Literature.

Literature .

EEVIEWS . Prorerbs of All Nations , Compared , Explained , and Illustrated . By WALTER B . KUIXY . W . Kent and Co . Jin . KETXV tells us that British proverbs , for the most part , form the basis of this collection . They are arranged according to their import and affinityand under each of them are grouped

trans-, lations of their principal equivalents in other languages , the orig inals being generally appended in foot notes . Ify this means are formed natural families of proverbs , the several members of which acquire increased significance from the light they reflect on each other . At the same time a source of lively interest is opened for the reader , who is thus enabled to observe the manifold diversities of form ivhich the same thought assumesas expressed in

, different times , and by many distinct races of men ; to trace the unity in variety , ivhich pervades the oldest ancl most universal monuments of opinion ancl sentiment among mankind , and to verify for himself the truth of Lord Bacon ' s well known remark " that the genius , wit , and spirit of a nation , are discovered in its proverbs . " Mr . Kelly gives the following example of—

' ¦ CUSTOJI . HABIT . USE . ' ' Use will make a man live iu a lion ' s den . " Custom is second nature . " Cicero says nearly the same thing , and tbe thought has been happily amplified by Sydney Smith . ' There is no degree of disguise or distortion which human nature may not be made to assume from habit ; it grows in every direction in which it is trained , and accommodates itself to every circumstance which caprice or design places in its AA-ay . It is a

plant- with such various aptitudes , mid such opposite propensities , that it flourishes in a hothouse or in the open air ; is terrestrial or aquatic , parasitical or independent ; looks well in exposed situations , thrives in protected ones ; can bear its OAVU luxuriance , admits of amputation ; succeeds in perfect liberty , and can be bent down into any forms of art ; it is so flexible and ductile , so accommodating and vivacious , that of tivo methods of managing it—completely opposite—neither the one nor the other need be considered as mistaken and bad . Not that habit can give any neiv principle ; but of those numerous principles which do exist in our nature it entirely determines the order and force . ' "

And he tells us the Avell known story about Tenterden steeple being the cause of the Goodwin Sands , but with this difference , that we really find that which seemed an utter absurdity to be a fact . He says : — "After all , this is not so palpable a non scguitur as it appears , for , says l ' uller , ' one story is good till another is told ; and , though this be all ivliereupon this proverb is generally grounded , I met since with a

supplement thereto : it is this . Time out of mind , money Avas constantly collected out of this county to fence the east banks thereof against the irruption of the sea , and . such sums were deposited in the hands of the Bishop of Rochester ; but because the sea had been quiet for many years without any encroaching , the bishop commuted this money to the building of a steeple and endoiviiig a church at Tenterden . By this diversion of the collection for the maintenance of the banks , the sea nftenvai'ds broke in upon Goodwin Sands . And HOAV the old man bad

told a rational tale hacl be found but the due favour to finish it ; and thus , sometimes , that is causelessly accounted ignorance of the speaker which is nothing but impatience in the auditors , unwilling to attend to the end of the discourse . '"

Our space being limited , we cannot go so far into the merits of mis useful , painstaking , and amusing work , as we should desire , but AA ' C cordially recommend our readers to possess themselves of j- c ° py , assuring them that an acquaintance with Mr . Kelly's Prorerbs of All Nations will have its influence in adding a share to make them better and wiser men .

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , AND ART . THE sale of the NortliAvick collection of p ictures was attended with so much uncertainty and doubt as to the final destination of the gems "ie collection , on account of the number of purchasers on commission who were present , that the following ascertained facts as to some oi hose art treasures may not be unacceptable to some of our readers . Among the principal purchasers were the Due d'Aumale , ivho secured everal

' very choice examples , and among the rest the fine Perngino , ' riae Virgin and Child , " for 350 guineas—the Dukes of Cleveland , J gton , Newcastle , Hamilton , and Buccleueh , ivho each , through > eir agents , bought a number of valuable works—the Marquis of 1 lert-, ? ' '• • Bar ° n de Rothschild , the Marquis of Lansdowne , the Karl ot ^ lenborough , Lord de Lisle , Lord Lindsay , Lord de Siuimarez , Sir T . "mips , Mr , Labouehere . Mr . Drax , Mr , Scott , Mr , J . E . Denisou , Mr .

Baring , Mr . 13 . Owen , Mr . Hoiford , Mr . H . Butler , Mr . Hargreaves , Mr . Hardy , and other noble and distinguished collectors . The most extensive purchaser among the gentlemen alluded to above was Mr . Earl Drax , M . P ., who is said to have bought upwards of one hundred pictures , several of them choice examples of the masters whose names they bear . They included , among a host of others , Claude ' s "Apollo and tho Cumi-ean Sybil , " 210 guineas ; Saccln ' s " Ascension of tbe Virgin , " 200

guineas ; Pinturieehio ' s "Nativity , " 240 guineas ; and A . del Sarto ' s ' ¦ ' Charity , " the figures life size , 211 ) guineas . Mr . J . Scott was the purchaser of Liugelbach's "Departure for the Chase , " 105 guineas ; B . Luini's "The Virgin gazing on the Infant Saviour , " 200 guineas ; "Girl with the Horn Book , " by Sehidone , 405 guineas ; and the " St . John" of Carlo Dolci , for which he gave 2010 guineas , the highest price of any picture in the sale . The nobleman who bought most freely was the

Marquis of Hertford , and among his purchases are included Gonzales Coque ' s " Group of Family Portraits , " 300 guineas ; J . B . "Weenix .. " View in the Garden of a Chateau , " 350 guineas ; Conegliano ' s " St . Catherine , " 800 guineas ; Giorgione ' s " Cupid "Wounded by his own AITOAV , " 1250 guineas ; Velasquez ' s "Boar Hunt , " 310 guineas ; aud a number of others . The Marquis of Lansdowne has acquired , for TOO guineas , Giorgione ' s " Musical Party , " one of the most charming pictures

in the collection , and a few others . Lord Northwick was also a large purchaser , and has secured upwards of sixty of the choicest paintings , comprising Maclise ' s " Robin Hood and his Foresters , " for 1305 guineas ; " The Stoning of St . Stephen , " by Garofalo , 1530 guineas ; Frost ' s " Diana and her Nymphs surprised by Actieon , " 675 guineas ; Danby ' s ' ¦ ' " Wood Nymph chanting her Hymn to the Rising Sun , " 360 guineas ; Redgrave ' s "Flight into Egypt , " 350 guineas ; Van Schendel ' s admired " Market Scene—Selling Poultry by Candlelight , " 255 guineas ; Rubens ' * large gallery picture of " The Lion Hunt , " 300 guineas ; G . Dow ' s ' ¦ ' Portrait of Dr . Harvey . " 120 guineas ; Velasquez ' s " Lot and his

Daughters , " 140 guineas ; aud a number ol others , including examples of Titian , Guldo , Giorgioue , Mabusc , Giotto , Vandyck , Fiesoli , Albano , and other famous masters , ancient and modern . Five pictures only were purchased for the National Gallery , namely , G . de 'Proviso ' s "Virgin seated on a Throne , holding the Infant Saviour , " 450 guineas ; Giulio Romano ' s "Birth of Jupiter , " 375 guineas ; Moretto of Brescia ' s "Glorification ofthe Virgin" 550 guineas ; G . Terburg ' s "Portrait of a

, Gentleman in Black , " G 5 guineas ; and Masaccio ' s "Portrait of Himself , " 103 guineas . Messrs . BlackAvood and Sons announce the publication of a library edition of the novels of Sir EdAA-ard Buhver Lytton , to consist of fortythroe volumes at 5 .-:. each . Tho first work to bo issued is the C ' a . vtoiis , which will be commenced in October . The volumes will be brought

out once a month , and be printed in large readable type . Judging by the great popularity which Sir E . B . Lytton ' .- ; late Avorks have attained , a large sale may be predicted for this series . The folloAA-ing circular has been addressed by Dr . Vaughan to the parents of boys IIOAV at Harrow : — " Dear Sir , —The end of this term will bring with it the completion ofthe fifteenth year of my head mastership . I have resolved , after much deliberation , to take that opportunity of relieving myself from the long pressure of those heavy duties and anxious responsibilities which are inseparable from such an office , even

under the most favourable circumstances . With IIOAV much , reluctance I form and announce such a resolution , it is needless for me to say . I have no doubt that the governors of the school ivill elect as my successor in this important charge some one in whose administration , aided by the exertions of my present able coadjutors , you will have reason to feel entire confidence . I earnestly hope that you will find yourself able to alloiv the education of your son to be completed where it has been

begun-I shall ever retain a grateful remembrance of tho confidence ivhich you have reposed in me , and a lively interest in tho continued welfare and prosperity of this beloved and honoured school . I remain , dear sir , your faithful servant , CHAS . J . VAUGIIAX . " Mr . John Weale has compiled in a comprehensive and distinct form for reference , a list , with statistical memoranda , of the various

valuable architectural and engineering works , aud Avorks on military or naval sciences , that he has published during the period of thirty-seven years he has been in business : the full title of each publication is given , the date and total cost of the undertaking , and whether at the cost of publisher or author—a very model memorial of a London publisher ' s enterprise and industry . It is a valuable list iu itself ; aud if , as tho compiler suggests , it could bo folloAved by Other publishers doing the same , we should have an admirable summary of what lias been done in this country in respect of art .