LITERARY GOSSIP.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4559, 30 October 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

LITERARY GOSSIP.

The late Lord Dunraven employed the latter years of his too short life in examining and making notes of all the most remarkable and characteristic examples of ancient architecture in Ireland. By his will the completion of this work was entrusted to Miss Stokes. The work, says the Academy, will appear in folio size, illustrated by autotype plates from Lord Dunraven’s negatives, together’ with plans and details of the various cashels, round towers, and churches. The first volume will shortly be issued by a London publisher. The New York Times of a late date thus closes a long review of Tennyson’s recent dramatic poem:—“ Looking back upon 1 Queen Mary,’ as a whole, we find much in it worthy of admiration; but we cannot rate it very high in the dramatic literature of our language. Tennyson’s mind seems not to be dramatic in its cast. He finds his best expression in such poetry as that of ‘ In Memoriam ’ and in the shorter poems, ‘ Sir Galahad ’ and * Locksley Hall,’ and in his songs, of which, by the way, * Queen Mary ’ contains two very pretty ones. Of some critics, who have talked of the author of this play in the same breath with Shakspere, we are not a little ashamed.” The Academy has ascertained on undoubted authority that the hopes raised by the statement that the library of Charles I. was preserved at Bremen are without foundation. Dr. Leitner’s forthcoming work on Dardistan will, says the Academy, contain a map compiled by Mr. E. G. Ravenstein, F.R.G.S., from a number of native itinerario*. by Dr. Leitner anting iu»- m-ief stay in that mountainous region. The itineraries , traverse the districts of Chitral, Yassin, Gilgit, and Ohilas, abutting on the north-western frontier of Kashmir. Among the stories which affect the moral character of Shakspere, the worst is unquestionably the ugly scandal respecting the poet and Mrs. Davenant, of Oxford. The public will be glad to hear that Mr. HalliwellPhillipps has recently discovered contemporary documents which show conclusively that there is no substantial foundation for the Oxford tradition.— Athencenm. A splendid edition de luxe of Poe’s “Raven,” illustrated by Manet, with some of the most extraordinary sketches that have appeared since the days of Caillot, has just been published in Paris. Vis-it~vis to the English words is a literal prose translation into French, by M. Stdphane Mallarmd. Only 210 copies of the book (which is 2ft. high by ISin. broad) have been produced, and one of these has been presented to Mr. John H. Ingram, editor of Poe’s works, a third edition of which will soon appear. A singular fact is recorded relative to the prize for the poetical competition recently instituted for the French Maritime and Fluvial Exhibition. The winner of the laurels cannot be found, and it is not known to what address the IOOOfr. attached to the poem “Navigation” is to be forwarded. . Messrs. Bagster and Sons have determined to publish a collection of all the chronological and historical materials which exist in the cuneiform inscriptions of Assyria and Babylonia, and the work of translator and editor will be undertaken by Mr.. George Smith. The volume will be entitled “ The Assyrian Eponym Canon.” The strict words of the original documents will alone be given, and no attempt made to harmonize dates, to fill up lacunre, or to evolve theories.— Academy. Lord Coleridge’s brother, Father Coleridge, the Jesuit, is engaged on a great work—a Life of Christ. He is publishing it volume by volume, and the second has just been issued by the Roman Catholic publishers, Burns and Oates. Tins volume is entitled “ The Preaching of the Beatitudes.” The whole work is called “ The Life of our Life.” Charles Darwin, whose “ Insectivorous Plants ” has so recently claimed regard, has in the press, already, another record of his researches into the mysteries of the vegetable kingdom “ On the Habits and Movements of Climbing Plants.” Henry Lygon, Earl of Beauchamp (pronounced by Worcestershireites Beecham) has discovered among his family papers a large number of the letters of the lady whom, under the name of Atossa, Pope accused of having passed From loveless youth to unrespected age. No passion gratified, except her rage. —” Moral Essays,” 11. Sarah Jennings, who became the wife of Colonel John Churchill, and was the “ Mrs. Freeman" of Queen Anne’s friendly hours. These epistles of one of the most active political intriguantes of the Courts of William and Mary, as well as that of Anne, are to be published under the title of “ Private pondenoe of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough,” and are sure to be entertaining and interesting. . . , Louis Kossuth, the Magyar patriot, has had his “ Life Records” passed through the press. Miss Martiueau, one of the most remarkable literary women of the Victorian era, has her memoirs advancing towards completion.—-Gene-ral Garibaldi has at last consented to tell his own story ns a worker for the regeneration of Italy.— On dit that Earl Russell has composed autobiographical recollections of a most voluminous character ; and IX, has drawn up a narrative of “ The Lite of a Pope. “ The Song of Songs,” that splendid idyllic pastoral, fragrant with Oriental perfume, which holds the twenty-second place in the canon of the Old Testament Scriptures as one of the high canticles in which is sung, allegorically, the union of Christ with the Church, has been translated into every language that is speken in Europe. The latest form in which it has been produced is that of the private patois of

the Zigans or gipsies—quite £, non-literary form of speech—into -which it has just been translated by Mr. James Fincherelle, of Trieste. Miss Frances Power Cobbe, a magazine writer and journalist, who has frequently presented to the public “ Studies, New and Old, on Ethical and Social Subjects,” with much force and tellingness, has addressed herself to the task of rightly representing the questions involved in the agitation popularly known 'under the title of “ Women’s Bights.” “ The Letters and Papers of Kajah Brooke,” edited by Mr. Spencer St. John, will shortly be published.