A LITERARY CURIOSITY.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 50, 18 June 1879, Page 2

A LITERARY CURIOSITY.

Perhaps out of. the whole collection of newspaper literal ure there is no journal so largely quoted from as the Lyell Argus-, and yet we question if any outside of its particular district— Pressmen excepted--are ever favored with sight of a copy." Through; the courtesy of a friend we have been favored with possession of a recent edition, and as it is a veritable curiosity* we will only be too happy to show it to those calling at our office. However, for the inlightenment of our readers living at a distauce, who would be unable to do so, we shall proceed to give them a description w pf "its proportions-; and peculiarities. In the copy, before us there is nothing to state howolteri it iajpublished, or what is its price singly or per quarter. The whole she-t when openbd\oiifc is a piece of paper eighteen inches by fourteen, having on the outside : what, we presume; are m tended to be first and. fourth pag'-Si /These, however, consist of two columns of ..type eight inches long. by six broad over which is printed Lyell A-gus, thus le.iving a margin all round of almost, double the letter-press. Taking a casual glance at that side, one is particularly reminded of 'those wrappers for tea and other articles upon which r;rpceis have songs printed as a lure to their customers. The inside is composed of two pages of three columns each ; length, ten inches; breath,, six ; but set' in the -very largest type and with such space between the lines, as to leave the r impression „ that every second one was a blank.; The; very great disparity, however,, bet ween the inside and outside pages is accounted' for by the fact that while page 2, is dated " Saturday May 3, 1879," page 3, is headed ''Saturday, April 26, 1879," and, as we, have before stated the outside has no date at all. Judging, then, from what is before us, we should conolude that the 1 copy represents three weekly issues m one, the proprietor following the Chinese and Hebraic practice of com^ mencing at the end arid going backward. ; The issue of May 3 would however appear to have the best of it, for .while it contains i one hundred lines of reading matter arid one advertisement, that of April 16 is occupied with eight mining and county -adver- ; tisements, byt nota line of news. As might have been expected the typography of the journal is m perfect keeping with the other qualifications, and the whole- contents of the back and front, inside andoutsidewould be by no means equnl to- two columns of. The Times. The journal is no infant, either,' for if we mistake not it made a noise m the . world before the first copy of The Manawatu Tihes had-seen the light, of day. If there be any truth m the! saying that "Good things are found m small compasses," then the Lyell Argus must be the very essence of perfection.