Literature.

which ho is the author , entitled " King Saul , " illustrating the power of madness , superstition , aud jealousy combined . It is a five-act tragedy , adhering throughout to the narrative as it appears in holy writ , and " containing on every page delineations of character , and fine dramatic taste , which would not disgrace the pen of the greatest dramatists . ' ' The secretary to the Brighton Mechanics' Institute has received a

letter from Mr . Edwin James , Q . C ., Recorder to tho borough , of which the following is a copy -. — " So little interest was felt in the competition for the prizes last year , that I am not inclined to renew them . I certainly should not give any unless twenty competitors for each prize were guaranteed . " Mr . Maeinillau ' s Magazine has made its appearance under the care of Professor Masson . It is a good opening number . A review of political

affairs , from the pliilosophieal rather than the parti-. au point of sight , three chapters of " Tom Brown at Oxford , " "Pen , Ink , and Paper , " by Professor George Wilson , and Mr . Lushingtoii ' s " Italian Freedom , " are magazine articles high above the average iu thought ancl style . The JAbro . rie Nourella has just published a translation of Mr . Thackeray ' s " Yellow-plush Papers . " This work has been admirably rendered into French by an Englishman , Mr . William L . Hughes , who has

contributed to several of the leading periodicals here , and even had oue or more dramas produced on the French stage . His perfect acquaintance with the language has enabled him to render Mr . Thackeray ' s work in the manner best calculated to convey the author ' s meaning to French

readers . Where close translation was applicable , he has adhered strictly to his original , but where the meaning could be better expressed by paraphrase ho has adopted that method ; and the result is a very successful rendering of a tale that offers unusual difficulties to a translator . Mr . Hughes has not attempted to imitate the extraordinary orthography of the famous Mr . Charles J . Yellowplush , ancl any such experiment would most probably have resulted in failure . The version , first

appeared in the Revue Europienne , and the foot of its now being brought out in a separate form proves that ithasbeen well received by the publichere . Tho Birmingham Journal says : —¦ " It may be recollected that some years ago , on the occasion of a visit by Mr . Dickens to Birmingham to attend the Literary aud Artistic dinner , a presentation was made to him , aud au address expressive of the admiration felt by the donors for his genius aud character . Iu Filth's portrait of Mr . Dickens , exhibited in the

Royal Academy last season , aud which , by the way , is about to be engraved , this address forms a portion of the ' still life , ' as appears by the following letter addressed to Mr . J . E . Walker , artist , lately a resident in Birmingham : — ' Tuesday , 20 th July , lSi . 9 . —Dear sir , —In reply to your letter , I have great pleasure in assuring you that tho framed address in Mr . Filth's portrait is the address presented to mo b y my Birmingham friends , and to which you refer . It has stood at my

elbow in that one place ever since I received it ; and please God it will remain at my side as long as I live and work . —Dear sir , faithfully yours , CHARLES DICKERS . '" Tho Corh Examiner publishes a correspondence between Mr . Charles Dickens and an ultramontane citizen of Cork . Tho

latter gentleman , feeling himself , as a Roman Catholic , aggrieved by oue or two articles exposing papal excesses in Italy , which appeared some time ago iu "All the Year Round , " wrote to Mr . Dickens on the subject . Mr . Dickens , in reply , denied that the complaint was reasonable , declared that ho had never " pandered to any acrimonious or intolerant feeling" against the Roman Catholic Church , aud added" Let me , iu all good humour , recommend you to observe whether its

( tho church ) accredited organs are as considerate towards Protestants , aud to give your judgment of me the benefit of the comparison . " The Standard says : — " Sir E . Bulwer Lytton has returned to England , and we are happy to state that the right hon . baronet is in the enjoyment of perfectly recovered health . " A collection of facts respecting the weather is in progress on a scale that includes tho North Atlantic and its several coasts . Contributions

will be thankfully used by the Meteorological Department of the Board ° f Trade and Admiralty . At the meeting of the Council of the Society of Arts , on AVednesday , it was announced that Dr . Lindley had consented to accept the office of Examiner in Botany for thc Society ' s examinations ' .

MEDITATION AND GRATITUDE . —He , in frequently reflecting on the Particular ample favours of God to him , should imitate the holy Psalmist , that illustrious pattern of great and fortunate men ; saying after him , With his spirit and disposition of soul , " Thou hast brought me to great honour , and comforted me on every side ; therefore will I praise thee and thy faithfulness , 0 God . "—Barrow .

Literature.

ANCIENT SYMBOLISM ILLUSTEATEP . —IT . BY BRO . BOB . MARTIN " , M . O ., PAST DEPUTY PROV . GR . VXT ) MASTER 01 ? SUFFOLK ; AXD P . E . COM . 01 ? KXICHTS TEMPLAR , ETC . THE JIYSTIC TRIANGLE . NOAH , I have already shown , was deified , so also were his

immediate descendants , and all inventors of the arts ivere noticed with divine honours . Tubal Cain , the first worker of metallic substances , was the Vulcan of the Greeks , nor did he lay slight claim to the honour awarded him , since his progress in science was unparalleled . Not only was he the first worker of metallic substancesand thus alike useful in

, the arts of war , and-agriculture , but he must have understood the principles of chemistry , especially the power of caloric in fusing metals and producing compound substances , for we read that he was the instructor of every- artificer in brass ancl iron . Now , brass being a factitious metal , formerly a mixture of lapis ccdaminaris with copper in fusion , he must

have advanced far du science ere he could have first formed the metal , and then converted it to the many purposes for ivhich it was employed . In like manner the god Hermes or Amiubis ofthe Greeks , the Toth or Taut of the Egyptians called Trismegisttis , that is " threefold great , " is proved to have been an ancestor , who

instructed the Egyptians in tho elements of astronomy , music , and letters , ancl was venerated by the Greeks and Romans as the god of eloquence , wisdom , and commerce . Two other sects have lon g divided between tliem the great body of the commonalty of China , that of the Tao-tse , and that of the priests of Fo , or Boodh—the first native , the

second of foreign origin . In a work recently translated by the Kev . Dr . Morrison , Tao , the founder of the former sect , is stated to have been born on earth under Woo-ting , the twentieth emperor of the Chang dynasty ; his mother , who conceived through the influence of a divinely transforming air , remained ei ghty-one years in a state of pregnancy , and her

offspring after living nine hundred and ninety-six years on earth , ascended to tho summit of the mountain Kwan-lun , His followers , in . describing the primeval state , assert that all the fruits of the earth grew spontaneously , and men dwelt unhurt amidst ferocious animals . Thc universe was onl y one family , they lived in innocence , nothing could be fatal , or cause death . The immoderate desire of knowledge ruined the human race ; the jierverscness of woman was the sonrco and root of all evil .

This bears a strong resemblance to the Mosaic history . I will also mention a striking similarity between the Chinese and Mosaic accounts of the deluge . Yu , the Chinese Noah , is celebrated for his painful and successful labour iu directing the waters to their proper channels . In tho time of Yu wine was first made ; but when Yu drank of it and relished

its flavour , he banished its maker , and prohibited the luxury , remarking that it would be ruinous to man . Noah having descended from the ark after a general deluge , must have found drainage necessary before he could till the earth ; ho planted a vineyard , and was drunken , the consequence of which was his banishment to slavery of the descendants of Ham .

The following description given of the Tao sect by Professor Kidcl , evinces a striking similarity between their theory of a trinity of gods and that rirofessed by ourselves , and symbolized by the triangle . The sect of Tao , says this learned author , was founded by Laou Iveuntsze , who flourished about four hundred years jn'ior to the Christian era , ancl was

contemporary with Confucius . The origin is described as the great supreme , threefold source , consisting of three personages , of whom the most honourable dwells in heaven , and bestows happiness . The next in rank grants forgiveness of sins on earth , and the inferior rules the water , ancl delivers from impending calamities ; yet these three sages are but one first cause , that is , the indivisible monad , to which we have already referred , called Tae-Keih ,