Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , AND ART .

A descriptive Catalogue of the works issued by the Camden Society since its foundation has been drawn up by Mr . J . G . Nichols , and printed by order of the council . It exhibits in a series of eighty volumes , a large body of historical notes and illustrations , for the first time put within the scholar ' s reach . We may take the opportunity of mentioning the Camden

Society ' s past labours to say what they are proposing to do in the more immediate future . Four volumes are in the press , namely The Surrenden Papers , from the originals in the possession of Sir Edward Dering , Bart ., edited by the Rev . L . B . Larking ( just ready)—part second of The Trevelyaii Papers edited by J . Payne Collier , Esq ., —A Register of the Priory of

St . Mary , Worcester , containing an ' account of the Lands and Possessions of that Church in the early part of the Thirteenth Century , edited by the Ven . Archdeacon Hale , —and the Parliamentary Delates in 1 S 60 , from the notes of a member of the House of Commons , edited by S . R . Gardiner . The trustees of the Soane Museum have come to a very

ingular conclusion : having ' refused to adopt Mr . Bonomi , the curator appointed for them by the Royal Academy , they have appointed as their temporary curator , in his stead , the very same Mr . Bonomi . Plain persons will be puzzled to understand such a course , which has been rendered necessary , we believe , hy the perversity of the very trustees who represent in Lincoln's

inn-fiields the academical body . We can hardly think the Royal Academy will let the matter rest where it now stands . Their right to elect a curator is , in fact , set aside—and that , not by the general body of trustees , but by the particular members whom they have themselves sent to the board . The liberal and non-academical members thought the academy ' s choice a good one , and sought to ratify it .

A fourth series of the late Mrs . Jameson ' s Sacred and Legendary Art , completing the work , is preparing for imbrication . It is entitled The Kislory of Our Lord and of Jtis Precursor John the Baptist ; with the Personages and Typical Subjects of the Old Testament , as represented in Christian Art , and will he illustrated , uniformly with the other three series , by many etchings and engravings on wood .

Cambridge is about to give us a library edition of Shakspere , in nine octavo voiumes , nnder the editorship of Mr . Clark , Mr . Glover , and Mr . Luard , three Fellows of Trinity College . An editorial joint-stock edition of our great dramatist is something of a novelty , and we shall be curious to see if three men can be found to agree in imparting a uniformity of taste and design ,

in arranging the garnish to the great text . It appears to us that this is all but an impossibility , at all events if there is to much attempt at originality . The editons of Collier , Knight and Dyce , possess their several excellences , but we should have small confidence in the success of one conducted by a partnership of the three . The new editors will have a formidable com .

petitor in Mr . Dyce , who has for some time been engaged in a revisal of his excellent edition of Shakspere , which is now , we understand , nearly ready for the press . Miss Sewell , the author of Amy Serhert , has An Ancient History of ' Egpyt and Assyria , intended for the use of young people , nearly ready . In it she will endeavour to show the

connection between the results of modern research and the facts and prophecies of Scripture . Dr . Latham's edition of Johnson's Dictionary , the issue of which in monthly parts was announced to commence in Jannary , has been deferred until the copy is in such an advanced state of preparation that its publication can go forward without ¦ delays or interruption .

The Rev . James Sherman , who died at Blaekheath last week has left a voluminous autobiography , which is to be published under the editorship of the Rev . Henry Allen . The interesting course of readings About London , by Mr . Mark Lemon , at the Gallery of Illustration , having reached its close , the entertainment will be carried by him into different

parts of the country . A round of provincial engagements , will we understand , occupy Mr . Lemon until the 21 st of April , when he will revisit the metropolis . Several of the artists engaged at the House of Parliament have made a strong representation to the proper authorities as to the expediency of removing , or at least modifying , the glare

of colour passed upon their pictnres in the national building by the extravagant quantity of stained glass in the windows by which they are lighted . Something must or ought to be done in this matter , in common justice to the painters , over the surface of whose whose works brilliant vagaries of many

huesfollow each other as the sunlight passes . Mr . Maclise ' s great picture representing the meeting of Wellington and Blucher after Waterloo—the most importantwork yet executed in the Houses of Parliament—is so near itscompletion that the process of " fixing " has been performed upon it . This may be regarded as final , and the work will be before the public in a few days .

Kaulbach , the celebrated painter of Munich , will be finely represented at our Great Exhibition , by his drawings illustrating the most remarkable subjects in the works of Goethe .. These are large , but extremely highly finished in chalk ; and we hear that if the artist should not decide to send them , they will be perfectly seen by means of some admirable photographic ,

facsimiles which have been taken , of the actual size , by M Albert , of Munich , whose large photographs , in full-length portraits , are now astonishing the photographers . We have recently been invited to see the steam regeneratora newly modified steam engine—in operation ; and , as regards its simplicity , we are bound to say it is simple enough , although

it owns a triplicate paternity— "three different engineers in three different countries born" having each contributed to its perfection . The projectors allege that it can be worked with 50 per cent , less coal than any ordinary high-pressure engine of the same power , and , should the experience ot those who adopt

it prove that to he a true allegation , there can he no doubt that manufacturers , and all who call in the little agency of steam in the production of their wares , will eagerly avail themselvesof the improvement . It is but fair to say that the proprietors of Collinge ' s axle factory , 65 , Westminster Bridge-road , where it has been in use for some time , give it the benefit of their good report in that respect . As the regenerator takes its name

from the circumstance that the steam , instead of being allowed to escape , is condensed and sent as distilled water back into the boiler , it is obvious that the boilers are preserved from all saliue and calcareous deposits which not only corrode the metal of which they are constructed , hut also deaden the effect of the heat , and thereby delay the action of the engines , and lead to a great

waste of fuel . The waste steam , instead of being allowed to pass into the atmosphere after it has acted upon the piston , is conveyed by a pipe into a vessel , which is kept cold by a constant flow of water upon it . In that vessel the steam is converted into water and is sent from it by the agency of a forceback into the boilernotdirectlhoweveras the cooled

pump , , y , , steam would have the effect of keeping down the temperature . To avoid that , which , would be a serious drawback upon the efficacy of the apparatus , the distilled water is first sent through a bent pipe exposed to the furnace flame , and after that fiery ordeal it again reaches the boiler , re-converted into steam , to pass again into the ramifications of the machinery .