Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

must confess it is with some difficulty I do myself recognise the ignorant , conceited , and arrogant power it was when 1 became acquainted with it . Most nations have undergone great changes during the last forty years , ancl the Burmese seem to have kept pace with them . " We are sorry to learn that the Schools of Design at York and Bath lack adequate support , as well as that of Wolverhampton The latter is to be carried on a little longer , to give it another chance of success .

The marble bust of Dr . Croly , by Behnes , presented to the poet some years ago by public subscription , is to be placed in the church of St . Stephen ' :., Walbrook , where the remains of the poet-rector have been interred . An exhibition of Stothard's paintings is to be held in London next spring . Mr . Henry Kingsley , brother to the Eev . Professor Kingsley ,

will commence a new novel in the January number of Macmillcui ' s Magazine , under the title of " 1 ' arenshoe ; or , the Adventures of a Young English Gentleman . " A national edition of the works of Dante is about to be issued , hy subscription , at Florence , the pvofit of which is to bti devoted to a monument to the bard .

Sir Benjamin Brodie , President of the JRoyal Society , has appointed General Sabine , Sir John Boilean , Sir Henry Holland , ancl Thomas Graham , Esq ., vice-presidents for the next year . The metal of the new bronze coinage is already complained of as scratching and breaking easily . A monument to Bessel , the late German astronomer , is about to

be erected at . Kom ' gsberg , by the Prussian Government . It is to consist of a bust of the astronomer , executed by Here Siemering , wliich is to be placed on the outside of the University buildings . Great complaints are being made at present of the practice of copying paintings regularly pursued in some of our public picture galleries , and then selling them for replicas , or duplicates .

An exhibition of the works of the late Trench painter Decamps will take place in Paris next spring . The French literature of the seventeenth century absorbs , almost exclusively , the Paris writing and reading world . Indeed ,

much labour and pains are bestowed in hunting up all the remains of the literature of that time , and in the attempt at reproducing the classical works of the time of Louis the Fourteenth in their original purity and correctness . Critical editions appear every clay ; manuscripts , or where they are wanting , first editions are compared ; and it is now evident , though hardly credible , what alterations these classical works have undergone in the course of time b y

the negligence and arbitrariness of the editors . Many things are lost , and past all hope of recovery , for instance , in the Letters of Madame de Sevigne ; but other works , which have suffered cruelly , jxiy for the trouble of restoring them to their original state . Thus , the Letters of Madame do Mainteiion , a genuine edition of which M . de Lavallce has undertaken . The Duke of JNoailles , who

is in possession of the family papers , has opened his archives to the -editor , which contain a great number of the original letters . Hitherto these letters were only known in the form which La JBeaumelle had given them . M . de Lavallce has found a great part of the original letters used by La Beaiimelle ; and it is astonishing how unscrupulously the first editor has handled them , —altering ,

leaving out , and changing the dates . There is preserved at tho Lord Chamberlain ' s Office a small folio volume , written about the year 1 G 39 , containing a great deal of curious information respecting masques ancl old English plays , performed before the Court . There is no notice of Shakspere in it ; hut there are very curious scraps about Ben Jonson , Inigo Jones ,

and other illustrious characters . JKTow , this volume is of no earthly use where it is , but it would be a very desirable acquisition to the British Museum ; ancl we cannot help thinking that if the matter wove properly represented to the Court , there would be si disposition to present tiie volume to the national library . Should

Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

the transfer take place , it is not improbable that much new and important information , especially respecting Inigo Jones , would be accessible to the public . We understand that JMr . Eobert Browning , whose knowledge of the history and profound feeling for the theory of Art are evinced by hisposins , has been studying Art practically for some months past .

Poetry.

Poetry .

THE WOELD AKD THE CEAFT . ItEAIi AST ! IDEAL . A Dialogue in , Verse . ________ t . They write of your age— " immemorial" time ,

And date your maturity from Solomon ' s reign ; Speak of your virtues—throughout every clime , Profit and pleasure , morality , gain . Gained by your laws , if truly observed , Gained by the precepts , secretly thine (?) Those secrets of nature oft have I heard ,. To peer ancl to peasant alike are divine . Why hold your power as Prospero ' s rod

. Ancl arrogate virtues I doubt you possess ? Duty to neighbour , yourself , and your God ; Mere words , and not deeds , did you ti-uly confess . Do the virtues you claim really live in the heart ? Your precepts divine—do they always control ? Make perfect , as nature's counterpart , liaising tho man , and exalting the soul . It reads well , I own ; it sounds equally so :

All that is human must err—be not blind ; You have your shadows , clouding the glow;—Seek out this truth—seek , ancl you'll find . Look , look on that sign—the compass and square , — An emblem of duty , you'll say;—aye , 'tis well . Call out its owner—the mask—away , tear ! Pvofit , not pleasure , thus breaks the spell . Why such as these to thy order belong ? Eemodel your laws—blot out these stains ! Invited , I know , in numbers they throng : For morality ? JXo !—their own selfish gains !

IDEAL Truth !—thou spirit of morality , arise ! Thy aid I crave , false men to know , — Mercy's qualities—thy attributes I prize — And guided thus , . justice with these endow . My temple raised in God's holy name , Sacred 'gainst all who dare thus forget 'That solemn obligation .- I here claim—¦

Sealed by them—an eternal debt . Was it for these my holy ritual sung ? Was it for such as these I've toiled ? "Was it for man alone—thus begun ? jSJo—God eternal ! Am I foil'd ? My temple like unto Moses' tent—A tabernacle of wisdom , strength , and beauty ' . BAbrahaminspired sent

y , To teach honour , truth , and duty . The solemn covenant with Jacob made , With God ' s angels bright descending , Shall these from their memories fade ? Death were better than such ending . Emblems sacred ne'er were ordained For vain man or his false display ; In Masonry the reward that ' s gained

pure , Is an eternal , bright , continuous clay . The Square , the Level , ancl the Line , A moral deep applies to that human sod ; A token-present , as a sacred sign , To guide mortalitv unto its God . W . T . J .

[ We have been requested to publish the above as likely to tend to the suppression of the too common display of signs for trade purposes by the "brewer , thc baker , the candlestick maker , " & c . If it has the effect desired , we shall be most gratified ; but we are compelled to admit that the poetry far exceeds our understanding . —Ed . ]