Notes On Literature, Science And Art.

author iu a pecuniary point of view , nor yet bring popular applause , aud it is well for the nation which has men , like Col . Fishwick , able and willing to work in so useful a manner—content to receive no other recompense than the pleasure of doing

something which will be of utility to society , and the approbation of that " fit audience though few" of which Milton sings . Lancashire , though one of the poorest agricultural counties of our country , has long been famous for the indomitable energy of

her sons . Her manufactures have stood conspicuous in the markets of the world ; the beauty of the "Lancashire Witches " has been deservedly commended , though

I never could see them anything superior to the maids and matrons of our other counties— for , thank God , female loveliness is no monopoly—but I know of nothing in which Lancashire stands out in such bold relief from our other counties as in the number of gifted authorsmale and

, female , who have hel ped to increase every department of our glorious English literature ; a literature which can never perish , whatever New Zealanders , or others may sit on broken arches of London Bridge sketching the ruins of St . Paul ' s , or even when

the ruins themselves shall have perished , and no arch remains to sit upon . So Ion " as Col . Fishwick employs himself in such useful literary labours as he has now been engaged in for years , " may his shadow never grow less . " Rose Cottage , Slokesley .

The New School Director.

THE NEW SCHOOL DIRECTOR .

WE take this amusing little "skit" from our fraternal contemporary , the " New York Dispatch . " Mr . TIMOTHY SEARCH was highly elated over his election to the vacant chair in the School Board of bis district , and he at

once began to take a great interest in educational affairs . He wanted plain teaching , he said ; didn't want any high-falutin learning forced upon the scholars , and declared that he would kick the first teacher out of the school-house who attempted to stuff the children with any new-fangled notions . Therefore , the new director was startled

when his most promising son told him that the teacher proposed to introduce Algebra into the school . " What kind of a study is that ? " asked Mrs . Search . "Timothy , I'll be bound that it ' s some outlandish book that Dominie has writ . My son ' s brains shan ' t be stuffed with it !"

" Doesn t the sound of the name tell you what kind of a study it is ? " answered Search . " Why , it ' s the history of a new faugled animal related to the zebra , I suppose . Blamed if he shall teach it in this school district !"

That very afternoon the new director visited the school for the first time . He was graciously received by the new teacher , who was listening to a class in geography . " I understand , sir , that you want to introduce the history of the Ahjebra into this school ? " said Search .

" I had thought of doing so . " " Had thought of it , eh ? Well , let it go no further than that . I don't want my children to know anything about such outlandish animals . The Ahjebra may run wild in his native country ; but we don't want him troubling the children in our

schools , that we don ' t . " " But , Mr . Search , the new study will assist the scholars in mathematics . " " See here , that ' s thin . If 1 would read the history of the rhinoceros , could I substract any better than I do ? Would

the biography of the giraffe enable me to multiply with more facility ? Now , sir , answer these -questions , and tell me how the history of the Ahjebra could advance the children in arithmetic ?"

" You misunderstand me , sir , said the teacher , "Algebra is not an animal—no more so than hydrostatics . " " Hydro-thunder 1 " exclaimed Search . " I suppose you'd like to introduce acrimonies into the school . With my consent no torn-foolery shall be taught in this

district . The ahjebra , is as much an animal as the gyascutas is , and if I hear another word about teaching its history to our scholars , I'll be blamed if you can't leave . " "Sir , I regret that we differ . What shall I teach ?'

" leach good common sense , sir , " said Search ; " teach that this world is flat , as reason and our eye-si ght tell us . We don ' t want any round worlds swingiu' on nuthin'