to repeat it . The pantomime was superintended by the veteran Tom Matthews , Avho Avas led on by Mr . Cave at the

fall of the curtain . The masks Avere supposed to be fae-similes of the originals , aud the general arrangements faithfully copied .

Notes On Literature, Science, Music, Drama, And The Fine Arts.

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , MUSIC , DRAMA , AND THE FINE ARTS .

The Paston Letters recently discovered have been sold to the British Museum . Mdlle . Carlotta Patfci will make her appearance at Covent Garden next Aveek . A translation of the Iliad into English hexameters by Sir John Hersehel is announced for publication . A small pen-and-ink sketch by Baphael in the

collection of the late Dr . Wellesley , of Oxford , has been purchased for the British Museum for £ 600 . The British Archajlogieal Association has held its annual meeting at Hastings during the Aveek , under the presidency of the Earl of Chichester . One of the attractions of the Paris Universal

Exhibition of next year will be a prize of 10 , 000 f . for the best singer in the world . The National Gallery has just acquired a superb liembraucit , " Christ Blessing Little Children , " a Avork about five anci-a-half feet upright . The price Avas £ 7 , 000 .

Sir Francis Hastings Doyle , Bart ., of the Custom . House , and formerly JMIOAV of All Soul's , is about to publish in a collective form his contributions iu verse to the " Cornhill Magazine , " " Once a Week , " the " Shilling Magazine , " & c . The Star Flaneur says that the Glole under its new management -will be published at the reduced price of

twopence , aud that the editor will be Mr . Mortimer Collins . The new management will not begin till October . A Berlin publisher has begun issuiug a translation of the war correspondence in the Times both from the Prussian and Austrian camps . The Avork , when complete , will cost 3 s . It is stated that the volume of Mr . Swinburne ' s " Poems and Ballads , " Avhich excited so much deserved

indignation for its indecent sensuality , has been withdrawn from publication , either by Messrs . Moxon or the author . The newspaper press of Spain is in a state of sad decadence . Five have disappeared Avithin the year . The number of political journals in Madrid is TAOAY 15 .

Two years ago there were 40 . Burn ' s Cottage is , says the Jjjrsliire Express , to be sold by private contract . The necessities of the Ayr Incorporation of Shoemakers compel them to dispose of the most valuable property iu their possession— " the auld clay biggin . "

The Alburij Banner reports that the exploring party have discovered the remains of tlie long-lost Dr . Leichhardt , Avho has been most anxiously looked after for so many years , General Lee Avill publish , during the coming Avinter , his history ofthe Confederate campaigns in Virginia ,

including a recital of the principal general operations of the Confederates . The proposed visit of the British Association to Exeter has been met with , very liberal encouragement , and in a few clays the Mayor of Exeter Trill head a deputation to invite the celebrated scientific body to make Exeter their meeting-place in 1868 or 1869 .

The 100 th anniversary of the Saddlers Wells Theatre has been celebrated by the revival of the favourite pantomime of " Mother Goose , " orig inally produced iu 1806 , aud which is so closely connected with the farce of " Grimaldi . " M . Terrell , AVIIO accompanied the Due de Luynes to Palestine in 1865 has addressed a paper to

, the Academy on the cliymieal composition of- the waters of the Dead Sea . The inland lake has generally been considered untenanted by living creatures , but M . Terrell states shat near Sodom he distinctl y saAV a number of small fish that seemed to thrive very well .

The " Table Talker" in the Guardian says : — "Mr . G . A . Sala ' s papers on " The Streets of the World" are to be renewed in Miss Braddou ' s UOAV magazine , ' The Belgravian . " According to the Flaneur of the Star , these articles were announced for appearance in the "Dublin University Magazine , " but actually first saw light in the "Welcome Guest , " aud Avere continued iu " Temple Bar ; " so that this is the fourth serial Avith

Avhich they have " flirted . " The serial tale , by the editor , Avhich will occupy the chief place in " The Belgravian , " and is , of course , sensational , -will be appropriately entitled " Birds of Prey . " One of the promised features of " The Belgravian" is good English . How far the prospectus encourages us to hope for this rare quality Ave hope Ave must not judge from

the position of the Avord only in the following paragraph : —Iu its pages papers of sterling merit will only appear . S . D . Stuart makes an appeal to the people of England for subscrip tions to help in the endowment of Washington College , in Lexington , Virginia , over

which General Lee is president . The college Avas originally endowed by Washington . £ 30 , 000 is required to add to the endowment of the institution , a sufficient sum to repair the ravages of the Avar , and to provide a proper salary for the new president , who has hitherto declined to accept all offered testimonials . A third of the £ 30 , 000 needed for the college has