Literature.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2182, 3 July 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

Literature.

— Mr Uuwiiixs lias undeitak* •> write the volum • of Longfeliow t - " American Mm of Lulteis" Seiic^ — Thoiv are, it i*. «>aid, no I. s-. I'u.in 18,000 female students in the colleges of the United SLitis — The speeches of Mi <<U<lstono in ivpl> ing to the debate on tie Irish G>vctllllH'lit Bill and in lniniiliiuiiir the Liini Bill toi livluk!, a-ia -i u il i«> h-cc <-! Sir W. Ma icon it ;iu<! Mr Wli't'ifil mi the for hum 1 Bill, live li<vn piv»li-li''i in pamphlet lvi m by the .N.iti ni.il Press Agency. — Autograph collectors have an mi usual chance offeied thi-m in the citalogue of the Oig'iod collec i »a wlncji h h been msm-d by Mr \Y. X JJ.'iipiii.in, (it New York. Besid. s the original MSS. of several important work-, dm fiy Ainnru\ui, it include-) autoguphs of most of the eminent hteraiy nun of the Ja..st three ecnturu-s. It. is amusing to notico that Culyleii described iv the catalogue a? a " famous dyspeptic ," Gorthe as a "l famous Oeinrin poet and savant," and Shelley an an '' immortal Poet." — Anstsoeratio authnro* i-e*,i -e*, and more especially lady novelists, are inerori-inar iv Germany a* rapid I v us they aie in England, »nd tne /{oliusche Zeituwj ha.s been .rairiQir its voice in opposition to this tendency of the time^ It advices ladietq treat literary pastime* as their frietidtreat wator-oo'.our sketches, fancy work or music ; they should have two bundled MsopieS'fJfl their book printed and handpomlv bouod. for oiroulatation araonj,' their Mends : but just as their arti>tio aud m'ubical friends do* not send their productions to exhibitions ur play before a public, »>q the ttuthcires>es should abstain from ' treating their- graceful amusements as leal work. , — Editor* of newspapers are usuilly little known to the public they add res -i ,' but occasionally ou» of them will emerge trom hi-, nhell, and for a brief space inin>flt)< with jbis fellow-m^n, befoie returniug behind the curtain that eonoeds his pet'^onulity, Such an occasion was that which took i>laue at Newport, a few auro, when, Mr T. Lee. the editor ©f The Isle of IFtr/ht Gouitty Prcsv, was entertained) at a brinquet, in recognition of his services to journalism in the Island. A full report of the speeches occupies. six columns of that journal, iv its i>sue of April 17, aud Mr L<?e h.id reason to rernin;k that '• auiely Pi'essman never bofoi'e wis 1 of m ire generously aud inovo kiudly thau he had bpsn that iii^hfc." j — The Royal Historical Society has ap pointed a committee to make armngi - ments for t ie celebration of the 800 th anmversaiy of the completion of the groat survey of l£iigiund contained in Domesday 800k — winch was, almost certainly, finished in the year 10SG A. D. — aud i mvp invited the leading antiquarian and atohitectual societies throughout the country to take part in the celebration. The invitation has been accepted by most of the societies, including the Society of Antiquaiies and the Royal Institute of British Architect-?, which have appointed delegates to sei ye on the committee. Any person inteiested iv Douie&day Book, -or any learned society which by chance an invitation had not been bent, may communicate with the Mon. Secretary, Mi P. Erlward Do re, Barrister-at-hA\\\ 23, Old buildings Lincoln's Inn, London. ; — Mr Edmund Oilier, a well-kno.vu writer, died onAne J9th in^t , at his residence in Luii'ion, at the ago of fiity-njne. In 18(57 he published a soluire of poems, cbieQy fiom Greek mythology, and subsequently hu \vas tor some Lime on the staff of Th : Daily News. Hp was also a contributor to Household Words. More recently be wiotD for Miis-rs Ca^sell a " History ot the United States," besides othe r Dopul ir woi ks. Sir Thoui.ih D.iku", Alderman of Mmche ter, died on the 17th inst.. .it the aye ot 75 He wa>> in ;tetive |)romoter of It 'ratine aud <:i\'., aad was the author of " M morial- of .» Dis ■•n!i'<ir C iapel," win - h ti.icud rhehi t)ry of Nonconformity in Manchester.

Definitions. — " Mother,'' said a little , Roeklaud £jirl, looking np fiom her bo>k, " what does transatlantic nidans';" "Oh, across the Atlantic, of cour«.e. Don't , bother me, you undo me forget my count. ' , '• Doe* ' ti'.uiH ' uihv.iv>> mean across ?" " I suppose it doe-^. it you dmi't htop bother- , inpr me with your questions you'll go to bed." "Th.m iio-s trans-parent mean a cro-^s patent? '" Ten minutes later she was resting in her littl" conch. a Practical Man. —The fair Imogene sat by her biave Alonzo. She had just sung to him, in dulcet tones, the pathetic ; ballad, " She wore a wreath of roses," " Pl-etty, is it not?" asked she, addressing he. 1 loved one. '"Yes," was the reply, "'tis purty, cert'nly purty, but it ain't sense, you know." Her calm blue eyes gazed on him for a moment with wondering expression ; but he met the gaze with stern stolidity. It was a critical moment. "Not sense, Alonzo? What do you mean ?" " Well, you see," slid he, tot illy unabashed, "it's a case, i d'ye see, where a girl is found with flowers in her hair one day, and the next time with weeds. And then, 'She wept in silent solitude.' How could she be in | solitude when he were there a looking on ? And then a^ain, ' And there was no one near to take her hand within his own and wipe away a tear.' How could there h.iv c been no one there when he was a standing by, and saw all that was a going on. What was the darned fool about that he didn't offer to wipe away the tear and squeeze her hand hisself? 1 She gazed on him once again, but this time with anger and astonishment. "Leave me, sir," she said. He left: and when he called next diy the fair Imogene was " not at home " Progress: Material and Spiritual. —The Bishop of London (Dr. Temple) in the eourae of a recent .sermon at S • Paul's Cathedral, said that in these days material outstripped moral and spiritual progress. The wonderful advances of human science, the profusion, of retirement, comfort, and gratification, the abundance of wealth, the increase of j wealth, the increase of kuowledge, and the interminable vista of future knowledge yet within the possibility of reach, strike usj with astonishment. This rapid, sure, aud apparently endless progress in all material things forms a strong contrast to the marvellous dislocation of the oi'ilinary work of human iuventiou and ldboui, and to the number suffering greater privations thau those [ recorded in past history. Poverty and misery are crying out against the eujoyments with which we are surrounded, while the .sons of toil are unable to find the barest necessities of life. Society is torn and distracted ; contiadictioua meet us at every turn. Together with extraordinary progress in all appliances for material comfort we are confronted with a stite of bodily miseiy, want, and squalor, with unblessed and uuholy conditions in which men woik, and tlnMe is nothing mor.l or spuituil which coi responds with the iuvjiease ol material resources*. Tln> home standard is not higher than it was, and tho-*o who receive God's material bles&nifjs <lo not realise their corresponding duties So that the wealth of the wi alfchy ami th<poverty of tho poor are alike temptations. Yet by a flight eluuu*e in the conditions of life the sep nations of men from one another, ami the Uilh'oulty ot classes undeistattding oac another, might be removed The degraded ca!l to the cultivated and rulinrd, the ignorant to those possessed of knowledge, and it i>impossible to bo deaf to tin; tinging force and perpetual iteiation of the cry which is uttered fioiu the depths of society. His lordship said that the remedy mubt be sought, not iv the profusest use of money, not in charity taken by itself but if auy permanent good is to be effected, it is by the moral elevation oi the masses. They must be taught not to bear their ptivatious sulkily, but by true self denial to seek a higher purpose and a nobler lite. This we can only t ac i them by striving after a higher moral standard in ourselves.