The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-06-26 00:00:00

MUSICAL, DRAMATIC, LITERARY, AND

AUTISTIC NEWS AND GOSSIP.

Mr. H. Mayhew is devoting his time at the present
moment to a popular life of Benjamin Franklin. '
Mr. Charles Darwin, the author of " The Origin of
Species," figures as a subscriber to the Garibaldi Fund.
Sir Bernard Burke has just ready for publication a
second series of his " Vicissitudes of Families."
A Glasgow paper states that nearly £3,000 more than
is at present subscribed will be necessary to complete
the contemplated Wallace monument.
Mr. B. B. Woodward, F.S.A., has been appointed
librarian in ordinary to the Queen, at Windsor Castle,
in the room of Mr. Glover, deceased.
Messrs. Triibner and Co. are about to publish a new
work of Mr. Charles Reade, with the piquant title,
" The Eighth Commandment."
We understand that an English translation of
" Spohr's Autobiography," prepared in Germany, is
appearing contemporaneously with the original.
The Viceroy of Egypt has given orders that a scientific
expedition should be organised, to observe the approach-
ing total eclipse on the line of totality in Africa.
" Once a Week" has produced " Once a Month,"
and " All the Year Round " is giving birth to a
periodical, of undefined aims as yet—" All Round the
World."
The Messrs. Routiedge are about to publish a copy-
right English edition of Alexandre Dumas's " Memoirs
of Garibaldi."
It is stated that Dr. Lindley has resigned the Chair
of Botany at University College, London, after filling it
for more than 30 years.
Mr. John Camden Hotten, of Piccadily, London, has
issued a limited number of fac-simile copies of Magna
Charta, taken by express permission from the original
document in the British Museum.
" From Hay-time to Hopping" is the title of the
new work by Miss Coulton, the authoress of " Our
Farm of Four Acres;" preparing for immediate publi-
cation by Messrs. Chapman and Hall.
The first of Mr. Thackeray's lectures on "The Foltz.
Georges," which have never yet been printed, is to be
published in the July number of the Cornhill Magazine,
together with some poems by the same author.
The committee for raising a memorial to the late
Henry Hallam have resolved to erect a full-length
statue of him in St. Paul's; an eligible site having been
offered by the Dean and Chapter.
A poet-scholar takes advantage of the Volunteer Rifle
Movement to bring out the sth and 6th books of the
" Iliad" in English heroic verse, and dedicate them to
"the volunteer defenders of our country."
The long talked-of rival to Pup a% is at last announced
as to appear positively on the 7th of July. "The
British Lion" is to be the title of our new "facet ous
contemporary."
The Emperor Napoleon has ordered a painting for
the:musenta at Versailles to represent the interview of
the Emperor and Empress of the. French, with the
Empress Mother of Russia.
For some time before his death the late Albert Smith
was engaged in preparing a collection of his magazine
articles for publication. This collection is shortly to be
given to the public, under the editorship of his brother,
Mr. Arthur Smith. The title is "Wild Oats."
The gifted, but eccentric, George Cruickshank, has
brought out a little work called "My Pop Gun," where-
in he has his kindly gossip, in pen and pencil, if we may
so speak, about contemporary riflemen ; but he warmly
champions, in a supplemental way, the volunteers of
other times, when he too went drilling and marching.
The Messrs. Longman have signet and sealed with
Mr. J. C. Jeaffreson for a " Life of the late Robert
Stephenson." This biography will be official, Mr.
Jeaffreson having the assistance of Mr. Stephenson's
family and colleagues, and will comprise a history of
railway engineering as well as a life of the great
engineer.
In the preface to his fifth and concluding volume of
"Modern Painters," Mr. Ruskin gives a very succinct
and interesting account of his labours in preserving and
restoring 19,000 pieces of paper which had been drawn
upon by Turner, and which are in the National Gallery
now.

A contribution of more than usual interest to the
literature of the Italian question is, we understand, to
be published early in July. It will be entitlel " Italy
in Transition : Public Scenes and Private Opinions in
the Spring of 1860, illustrated by Official roeuments
found in the Papal Archives of the Revolted Legations."
The author is the Rev. William Arthur.
Though for many years the late Mr. G. P. R. James
must have derived a large income from his novels, and
though he was understood to have inherited a Modest
competence, his fortune appears either to have melted
away, or to have proved insufficient to the demands on
it. This may haVe led to his acceptance of two consul-
ships ; the first one in America, which he occupied for
several years ; the second in the City of the Sea.
Muscovite literature in the metropolis is in full swing.
The indefatigable M. Herzen, has edited the " Memoirs
of Lepochin," and " Sloglav ; or the Book of the
Statutes of the Council held at Moscow, in 1852." But,
most wondrous statement of all, we are to_ have a
Russian translation of "Buckle's History of Civili-
sation."—lllustrated News.
The Denbigh Eisteddfod, which will be held in
August, is expected to be very successful. The papers
sent in for literary competition are very numerous, and
the musical competition is likely to be active. Several
Scotch and Irish scholars are iuvited to attend, with a
view of exciting a common interest in the study of Celtic
languages, literature, and history.
M. de Keyser, director of the 'Academy at Antwerp,
is busy with the sketches for the monumental frescoes
which are to ornament the walls of the academy. The
principal events of the art-history of Flanders are the
subjects for these compositions. M. de Keyser has
completed a picture which is attractive by its subject as
well as its execution; it represents the wandering Tasso,
who surprises his sister, in Sorrento, without making
himself known. The heads are remarkably expressive.

Tho writers of English history have lost an auxiliary
by the death of Mr. George Roberts, of Lyme Regis,
author of "The Life, Progresses, and Rebellion of
James, Duke of Monmouth," 2 vols., 1844, aqd ".The
Social History of the People of the Southern Counties
of England," 1 vol., ;856. Mr. Roberta had accumu-
lated materials of considerable value. He furnished
many hints to Lord Macaulay ; and some of the most
valuable new materials in He worth Dixoxes "Blake"
were credited to his collections.

We learn from St. Petersburg that the works for the
foundation and the pedestal of the monument for the
celebration of Russia's Millenium, have been begun a;
Nowgorod. The pedestal will be erected at au expense
of 76,000 silver roubles ; the artist, M. Mikeschin,
receives 120,000 silver roubles. The, galvanoplastic
cast, in the inanufactoxy of Messrs. Nickols and 4:',linke,
will amount to. 4the further cost. of 110,000 silver rou-
bles. OoTermuent furnishes the bronze. The monu-
ment will end its place near the Petersburg Road, on
one of the heights of the Breml.

A prospectus has just been issued of a Greek illus-
trated newspaper, 0 Bretanikos Aster, a weekly
.iournal
of polities, literature, commerce, science, and art, which
it is intended shall bp printed in the living language of
the Greeks, and published in London every Thursday !
It is to be the same size as the Illustrated London News,
and is to contain from fifteen to twenty-five elegant
engravings. Its " great object will be to promote the
interchange of authentic and accurate infozr*tion
between the East and the West."
On §attirda,y next, Messrs. Christie will sell a portion
of the " Belvedere Collection," now the property of Sir
Culling Eardley. It includes "The Unmerciful Ser-
vant," of Quintin Matsys ; Murillo's " Immaculate
Conception," a variation of.the celebrated, Pictlgq (from
Marshal Souk's collection) in the Louvre ; and a cele-
brated family portrait piece by Rabens, sometimes called
¶'The Balthaear Pimily," to, Which Rorace Walpole
makes reference. There are also a few early German
pictures, a few Dutch, and a few Italian.
We understand, from good authority, that Mr.
Donne, her Majesty's examiner of plays, has thought
proper to prohibit the representation of "La lame aux
Camellias," "La Pere Prodigne," and; thp, other prin-
cipal pieces of Madame Dpelip"k repertoire at St. James'
Theatre. ly.e know not what standard of morality that
gentleman may adopt in his examination of dramatic
pieces, but this we are certain of, that consistency forms
no part of the rule, To sanction the Traviata at either
opera house, and to interdict the " Dame aux Camellias,"
is nothing more than an assumption of a mock modesty
of the most shallow kind. And why, if "Le Pere
Prodigue" is unfit in French far, gaglish ears, does not
the highly fastidious censor cause Leporello's song in
the Ors% act of Don Giovanni to be expunged from the
libretto, and the ball-room scene to be omitted in the
representation ? Truly it may be said of Mr. Donne,
that he jumps at a gnat and swallows a camel.--Literary
Gazette.

We understand 'that Lord Talbot de Malahide is
engaged upon an antiquarian work, to be privately
printed, entitled "A Monograph of the Talbot Family,"
something upon the plan of Lord Lindsay's "Lives of
the Lindsays." We have also heay,d that Ir. C. R.
Cockerell, R.A., has, nearly completed his elaborate
account of the excavations which he carried out at
Egilla in lain-ii, together with Lord Byron, which
resulted in the discovery of the Temple of Jupiter and
of another exquisite Grecian Temple at Phigalea, in
Arcadia.

EXTENGIXE Bpi-amßy OF DIAMONDO, .TEWELLE4Y;
EkNp SUNUP. PLA'Ti—lnformatiou has beer{ given
of another of those peculiar and mysterious rob-
beries which have been so frequent in the metropolis;
and, from the mgpmr in which, it 'Wars aceowlished,
little draulkt is entertained that it nallat have been com-
mitted, by iii nibers of n practised gang of burglars.
The premises belong to Mr. Berge, John-Street, Bed..
ford-row, and the burglars succeeded in carrying off a
silver tea-pot, several gold watches, chains, silver spoons,
silver forks, massive diamond rings, diamond brQcelets,
pins, diamond buckles, and other costly iewellerY,
anounting to nearly £4OO,