Literature.

possible , the use of steam as a propelling power , arising from their having the erroneous idea that it must be more injurious to the roads than traction by horse-power , has acted in snch a manner as to totally prohibit their use in some parts of the country , if put on with a view to making them a profitable investment . " These objections Bro . Young has combated with great ability , arguing his cause with good sense and considerable

humour . He proves that steam transport on common roads can be regularly and profitably worked without injury to the roads , and thafc if property conducted ifc can be made amply remunerative . It only remains , therefore ( to use his own words ) , to enable those who are disposed to work these engines and trains afc a profit , by assisting to obtain such a fair rate of toll as shall pay for the use of the roadand yet

, give the user a fair chance of being paid for his time and outlay , ivhich , at present , is an impossibility . He calls for the support of all friends of " liberalism , free-trade , and progress ; " and we trust he will obtain ifc—at any rate , he has done sufficient to deserve it . He has nofc , indeed , exhausted the subject , and we doubt not that public attention , once thoroughly arousedBro . Young will nofc be long in

, a wain coming before us wifch fresh arguments and illustrations , pleasantly put together as in the present volume , which we have read with great interest , ancl laid down with the conviction that we are considerably wiser than we were before , both as to the ingenuity and the obstinacy of our 1 bllow-eoun fcr vnien .

Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , AND ART .

Mr . AV . C . Bennett , in his new volume , The Worn Wedding Ming , and ol / ter Poems , has the following sonnet on Guido ' s " St . Sebastian : " — " And on this very canvas Guido wrought The Christ-like beauty of those sainted eyes , Fill'd but with God , even in these agonies . How to the mighty master were they brought !

From his own brain was this great glory caught I Whence did the radiance , here before us , rise ? Truly a sacredness untold there lies In such rare visions . Given to man ' s thought Are all his highest works of hand and brain ; They seem but ; his ; these God himself creates . Unless Ho work through us , we work in vain . He with pure heart ancl open soul , who waits To do His bidding , he the crown shall gain ,

And pass , by prayer , through glory's temple gates . " Telegraphic communication between England ancl France continues to improve , so that in a short time messages will be sent between London and Paris by way of Newhaven and Dieppe ; and 15 oi"deaux , Lyons , and Marseilles will be directly connected with the English metropolis .

Professor Donaldson , of the University of Cambridge , one ofthe finest Greek scholars of the age , died lust week . Mr . . Tames jSasinyfch has shown , in a large drawing at the Koyal Institution , a spot on the sun , as seen on the 29 th of last July , by means of an achromatic telescope , of eight inches aperture . This spot is only of average size , but the drawing has attracted much

attention from the fact that it . is the first time that the narrow leaf-shaped filaments or fibres of which the entire surface of the sun appears to be formed , have ever been represented or described . The next meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science is to be holden at Manchester , in September , under the presidency of AVilliam Fairburn , Esq ., F . R . S ., and President of

the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester . AVe know not whether Ary Schefl ' er was or was not a " brother of the mystic tie , " but the following extracts from his letters to his then newly-married daughter ( for they were written in 1816 ) are given by Mrs . Grote in her memoir of the great French artist , ancl are truly Masonic in sentiment : — " Heaven preserve you ever

from serious defects , dear Cornelie , but above all from that of dealing severel y with those of others . Be rigorous towards yourself—indulgent to them . Every virtuous woman that 1 have been acquainted with has been so . . . . Be assured that you occupy my whole heart and mind , ami that all my hopes are centered in seeing

you happy Believe me , the accomplishing of duties alone leads to contentment . AVe ought to seek to diffuse pleasure ancl enjoyment around us . To effect this has been the unvarying object of my life—perhaps my only claim to merit ; and though it was always pursued at the expense of my own comfort , I vow to you that I havo been amply repaid by the consciousness of having done right . AVith a firm soul ancl rectitude of purpose , we may achieve what we will—morally speaking That word 'must , ' fix ifc

well in your memory , dear child ; your grandmother seldom had ifc out of hers . The truth is that through our lives nothing brings any good fruit except what is earned by either the work of the hands , or by the exertion of one ' s self-denial ; sacrifices must be , in short , ever going on , if we would obtain any comfort or happiness . "Now that I am no longer young , I declare that few passages afford me so much satisfaction to look back upon , as those in which I made sacrificesor denied myself enjoyment . ' The forbidden' is the

, motto of the wise man . Self-denial is the quality of ivhich Jesus Christ set us the example . " One hundred ancl eight plans , by English , Prench , German , and Italian architects , have been sent in ° for the intended new Grand Opera House at Paris ; we ought , therefore , to have a building

worthy of Prance and the nineteenth century . Dr . J . Maegowan , Esq ., M . D ., has been lecturing on Japan , in the theatre of the Eoyal Institution , Manchester . The Doctor , who had resided for some years in Japan , exhibited the best collection of Japanese curiosities said to have ever been shown in this country .

A letter from Naples says : — " I regret on every ground to have to report a duel which took place yesterday betiveen tho Count Arrivabene ( correspondent of the Daily News ) and Count Savignano . Ifc arose from an altercation of the most trifling nature , and terminated without any important results . Count Arrivabene . was accompanied by Count Arconati Visconti and Colonel Missori , and it is clue to these gentlemen to say that they made strongthough ineffectual effortsto arrange the dispute

, , pacifically . Count Arrivabene received a wound in the right hand and arm , and fortunately parried a blow which , had ifc fallen on his head , might have proved fatal . I allude to the affair only to show that it was not in the slighest degree connected with politics . Dr . Bishop was called in after the duel , and reports that in a fewdays the count will be able to enter on his usual occupations . " — AVe had hoped that literary men at least had been wise enough to

avoid the foolish as well as wicked practice of duelling , and regret that , whatever the merits or demerits of this " trilling altercation , " Count Arrivabene should not have had a higher sense of manhood about him , than either to give or accept a challenge . Mr . John Scholes , author of The Bridal of Hamorth , is publishing a series of Lancas / iire Idyls , under the fictitious name of

Theocritus Hurnyhonil . The great success of Mr . Edwin AVangh ' s songs in the Lancashire dialect , has brought forth a shoal of imitators , good , bad , and indifferent , ol whom Mr . Scholes is perhaps the best ; but Theocritus strikes us being much too classical a name for a Horny hand . John Collier showed better judgment when he adopted the cognomen of Tim Bobbin . The following verses from tbe first of these Lancashire Idyls will show that Mr . Scholes is worthy of high rank in the list of Lancashire poets : —

"KctsM John , pr ' yo huslit ; aw si gie way like a eluMfc Por aw've liowd'n as lung as i' con ; Where yo'r youth spent its strength , where i' manhood yo' toilt , Yo' shall rest whoile yo' liv ' n owcl mon I " Aw'd goivd to begin wi '—yo' helpt to mak it mooar , Por gowd ivimiah grow of itsel ; An' if tilings wur clone reet , yo'n a root to some store ,

For yo ' n sfcruv'n an wortch'd like mysel . " Some brag 'at they'll made 0 their brass by their brains , Bab it ' s wark ' at meys O , —an' wealth tays : The mon that forgets thoDse at' ivoreh _ for his gains Owt to worchfor hissel 0 his days . ' "Aw think o' the time when master an' mon Wirn behowd ' n 0 tone to tuthcr

ways , There ' s a rule i' th' Owcl Book aw'l . go by while i' con , It ' s to luv an' to help one another . " Xot wi' lip-mumb'lt prayers i' fine pews , fer the poor , Chep charity !—made up o' woindt ; Xofc wi' co'in folks brothers i' th' church & n i . i th' dnr Lcavin brotherly feelin behind ! .