The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-09 00:00:00

LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART.

The Atheneum gives the following :—Mr. Disraeli's
11'3.77 novel, " Lothair," will be published on the 2nd of
May. The event .has excited considerable interest. It
is reported that a proposal was made to the author of ten
thousand pounds, and another of four thousand pounds,
for its use in a periodical.—We learn, as the public will
learn, with pleasure, that the last word about Miss Mit-
ford and her times has not been spoken. Her hitherto
unpublished papers have been found to yield a rich crop
of literary anecdotes and literary history. These will
appear in the autumn, under the competent
editorship of the lady's friend, Mr. H. F. Chorley.—
The Cantata to be written for the Birmingham Festival
by Mr. Barnett, has for its subject Moore's "Paradise
and the PeH." Schumann and Dr. Sterndale Bennett
have treated the same theme, but there are several ways
of looking at a thing, and Mr. Barnett's Music is not
at all likely to resemble that of either of. his predecessors.
—A project for erecting in Paris a vast concert hall has
been started by M. Guy de Charnace, with the primary
intention of devoting the building to the performance of
choral works on a large scale.—" Frou-Frou" is now
being played at two New York houses—the Fifth Avenue
and Park theatres.—At the Brooklyn Academy of Music
Mr. Fechter appears as Claude Illelnotte.—The death is
announced, from Paris, of M. Auguste Lireux.
formerly manager of the Oddon, and for many
years editor of the Revue et Gazette des Theztres.—
.According to the Auysburger Zeitung, there is a prospect
that a new building will soon be erected for the Univer-
sity goingof Vienna.—A remarkable sale has been on
during the present week at Boston (United States),
namely, that of the historical library—books relating
chiefly to the literature and history of North and South
America—once the property of the late Henry Stevens,
founder of the Vermont Historical and Antiquarian
Society. The collection numbered about 5,000 volumes
and MSS., some of which belong to Mr. Steven's heirs,
who confess, in a quaint preface to the catalogue, that
they prefer the money to the books.—Mr. James Lenox,
who is favourably known on this side of the Atlantic as
one of the most ardent and liberal of American collectors,
has presented his important and valuable library to the
city of New York. The collection is very rich in ancient
Bibles and in works illustrative of the early history of
the United States. It includes also a Shakspere collec-
tion of some importance—the four folio editions and seve-
ral of the quartos. In addition to the gift of the library,
Mr. Lenox offers an endowment of the large amount of
$300,000.

The Graphic says that a new journal is about to appear
in Paris, the object of which is to guard French interests
in the East. This organ has for title France in the East.
—A distinguished painter has just died, at the advanced
age of eighty-three years. Schnetz was the pupil of
David, of Gros, and of Gerard. and was three times placed
at the head of the Medici School, in Rome.—The sale of
the celebrated drawings of the Holy Land, by David
Roberts, the property of the late Earl of Ellesmere,
realised £7,300. There were several pictures sold at the
same time, which fetched high prices. Among these may
be mentioned the "Francesca da Rimini," by Ary Scheffer,
£1,921 10s. ; " Imogen before the Cave of Belarius," by
F. E. Poole, R.A. 1535 10s. ; Gainsborough's portrait of
Miss Anne Ford, £525 ; W. Muller's picture of the
Salmon Trap in Glen Lleddr, North Wales, £1,333 10s. ;
another picture by the same artist, the " Grand Canal,
Venice," 2577 10s. ; Mr. T. Linnel's "Storm in Harvest,"
held to be the painter's finest work, £1,423. This picture
has never been exhibited.

Nature states that energetic steps are now being taken
in the matter of the expedition to view the approaching
eclipse of the sun ; and believes that Mr. Lassell, the
president of the Royal Astronomical Society, will call
attention to the subject at the meeting of the society this
evening.

The Orchestra observes :—We have to record the death
of Mrs. Henry Vandenhoff, a well-known member of the
Drury-lane company, who, at the time of her death was
en,,,,n-aged at the Queen's Theatre, where only a few nights
before she had sustained the part of the Duchess of Noifolk,
in Mr. Taylor's play of " Twist Axe and Crown."—Miss
Augusta Thomson leaves the Olympic Theatre at Easter
and joins Mr. Russell's opera company as prima donna.
English opera buffa gains much in acquiring her.—Within
the last few days the death has taken place of Mrs
George Thomson, the mother of Mrs. Hermann Vezin,
lady who expired at the age of seventy. The deceased
was one of three daughters of Mr. James Cooke, for
many years a bass singer at Drury-lane Theatre, and .was,
with her sister, the late Mrs. Leman Rede, a member of
the Drury-lane company at the time of Edmund Kean's
first appearance at that establishment.

RESTORED TO SIGHT.—A narrative is forwarded
to the Weekly Register to the effect that a blind man
named Victor Fleming, after being deprived of sight for
two years and two months, has been suddenly restored to
sight at Hal. After trying physicians in vain, he says
he prayed to the Virgin Mary and St. Ignatius, when
his prayers were immediately answered and his sight re-
stored.
13noicEns AND JOBBERS.---It has been suggested,
says the Financier, that every member of the Stock
Exchange shall decide, at the time of his becoming a
member, whether he comes into the Stock Exchangeas a broker or as a " jobber." It is argued that this
would give the members a better opportunity of
checking speculation on the part of young mem-
bers beyond their means. With regard to the
different businesses of broker and " jobber," some prefer
one and some the other. The broker, if he has a good
connection, has a tolerably- certain business but he must
stick to it, or his client will forsake him. The " jobber "
has a less certain business, but is more independent.
CERTIFICATES FOR FISHING VESSELS.—A. peti-
tion, addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, has
been numerously signed and extensively circulated at
Ostend by shipbuilders and other interested in the mari-
time fisheries. They are anxious that every captain of a
fishing vessel shall be compelled to furnish a certificate of
capacity, and to pass an examination under the direction
of a competent commission. They think this measure
highly necessary, as on the ability of the captain the
safety of the whole vessel, the lives of several men, and a
large amount of capital often depends. They consider,
moreover, that such a measure would be highly beneficial/
as it would raise the intellectual condition of the
maritime population, who are at present extremely
ignorant.
SUDDEN DEATH OF A RAILWAY COMPANY'S
SECRETARY.—Yesterday morning, about a quarter past 10
o'clock, Mr. W. E. Johnson, secretary to the Crystal
Palace Railway Company, fell down as he was entering
the Rolls Court, Chancery-lane, and shortly after-
wards expired. He was immediately picked up,
and placed in a room inside the courtyard, and
Dr. Mumford, of Fetter-lane, was promptly in
attendance, but found the deceased ?entleman
fast sinking, and all efforts to revive him unavailing. Mr.
Johnson was summoned to attend the Rolls' Court, in
his character of secretary to the company, in a snit that
was to be heard before his lordship, and was entering the
courtyard for the purpose, when he fell. The cause of
death was supposed to be from an affection of the heart.
The deceased gentleman resided at Beckenham, from
which place he had but just arrived.
OPENING OF A NEW SYNAGOGUE.--A new central
synagogue in Great Portland-street, London,
was conse-
crated on Thursday by the Chief Rabbi, the Rev. Dr:
Adler, assisted Chief Rabbi, the Rev. Dr. Artom, theßev.C.
Ascher, and the Rev. S. L_yons. After the afternoon service
at the synagogue in Old Portland-street, the Chief
Rabbi, with the Rev. Dr. Artom, the dayanim, the
wardens, and other honorary officers of the synagogue,
came bearing a number of scrolls of the law to the door
of the new synagogue, in which about 1,000 persons
were assembled. Dr. Alder in the words " Open unto
me the gates of righteousness ; I will enter them and
draise the Lord," demanded entrance ; upon which the
oors were opened, and the procession moved seven times
round the central platform of the synagogue, while seven
psalms wore chanted. Sir Moses Montefiore, Bart.,
drew aside the embroidered curtain of green velvet,
and opened the doors of the ark in which the scrolls
were deposited, after which Dr. Adler preached a ser-
mon, alluding to the history of his nation, especially in
modern times, and afterwards uttered a prayer, dedicatine-
the house to the service of God. He concluded by an elo-
quent supplication for a special blessing upon the Queen,
parliament, nd nation of England, in which His people
enjoyed such liberty, and for hastening the day when a
central temple should be erected in Zion. The service
concluded with a magnificent Hallelujah, which was sung
by the ministers and choir.

- . .
NEW PROJECTS FOR OCEAN LlNES.—Several
new steamship projects for ocean lines are now being put
forward in the 'United States, in the hope of gaining the
support of the Washington Government. One of
these, "The Mediterranean and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company," is for a line between the Southern StateS
and Port Said, vitt the Suez Canal. Another, the Com-
mercial Navigation Company, wants a subsidy of half a
million dollars per annum. for conveyance of mails
between New York, Bremen, and Southampton, or
New York, Liverpool, and Queenstown. Another
line is proposed between New York, Bremen,
and Southampton, which asks, instead of an annual sub-
sidy, a gift of five Government steamers. There are two
American steam navigation companies, one being dis-
tinguished from the other, by the prefix of
North." These are both to run from New
York to European ports. The New York and
Copenhagen Steamship Company propose to touch at
Southampton, making 25 trips a year. They want a loan
of 1,500,000 dollars to construct their vessels. General
Wa3hbotume proposes the establishment of four lines
from Boston and New York to Northern Europe, from
Baltimore t Bremen, and from New Orleans to Hai
18143 b9Ol MLitt"; vouching at SoqtAgppton.

THE WEEKLY PRESS.
PAYMENT OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.

The Saturday. Review thinks that to pay members of
Parliament in the present day for laying themselves out
for office in the Government would be no revival of the
spirit of ancient practice. Members are still paid, though
to a smaller extent than in former times, by the social.
position which they share with their most' favoured col-
leagues. In their own districts, and even in London,
they enjoy a kind of honorary precedence in various
peblic bodies, and it unluckily happens that they enjoy a
preference in the choice of directors and of similar fuee-
temaries. As the supply of candidates greatly exceeds
the demand, there is no urgent necessity for additional
inducements to enter Parliament. It is already difficult
enough for members to maintain their independence
against the importunity of factions in the constituency.
Au irresistible temptation to subserviency would be offered
by the knowledge that the livelihood of a member, as well
as his political career, depended on his compliance with
the caprices of the electors. There is in truth nothing to
be said for the scheme except that it might supply the
House of Commons with humbler aspirants to political
success, and perhaps with more genuine levellers than
some of those who now affect the advocacy of popular
claims. Mr. Rosman, who three or four years ago was
One of the most eloquent opponents of Parliamentary Re
form, thought fit, in the debate on Mr. Osborne Morgan's
motion, to complain that the horse of proprietary right
had of late been ridden rather too hard. It has not been
generally thought that the provisions of the Irish Land.
Bill are extravagantly favourable to landlords ; and pro-
bably Mr. Horsman would scarcely be prepared to confer
on English or Scotch tenants a portion of .the fee simple
of the soil. Mr. Taylor's paid members will be unbiassed
by prejudice or by personal interest in property ; but
the present House is quite sufficiently tolerant of in- •
vidious and dangerous rhetorical contrasts of the rich
with the poor.