Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

their recently-published "Conferenca on Missions held in 1860 , at Liverpool : including the Papers read and the Conclusions reaclule * Edited by the Secretaries to the Conference . " They announce that they will bo happy to receive the names of public institutions and libraries for which free copies are wanted . Mr . Alexander Heylin will publish shortly a cheap edition of Dr .

- Steven ' s " History of Methodism from its Origin to the Death of ' Wesley . " ' The Messrs . Blackwood are just publishing the late Sir William . Hamilton ' s long-expected lectures on metaphysics , edited by Mansel and Veitch . The Paris papers announce for November next , the piilication of

Memoirs and Correspondence of the King and the Queen of Westphalia , or the late Prince Jerome and Queon Catherine . This Prince left secret notes for his Memoirs , which haA'e been delivered nntd the hands of the Emperor . M . Charles Dupeuty has returned from Milan ivith a not inconsiderable collection of original letters from Napoleon the First . These hare been delivered to the

commission ivhich is occupied with editing the complete correspondence of the Emperor .. A great many letters are in the Vienna Archives , but said to be inaccessible . The Critic says , —AVe print the following curious statement as it has been communicated to us by a respectable correspondent , but without vouching for its authenticity : — "An invalid merchant of

great wealth , belonging to the Wesleyau persuasion , has been so much pleased ivith ' two characters in " Farquhar Frankheart "—old Grace Parker and Mr . Dixon—that he has bequeathed £ 2000 to be divided equally amongst ten of the oldest ivonien in connection , and ten of the oldest local preachers , in his native county . AVould that many such results followed tale rending !"

From 1753 , the year of its foundation , to the 31 st of March ofthe present year , " the total expense of the British Museum to the nation lias been ; C 1 , 3 S 2 , 733 13 s . Id ., —no great sum for the in'dstiinable benefit obtained by its outlay . Mr . Panizzi states that . there is room in the building , as it stands at present , for 800 , 000 additional volumes , and for a million altogether : —at the present

Mite of increase , space enough to accommodate the receipts of fifty .. years to come . Prom Paris ive learn that two important recommendations , contained in the - Report of the Minister of Public Instruction on the Condition of the Imperial Library have been adopted by the . -Emperor , and are now in process of being carried out . The first is

-that relating . to the proposed transference to the Imperial Library of all books not therein contained , of which copies exist in the other great public libraries of Paris , namely , the Mazarine Library , the Library of the Arsenal , the Library of Sainte Genevieve , and the Library of the Sorbonno ; it being proposed at the same time to reimburse these four libraries , for the loss incurred

. by the transfer , by presenting them ivith duplicates of such works as they may severally require from the largo stock of duplicates in . tlie Imperial . The other recommendation made and adopted is that of a second reading-room for the use of literary and scientific . persons exclusively ; which reading-room , it is ordered , shall be forthwith erected , in connection with several new buildings to be

added on to the Library . Messrs . Bradbury & Evans publish a series of twelve prints , enlarged from the original drawings by Mr . John Leech , of "Mr . Briggs ancl his Doings ( Pishing ) , " from Punch . These are enlarged by the process employed by the " Electro-Block Printing Company j" and , as reproductions of the humour and skill of the originals , are most admirable .

The Annual Meeting of the Bay Society was held at Oxford , 'luring the meeting of the British Association , in the New Museum ¦ at Oxford . The Annual Report AVUS rend , and it was announced that Mr . Blackwall ' s book on British Spiders was ready for distribution to members for 1859 . Sir Philip Egerton was elected President , Mr . Lubbock , Treasurer , and Dr . Lankestor , Secretary .

Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

The whole of the large and valuable collection of drawings diagrams , plates , preparations and other articles used by Dr . Lindley in illustration of his Botanical Lectures while professor at University College will shortly be sold by Mr . Stevens . The first competition for a design for the rebuilding of the Antwerp Exchange , has been a failure , and a second competition

proclaimed , which may possibly not have a better success , as many able architects took part in the first competition , and some beautiful ancl practical designs ivere sent in . Of course these architects will feel- hurt , and will take no part in the second

competition . The competition opened by the Austrian Government for the acquisition of a sketch for the monument to be erected to the memory of the late Field-Marshal Prince Karl Schwarzenberg , has not led to a satisfactory result . In consequence of this , the Emperor has coininisionecl Prof . Hiihnel , of Dresden , to make a sketch for the intended monument .

The public auction of the objects of Art left by Alexander von Humboldt has been fixed for the 17 th of September at Berlin . Several drinking-fouritains of unusually good design have been quite recently erected in London . One in particular , ivhich is worthy of remark , has been placed opposite Coventry House , in the Green Park , another in Moor Street , Seven Dials , and a third at St .

Dunstans Church . There is one . of peculiarly hideous character placed on the Avail of . Lambeth Church . A "famous tenor " M Niemann ( whose fame , nevertheless has not reached Enilish ears ) , is engaged , according to French journals , at the Grand Opera at Paris . There appears to be an idea of folloiving up the success of "Orphce" at the Theatre Lgrique by reviving "Alceste , " with Madame Viardofc as heroinie .

M . Offenbach's pretty little . theatre , Lef Bouffes Parisiens , in Paris , has been put up to auction . From this it would seem as if the attraction of the entertainment had passed . The two new theatres in the Place du Chdtelet are rising rapidly . Madame Ugdale returns to her olcl place at the Opera Comique . A festival is projected in aid of the Jullien Fund . The

pro-X'rietors of the Surrey Gardens aid the movement by the gratuitous use of the Music Hull . Mr . Sims Reeves , and several other artistes ol influence and eminence , have already enrolled themselves among the benefactors . Tuesday , the 31 st of the present month , is the day at present named tor the concert , and the music is to be selected chiefly from the repertoire of the late lamented maestro .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

[ THE EDITOR does not hold himself responsible for any opinions entertained by Correspondents J ] MASONRY IN ST . THOMAS'S . TO Till ! liDITOll OF Till ! FltF . EHASOx ' s HAGAZiyE AXD 3 IASOXIC MIRHOH . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER—In your article of May 5 th , 1860 , under tho title of " Masonry in St . Thomas" you have

, thought proper to publish the report of the Colonial Board to the Grand Lodge in its meeting of March 3 rd ; in that rcmort the Board has made known to the Masonic public that " serious differences existed amongst the members of the Harmonic Lodge ( No . 458 ) , that complaints were preferred by the AV . M . of the Lodge , against some of the members for refractory conduct . " Can it be styled refractory

ivhen the members oppose the W . M . in his acts ivhich are proved to he perfectly illegal and - unconstitutional and ivhich have , contrary to the opinions expressed by the R . AV . Pi-oi * . G . M . Bro . Hart , been condemned by higher authority ? The complaints made Avere never read nor addressed by the E . AV . Prov . G . M ., to the . three suspended members , and even then they were not aware who had

comjjlaincd of them nor the tenor nor form in which the complaint was couched ; but , simply the R . AV . Prov . G . M . questioned them as regarded certain expressions or phrases which they hacl uttered , and as honourable men and Masons , they replied