Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

as though they were lyrical gems of the first order . 'Can such things he ? ' Is the throne of Taste thus to he usurped by a host of illiterate scribblers ? Are such productions , abounding with Cockney slang , double entendres , and indelicate allusions , to he longer tolerated . " And he contends for " songs of an elevating nature , pure in sentiment , rich in natural feeling , and

bearing the impress of having sprung spontaneous from the depths of the poet ' s heart . " A course of lectures on Political Economy have just been commenced in University College , London , by Professor Waley . A work , On British Spiders , by Mr . Blackwall , is to he the volume published by the Ray Society for 1859 . As the volume is

not out yet , the society appears to be behindhand with its work . Professor Owen commences a series of lectures Onthe Classification and Geographical Distribution of Hecent and Fossil Mammalia , on Monday next , at the London Institution . It is said that by recent improvements at Berlin in the construe , tion of balls for rifled cannon , iron plates of five inches thick can he as easily penetrated as thick planks of wood ; so that iron ships will not be invulnerable in battle . Our hopes are that by and by

warlike weaponswillbecomesoperfect , that nations will be altogether abandon war as too dreadful a game to be ever played at . A subscription has already been commenced in the British navy for the purpose of raising a monument to the late Admiral Sir Charles Napier . A gentleman , educated at Harrow School , has just presented

£ 1000 to the governors of that institution , the interest of which is to form a prize or scholarship for such student as shall most distinguish himself in a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures . Mr . Beach , of New York , is said to be completing the construction of a new steam printing-press , b } ' which the sheets are cut from rolls of paper , damped , printed upon both sides at the rate of forty

thousand impressions an hour , folded up , counted , and delivered from the machine ready for the carrier or the mails . Mr . Beach was formerly editor of the New York Sun , and is the holder of several United States patents . The following account of the mode in which the Great Victoria Bridge , recently opened in Canada , was prepared before it was sent forth to its destination , will remind the Craft of the operative labours of some of our ancient brethren : —The whole of the

ironwork for the tubes was prepared at the Canada AVorks , Birkenhead , where a draft or plan of each tube was made , upon which was shown every plate , T bar , angle iron , keelson , and cover plate , in the tube ; the position of each being stamped or marked upon it by a distinctive figure , letter , or character . As the works progressed at Birkenhead , every piece of iron , as it was punched and finished for shipment , was stamped with the identical mark corresponding with

that on the plan ; so that when erected in Canada , although each tube was composed of 1 , 926 pieces , or 9 , 852 for a pair , the workmen , being provided with the plan of the work , were enabled to lay down piece by piece with unerring certainty till the tube was complete . A manuscript of the year 1638 , has been discovered slipped

loosely into a volume formerly the property of Mr . Isaac Reed . It is interesting as showing that Shakspeare ' s Julius Ctesar and The Merry Wives of Windsor were that year acted before the Court . Indeed the love Charles I . had for the works of Shakespere was one of his crimes in the eyes of " the sour-souied Puritans . " as Proletarius terms them .

Professor Faraday is going to lecture to the youngsters at Christ-Mas , On the Chemical History of a Candle . The statue of Timer , the eminent agriculturist , was solemnl y unveiled at Berlin on the oth inst . It was modelled by Hen- Hugo Hagen , and cast in bronze by Glndenbeck ; but the idea of a statue to Timer is said to have originated with B . io . Rauch . A new work is in the press , by Mr . 3 . A . Langford , under the rather striking title of Prison Boohs and their Authors . So many

authors have unfortunately been " cabind , cribb'd , confined , " at one time or other , and so many hooks been written in prison , that one almost envies Mr . Langford the theme ; which treated in a hold , earnest , and kindly spirit , cannot but make a good book . More than half the funds requisite for the monument upon the site of Bishop Hooper ' s martyrdom at Gloucester , has been subscribed ; we hope the remainder will shortly he forthcoming .

lectures on the Apocalypse , or Booh of the Revelations of St . John the Divine , by Professor Maurice , are in the press . A new and spruce edition of a quaint old book , Quarles's Emblems , is about to bo published as a Christmas diawing-room book . Mr . R . Charnock , F . S . A ., who is already known as the author of

a work on Local Etymology , is engaged on a book which will be of interest to most people , viz ., TheEtymology of 100 , 000 Ancient and Modern , British and Foreign , Personal Names . AA e are sorry to learn that the AA olverhampton School of Art has just been closed for lack of funds . Another volume ( the seventh ) of the great Duke of AVellington's

Despatches , edited by his son , is promised by Mr . Murray . Sir Charles Fellows expired at his residence in London , on Thursday night week . The decased was a son of Mr . John Fellows , ot Nottingham , and was born in 1799 . He received the honour of knighthood in 1845 , as an acknowledgement of his services in removing to the British Museum the Xanthian marbles and

antiquities previously discovered by him in Lyeia . He was the author of a Journal in Asia Minor , Discoveries in Lyeia , lye . The three pictures which Mr .. Henry Cook , e painted for the Emperor Napoleon , viz ., of Magenta , Cavriano , and Sermione , and

which were some time back exhibited in Manchester , have been presented to the Emperor at St . Cloud , by M . Fould . On the 27 th October , his majesty expressed to Mr . Cooke personally , and in most unequivocal language , the satisfaction with which he regarded the pictures , and did Mr . Cooke the honour of inviting him to form one at the royal breakfast table . Mr . Robert Chambers , the well-known writer and publisher ,

having recently visited Philadelphia , received . in invitation to a public dinner , to which he gave the following reply : — " 1025 , Archstreet , Philadelphia , Oct . 6 , 1 S 60 . Dear Gentlemen , —I have received your kind and flattering invitation , and return you for it my best thanks . I cannot deem my humble efforts in literature and science worthy of the honour you have designed for me ; but I

am willing to persuade myself that the honest aim of a lifetime to advance truth and humanity , and promote the diffusion of knowledge among the people of Britain and America , have met a sympathising recognition in you . To the proposal which you have consequently made , I have only this objection , that such outward and pointed demonstrations usually give me great

embarrassment . You will kindly excuse me from accepting it , and allow me to have the greater pleasure of seeing as many of you as possible in a more priva te manner . You may , however , be assured that I will not soon forget the good feeling you have shown towards me .. AVith much grateful regard I am , dear gentlemen , your faithful humble servant , ROBERT CmuiBEKS . —To the Hon . Alexander

Henry , Hon . C . . T . Ingersoll , Hon . AVilliam Bigler , Thomas Sully , S . A . Allibone , . T . B . Lippincott , Henry C . Carey , George H . Boker , William Elder , George W . Childs , C . J . Peterson , John AV . Fornoy ,. H . Coppee , and others . The New York Tribune says : —Mr . Thomas Ewbank has just printed for private distribution a paper read by him before the

American Ethnological Society , in an enlarged form , entitled "Inorganic Forces ordained to smpersede Human Slavery . " As the production of an acute and original thinker , this pamphlet has attracted much attention . Mr . Ewbank ' s well-earned leisure is not totally occupied by subjects of so grave a mood . According to report , he is engaged on a work , "Three Years' Residence at Washington ; or , Reminiscenes of Men and Matters in the Patentoffice , " which will be pretty sure not to w :. lit readers .