Literature.

' '¦ Knave : How many serving-lads must have been unfaithful and dishonest before ' knave , ' which means at first no more than boy , acquired the meaning which it has now 1 Bote the same history in the German 'Bube , ' 'Dime / 'Schalk ' : — "' If it is a knave child , sie ye him ; if it is a woman , keep ye . 'Exodus i . 16 : AA iclif . "' 0 murderous slumber , Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy

That plays thoo music ? gentle knave , good night . ' " Shakspeare : Julius Geesar , act . iv ., sc . 3 . " AVith reference to Garb we read : — "This is one of many words whereof all the meaning has run to the surface . A man ' s dress was once only a portion , and a very small portion , of his' garb , ' which included his whole outward presentment to other men ; now it is all : —

' '' First , for your garb , it must be grave and serious , very reserved , and looked . ' —Ben Jonson : The Fox , act iv ., se . 1 . " " Of the word Whirlpool it is stated , ' None of our dictionaries , as far as I am aware , have noticed the use of ' whirlpool' to designate some huge sea-monster of the whale kind : "" The Indian sea breedeth the most and the biggest fishes that are ; among whicli tbe whales and whirlpools , called balaenae , take up , & c .

Holland : Pliny , vol . i . p . 235 . " ' We conclude our quotations with one respecting the word Theirs ( on which there is a note in Craik's English of Shakspeare , p . 117 ) . AVe read— ' It is a remarkable evidence of Shakspeare's influence upon the English language , that while , so far as yet has been observed , every other writer , one single instance excepted , employs ' thews' in the sense of manners , qualities of mind and disposition , the fact that as often as he employs it it is in the sense of nervesmuscular vigourhas quite

over-, , borne tlie other use , which , once so familiar in our literature , has now quite passed away : " For everything to which one is inclined Dost best become and greatest grace doth gain ; Yet praise likewise deserve good themes enforced AVith pain . " —Spenser : The Fairif Queen , b . ii . 2 .

In the foregoing extracts it will be seen how new food for thought is opened , to the student of language , ancl to those of limited opportunity and research what a mine of wealth is here disclosed . Meanings that may have seemed to many without sense , will , by the perusal of the dean ' s defect Glossary of English Words , become as clear as the more common words in use in present vulgar tongue .

Heartily congratulating the Dean of AA cstnunstcr on his success , in being useful to his less informed brethren , we can but express a wish that more of our capitular dignitaries ivould follow so excellent an example , and from the storehouses of cathedral and capitular chapters , turn their stalls to something else beside the daily routine of a residentiary . Not that by any means we would wish tlie service of tho church neglected , and the Dean of Westminster

is a living proof that his usefulness in his spiritual charge in nowise falls short , nor is a duty made to give place to an amusement , but when we know , and wc do know somewhat more than usual of the aimless lives of the canonical and prchendal bodies , wc say let them follow the laudable example set before them , and show that they have some greater interest in the knowled ge of their fellow men , than that which is confined to leases , renewals , fines , and dividends .

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , AND ART . - 3 fr . A . PANIZZI , of thc British Museum , is in Italy on his way to Parma and Modena . Mr . Panizzi is a native of Brescello , in Modena , and his rellow countrymen proposed to elect him as a deputy to the National Assembl y of Modena , but he refused . His object in coming to Italy was to visit his native place , and to thank his fellow countrymen ; but some of the Turin ascribe his visit to another causeancl that he

papers , say is an agent of the British government . j -Hiong the ] a ( e donations to the fund to relieve the trustees and pur . chase the lease of the buildings of the London Mechanics' Institution , we the namog oi tlle Duko o { cicvolantl , the Marquis of Bredalbane , and Lord Cranworth . The early example of that philanthropic and benevoent man , the late Lord Murray ( Lord of Session ) , was noticed at the

™ ne , and now Lady Murray sends £ 50 , and Miss Burdett Coutts . £ ' 100 0 the account at Ransom and Co . ' s . In the City Messrs . Hanbury have Meived 100 guineas , recently voted for the purchase of the lease by the Corporation of London . e ca-ermaus , at Constantinople , are going to erect a monument to -j ** f ' von Humboldt , in connexion ivith whieh a museum , library , ' > c reading room will be established for the benefit of the late philosol « ' * eovmtrymeu living at Constantinople . moug the new works in preparation by Messrs , Longmans , a

described in their " Notes on Books , " are an edition of " Lalla Rookh , " by Tenniel . A new edition of " Pilgrim ' s Progress , " with a preface by the Eev . C . Kingsley , and 120 illustrations engraved on steel and wood from original designs by Charles Bennett . A book of emblems , entitled " Moral Emblems from Jacob Cats and Robert Farley , with Aphorisms , Adages , and Proverbs of all Nations ; the illustrations freely rendered from designs found in Catz and Farley by John Leightou , F . S . A ., and

engraved under his superintendence , " in one volume , square crown octavo , with sixty large illustrations on wood , ancl numerous vignettes and tail pieces . The emblems , and other works of Dr . Jacob Catz , or Sir James Cats , have for two centuries been household books in Holland , aud were well known to our forefathers , who highly prized them , both for their moral doctrine , and for the ingenious designs with which Adrian Van De Venne symbolised their teachings . Sir Joshua Reynolds ,

when a boy , was much influenced by these compositions , of which he made careful copies . Sir AA . Beechey , iu his " Life of Reynolds , " states that Sir Joshua ' s " richest store was Jacob Cats' Book of Emblems , which his grandmother , a native of Holland , had brought with her from that country . " The tail pieces are derived from Farley ' s " Lights ,, or Moivill Emblems , " a rare book of poems and primitive woodcuts , printed in London in 1038 . The third and concluding volume of Captain

Brialmont's "Life of the Duke of AA ellingtou , " translated with emendations and additions by the Rev . G . R . Gleig , M . A ., is now in the press , ft will take up the history ofthe Duke from the Battle of AA aterloo , and will represent him as an ambassador , as a minister , and as a citizen . A complete treatise on the "Science of Handling , Educating , and Taming all Horses ; with ^ aj full ancl detailed Narrative of his Experience

and Practice , " by John S . Rarcy , of Ohio , U . S ., will be published in one volume , with many illustrations . This work has been several years in preparation , and contains a complete account of the method adopted by Mr . Rarey with the various animals selected in England , and other

countries , to test the efficacy of his system . New York papers mention the report that Alfred Tennyson contemplates a tour in the United States during the approaching autumn . Tom Taylor , the dramatist , it is also said , will favour the Americans with his presence about the same time . His play of the "American Cousin " gained him a reputation at New York which will ensure him a hearty welcome .

Messrs . Routledge and Co . will shortly reissue the Svo . editions of the Dramatists , published by the late Mr . Meson , which series they have recently purchased . The gathering of the institution of Mechanical Engineers was held at Leeds last week . The members met in the Civil Court at the Town Hall . Mr . John Penn , the great engine-builder , and president of the

association , occupied the chair . Tho papers read were numerous and important , though of more interest to professional than to general readers . The members ofthe society visited all the great objects of mechanical interest in the town of Leeds , as well as the waterworks at Artkingtoii , and the ironworks at Low Moor and Saltaire . A strong list of Presidents of Sections has been appointed for the Aberdeen meeting of the British Association , of which we hope to present a special report to our readers . Tho Earl of Rosso will conduct the business of the Section of Mathematical and Physical Science , —Dr . Lyon

Playfair , that of Chemical Science , —Sir Charles 1 _ yell , that of Geology , —Sir AA . Jardine , that of Zoology and Botany , including Physiology , — Rear-Admiral Sir J . C . Ross , that of Geography and Ethnology , —Colonel Sykes , that of Economic Science and Statistics , —Robert Stephenson , Esq ., that of Mechanical Science . The list of officers will not be completed until the day of meeting . Two attractive discourses have been arranged for the evening lectures—ono by Sir Roderick I . Murchison ,

' On tho Geology of the Highlands , '—and one by the Rev . T . R . Robinson , ' On Electrical Discharges in Highly Rarefied Media . ' Under the name of the " London Arabic Literary Fund , " an undertaking of an educational aud civilizing tendency for the many millions speaking the Arabic tongue is being started in London by a Syrian gentleman named Antonius Amcuney . Mr . Ameuney ivill make an appeal to the British public for the means of establishing an Arabic newspaper

in London , which will be sent to every country where the Arabic language is spoken , and there gratuitously distributed amongst all classes . Tho objects which are to be promoted aro to neutralise the great efforts made by France for the aggrandisement of hor influence in the East , by means of the clerical , scholastic , and journalistic machinations which she has set on foot ; and to infuse as much as possible into the Arabian mind the ideas and sentiments which generally prevail among the Anglo-Saxon race , Mr , Ameuney was educated at King ' s College , London ,