Literature.

of such labour , and the foundation of a Masonic history of our times at least will have been securely laid—a little more compression , in mercy to the future historian , is to be recommended , indeed , lest he should be overwhelmed by the embarras de richesses which will await him .

NOTES OS LITERATURE , SCIENCE , AND ART . PROFESSOR HOSIER WILLIAMS writes to the Times respecting the question as to the use of the Roman , alphabet in India . — "Those of your readers who were interested in the discussion which took place in your paper not many months since on the subject of the introduction of the Roman alphabet into India , will be glad to hear that the movement is

now making rapid progress in the Madras Presidency . Dr . Cardwell , the well known author of the ' Drfvidian Comparative Grammar , ' has become a coinple convert to the feasibility of the scheme . An able pamphlet from his pen , in the form of a letter to Sir Charles Trevelyan , advocating the substitution of our simple system of writing for the complicated scratches which now block the path of knowledge in India , is at this moment exciting great interest among learned natives at Madras .

The truth is that the Hindoos , especially the Tamil race , in the south , are a shrewd people , keenly alive to the advantage of adopting our European improvements ancl inventions . They aro now beginning to perceive that the Roman character , as used by us , is adapted to the expression of all their languages , and that they can be no losers , ancl perhaps great gainers , by giving it a fair trial . It was thought by many that the educated Mahomedans would feel themselves aggrieved by the

movement . That this is a mistaken idea is proved by a letter which has lately been addressed to the editor of a Madras paper by a learned Moslem , whose character ( as I am assured by Sir Charles Trevelyan ) ' is highly respected at Madras . ' " - A letter from Florence says : — " The veteran litterateur , Nicolo Tommaseo , a Venetian , who has resided in Turin for the last ten years , has now taken up his abode in this more genial Tuscan capital . We have

here also Francesco Fen-ara , an exile from Sicily , who was , since 1849 , a professor of political economy at Turin , and is now- to fill the same chair at Pisa , and to become one of the greatest ornaments of that timehonoured university . His colleague , Professor Mancini , a Neapolitan , is also here , and will deliver public lectures in one of the halls of tho Riecarcli Palace . Tho late emancipation of Tuscany thus brings some firstrate literary notabilities of the peninsula into this town , which may

well now , more than over , sot up its claim to the proud appellation of tho Athens of Italy . " A Belgian , M . Telesphoro Lois , of Gcnibloux , has accepted the invitation of tho Brazilian government to navigate tho Amazon river ii-om its source to its mouth . M . Lois has engaged sixty-four bold men to try the adventure with him , aud has informed the Royal . Belgian Academy that , should he perish in the undertaking , he had taken measures to

have his manuscripts ancl collections delivered to tho Academy . The Scotsman says that tho Itev . Dr . Esdaile having invited a few of those interested in the proposed estsblishment of a college for educating the daughters of ministers of the church of Scotland , ancl the professors in the Scottish universities , to confer together in Edinburgh on Friday last , the meeting was attended by the Rev . Drs . Hunter , Grant ,

Robertson , Stevenson , and Nisbet ; Professors Bennett and Crauford ; the Rev . Messrs . Gray , Weir , Adamson , and Esdaile ( secretary ) . The prospects of the institution having been explained by Mr . Esdaile , it was unanimously agreed that these wero such as to justify a confident hope of success , and render it necessary that the draft of the proposed conconstitution of the college should be prepared ; and that it would be of

advantage that a brief statement of the nature ancl advantages of the scheme should be prepared in such a form as might , either by deputations or otherwise , be presented to presbyteries and the public . Drs . Grant , Robertson , and Bennett , and Mr . Esdaile , were requested to prepare these documents before the 22 nd November , in order that they may be submitted to the consideration of a meeting of subscribers , which Mr . Esdaile was directed to intimate , will be held on that clay in the offices

of the church , at two o ' clock , r . ar , The institution , we aro glad to say , is rapidly approaching completion . A new paper , tho English Mail , is being projected for circulation throughout Australia and New Zealand . To use its own words— "It is mteuded not onl y to supply colonists with a clear and condensed , summary of all the general news of the month—foreign , commercial , and domestic—but also to be an ' echo' ( as it were ) of public opinion on all matters of interest relating to Australasia as daily expressed in the

mother country . Such a paper , conducted on such principles , cannot fail to be a great boon to our great southern colonies . " Mr . Weale , the scientific and mechanical publisher , has lately printed for private circulation , "Statistical Notices of Publications on tbe Constructive Arts , " which is intended by its compiler as a practical' - ' answer to statements which have been put forth by Englishmen as well as foreigners , that we in England lack enterprise in issuing and incurring

the es 2 iense of those works essentially useful to an industrial and wealthy community . " It is a list of all the publications which have been published by Mr . "Weale since he has been in business , with an estimate of the cost of producing each work , either real or approximate . Within a period of about thirty-sis years this single publisher has issued more than four hundred separate works ; besides several large series of rudimentary treatises and classical works . His three series of educational

books cost , the first , , € 14 , 000 ; the second , £ 43 , 500 ; and the third , £ 3 , 500 ; whilst against twenty-five items selected out of the list , sums are set down amounting together to , £ 67 , 185 . Thus we find that upon twenty-eight literary enterprises , every one of which depended upon the patronage of a very exclusive class , no less a sum than £ 123 , 185 have been expended—a striking prooi 'both of the interest felt in scientific subjects throughout this , countryand of tho spirit with which scientific

, enterprises are carried out . We hope that Mr . Weale ' s example will be followed by more than ono of his brethren . Information of this sort cannot but be of the greatest interest , not only to scientific men , but to bibliographers . Mr . Vane St . John , a younger member of that family so well known as comprising several of the ablest writers of the clay , has in the press a

novel called "Undercurrents ; " the book will bo published by Mr-Tinsley , of the Strand . The authorities of Berlin have opened the museum ancl picture galleries in the Lustgarten on the Sundays with the greatest success . Crowds

gather in the Egyptian hall , admire the marble Apollos aud Minervas , pore over tho wondrous allegories of Kaulbach and Cornelius , without apparent injury to their morals , though very much it is rumoured to tho loss of the wine cellars ancl dancing gardens . So , at least , says a friend in Berlin . An illustrated bi-monthly miscellany , styled " All India , " is shortly to be published at Madras . It will be tho size of the Saturday Review . It

will contain editorials on Indian topics , an original nouvcllel / e , a poet ' s corner , tho latest jfashions , and literary , artistic , and scientific gossip , Tbe fashions are to bo decreed , by a lady . The first volume of tho " Travels of Ladislaus Magyar in Southern Africa" has jusb left the press at Vienna . M . Magyar , a native of Maria Theresiopol , who was educated in the imperial naval academy at Fiume , has resided at Bihe , in Southern Africa , since the year 1849 , aud has

explored countries which are hardl y known by name to the European world . The adventurous traveller married the daughter of the ruler over Bihe , ancl her slaves accompanied him in his first journeys into the interior . The late Dr . Charles Ritter , the geographer , accepted the dedication of Magyar ' s work a few months before his death . A report is current in . Paris , that M . de Lamartine proposes to give a course of lectures in the Palais de l'lndustrie , on literary subjects ,

something analogous to the cours which ho has lately published , and which several of his friends thought at the time , and advised , should be given orally . The rate of admission is said to be fixed at . five francs each person . When de Lamartine can invite the Parisians to hear him lecture on liberty , he may possibly fill the Palais dc l'lndustrie , but not at five francs a head oven then . The chateau , whicli is now being built for tbo poet Tis situated near that of Rossini , and close to the site of tho late

Ranelagh Gardens . The Paris correspondent of the Telegraph remarks that if ever England gave France real cause for jealousy , it is on account of Shakspeare . His fame spreads in all directions with rapid strides . His genius is eminently opposed to French ideas of . literary excellence ; yet his name is daily in the mouths of the most eminent men hero , and tbo translations of his works increase and multiply . It was but the other clay that a

son of Victor Hugo entered tho field ; now the son of M . Guizot is about to give his countrymen a version of the immortal dramas . M . Butat , of tho Moniteur , is also engaged on tho same subject , and his translation is to be illustrated by Gustavo Dor < 5 ; then , a reprint of M . La Roche ' s translation is in the press , for tho firm of Hachotte and Co . ; and , lastly , in the list of Shaksperian labours , M . Philoxene Boyer commences immediately his second annual course of studies ) of Shakspeare at the reunion of tho learned societies ,