Notes On Literature Science And Art.

After I went Mr . Elliot told me she acted Nina tolerably ill , and danced the 'Tarantola . ' During her acting Lord Nelson expressed his admiration by the Irish sound of astonished applause , ivhich no Avritten character can imitate , and by crying every IIOAV and then'Mrs . Siddous be . ' Lady Hamilton expressed great anxiety to go to Court , and Mrs . Elliot assured her it would not amuse her , and that the Elector never gave dinners or suppers . 'What !' cried she , ' no guttling ? ' Sir William also this evening performed feats of activity , hopping round the room on his backbone—his arms , legs , star , ancl ribbon all flying'in the air . "

A neAv novel is in the press , entitled Mills and Plaitis . Dr . George Hartwig has a neiv work in preparation entitled The Tropical World and its Living Wonders . According to Dean Kamsay's second series of Reminiscenses of Scottish Life and Character , the lower orders of Scotch people have had a strange superstitious dread of sivine : — " If that animal

crossed their path when about to set out on a sea voyage , they considered it so unlucky an omen that they would not venture off . A clergyman of one of these fishing villages liaving mentioned this superstition to a clerical friend , and finding that he Avas rather incredulous on the subject , in order to convince him told him he would alloAv him an opportunity of testing the truth of it by allowing him to preach for him on the following day . It ivas arranged that his friend was to read the chapter relating to the herd

of sivine into ivhich the evil spirits ivere cast . Accordingly , AA'hen the first verse AA'as react in AA-hich the unclean beast Avas mentioned , a slight commotion was observeable among the audience , each one of them putting his or her hand on any near piece of iron—a nail on the seat or bookboard , or to the nails on their shoes . At the repetition of the Avord again and again , more commotion was visible , and the Avords ' cauld iron' ( cold iron ) , the antidote to this baneful spell , ivere heard issuing from various corners of the church .

Ancl finally , on his coming over the hated word again , when the whole herd ran violently CIOAA ' the bank into the sea , the alarmed parishioners , irritated beyond bounds , rose ancl all left the church in bodies . " The folloAving anecdote related by the Dean is rather good in its Avay : — " Once , a determined Radical in Scotland , named DaA * y Armstrong , left his native village ; and , many years afterwards , an old fellow-grumbler met him , and commenced the old song . DaA'y shook his head . His friend Avas astonished , and soon

perceived that Davy was no longer a grumbler , but a rank Tory . Wondering at the change , he was desirous of knoAving the reason . Davie quietly and laconically replied— 'I ' ve a coo ( cow ) noo . '" We have improved of late years with regard to the drinking customs of society : — " The situation of ladies , too , must frequently have been very disagreeable , Avhen , for instance , gentlemen came up stairs in a condition most unfit for female society . Indeed they were oiten compelled to flfrom scenes in the house most unfitting

y for them to witness . They were expected to get out of the way at the proper time , or AA'hen a hint ivas given them to clo so . At Glasgow ' , forty years ago , AA'hen the time had come for the bowl to be introduced , some jovial and thirsty member of the company proposed as a toast , ' The trade of Glasgoiv and the outward bound ;' the hint was taken , and silks and satins moved off to the drawingroom . "

Richard Owen , Esq ., F . R . S ., D . C . L ., superintendent oftlie natural history department of the British Museum , Pullerian Professor of Physiology in the Royal Institution of Great Britain , & c , is preparing a neAv work on The Comparative Anatomy and Physiology of the Vertebrate Animals , which is to form one thick , volume , illustrated ivith upwards of twelve hundred AA'oodcuts .

There is none of the ancient philosophers to ivlioni so mticli injustice has been done as to Epicurus ; Ave are , therefore , very glad to find the Christian Examiner , combatting the vulgar errors respecting him -. — " Diogenes Laertius tells us more about Epicurus than anybody else does ; and he refutes them by a quiet appeal to facts , praising emphatically his filial piety , his fraternal kindness , and his broad humanity . He called his slaves his friends ; more

than that , he treated them as if they AA'ere his friends , imparting to them the practical lessons of his mild philosophy , and putting them in possession of all the happiness they were capable of enjoying . Eenelon quotes St . Gregory to the effect that ' Epicurus set an example , in his oivn life , of unimpeachable chastity and uniform temperance ; confirming the sincerity of his precepts by the purity of his practice . ' In a word , no ' Epicurean' in the beastly sense ivas this ancient E picurus ; no bloated glutton , or lusty libertine , or dainty dabbler in life's delights ; no gaudy butterfly fluttering in the pleasure-garden of existence . Crosses ,

which Christian people find heavy , were laid on his shoulder , and he bore them well . His constitution , never robust , Avas sorely tried in his later years b y disease ; he Avas a martyr to dyspepsia ; he was wrung by cramps ; he was tortured by stone . But he endured his anguish bravely , and was genuine philosopher enough to find escape from them in intellectual pursuits ancl the joys of friendship . Past the allotted period of human life he lived , gently enjoying or

tranquilly submissive . And when , at the age of seventy-tivo , excessive Aveakness came upon him , and pain intolerable , he laid , himself quietly in his bath , called for a goblet of wine , and died peacefully with a smile on his face . "

Alexander Smith , in his neiv poem , Edwin of Deira , thus describes the meeting of Paulinus and the King : — "In the bright Fringe of the living sea that came and Avent Tapping his planks , a great ship sideAvays lay , And o ' er the sands a grave procession paced Melodious Avith many a chaunting voice .

Nor spear nor buckler had these foreign men ; Each wore a snoivy robe that clOAA-nAvard floAved ; Fair in their front a silver cross they bore ; A painted Saviour floated in the wind ; The chaunting voices , as they rose and fell , Hallowed the rude sea-air . On these the King Stared wonder-stricken—marble horse and man Not more bereft of motion . All the lords

Sat silent and wide-eyed . The foremost man , Who seemed the leader of the white-robed train , Unbent , although his beard Avas AA'hite as snoiv , And the veins branched along his withered hands , Spake , while to Edwin he obeisance made . ' To thee , who bear'st the likeness of a king , "Tis fit that I should speak , that thou mayst know What is the business of thy servants here .

We come to traffic not in horse or man , Corn , wine , or oil ; nor yet to gather gold , Nor to win cities by the force of arms . 0 King ! AVC came across the dangerous seas To win thee , and thy people from the gods Who cannot'hear a cry or answer prayer , Unto the ivorship of the heaA * enly Christ , Of whom thou art the eldest son of all That in this nation dwell . '"

The description of Bertha is beautiful : — She Avas a thing so exquisite , the hind Pelt his oivn rudeness ; silent women blessed The lady , as her beauty swam in eyes Siveet AA'ith unwonted tears . Through ci'OAvds she passed Distributing a largess of her smiles ; And , as she entered through the Palace gate ,

The wondrous sunshine died from out the air , And everything resumed its common look . The sun chopped down , into the golden AA * est , Evening clreiv on apace ; and round the fire The people sat and talked of her AA-1 IO came That day to chvell amongst them , ancl they praised Her sweet face , saying she was good as fair . " Prince Edwin's mother is thus described : —

Tall she stood , Like some old Druid pillar by the sea , Whose date no legand knoivs , ivith all its length Eaten by foam-flakes and the arrowy salts BloAA'n blighting from the east , and wildly ' gazed Upon the blackened ruins of her home , Once loud with marriage joy , oft hushed by death , With w-orking nether lipwhile native pride

, Scorned AA-eakness back into her heart , and strove To shut a door on tears—in vain—she stretched Pond arms of passion out , that EclAvin sought In sudden night , then Aveeping like a cloud She hung upon his breast . "

Our literary men , Avhen they assume fictitious names , are often unfortunate . Peter Parley was a cognomen assumed , AA'e belieA'e , by more than one writer , all of Avhom Avere happily ignorant that they AA-ero using the genuine name of an unpretending Cleveland farmer . The Rev . William Hickey , the famous writer on gardening and cottage farming , AA-IIOSO literary services were

deemed worthy of a government pension , seems to have been most unfortunate of all , having for many years published his works as " by Martin Doyle" little thinking that he was using the name of