Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1857-04-18
CHE 11olpnesian.
Literary and Artistic.

IouSurated as LORD Rector OF the University of
Glasgow. On this occasion he would deliver an
address to the students-who, divided into what
are called nations, are the electors The office to
which Sir Edward has been appointed for one
year certain and probably for a second according
to usual custom-is purely honorary. There are
only trling duties to perform, patronage to ex-
erclse, no emoluments to receive. Yet, during a
period OF nearly forty years, men of letters and
politics have been ambitious of the appointment
During that period it has been held by Jeffrey.
Brougham, Campbell the poet, Sir James Mac
kintosh (whO defeated Sir Walter ScottE Fox
Maule (nOw Lord Panmure), Lord John Russell.
Thomas Babington Macaulay, and the Duke of
Argyle, among the liberals-for the election has
turned on party politics rather than literary merit;
while, on the Conservative side, Lord Stanley (now
Earl of Derby, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Lyndhnrst,
Sir James Graham. Alison the historian, the Earl
of Eglinton, and now Sir f. Bnlwer Lytton, have
filled the chair. The day after bis Inauguration,
Sir Edward is to be entertained at public dinner
| by the merchants, gentry and hterati of Glasgow,
without distinction of party. He is now in his
! ffty-secOnd year, having been born in 1905, in
which year were also born Disraeli Lord Mahon,
Bishop WilberfOrce, w. Harrison Ainsworth, and
the celebrated ePicine, George Sand. 1t is not
generally known that previous to the publication
of Pelham, its distinguished author was in the
British army for short time. He was cornet in
fashionable cavalry regiment, but did long hold
this commission-fortunately for the interests of
literature.
In every mans cup of life, Surgn a1nari aliQuid
Bulwer's bitter drop seems to be his wife, Thirty
years ago, when Miss RoSina Wheeler ian Irish
LADY, married the author of Pelham then only
''rising young man. she one of the handsomest
young women in London, with considerable accom-
plshments and some talent, to boot Incompati-
bty of temper (hers soured, it is said by curt
treatment from her arlstOc ra tic mOherin-law) caus
ed separation, after few years. and the ill-as-
sorted pair have not met for nearly twenty years
The husband pursued his literary course, which
has been very brilliant one. The wife, who had
previously shown some ability in story called
The Supper of Salust,' in FrastrS Magazine also
threw her mind into authorship, and came before
the world, in 1889, with novel called 'Cheveey
or, the Man of Honor the great aim of which was
to satlTlZe her mohern-law, her husband, and her
brother-in-law, Sir Henry Bulwer. In twelve
months more out came her Budget of the Bubble
Famy-alsO in ridcule of her husband and his
immediate relatives. third novel, of the same
class, was Behind the Scenes She has written
four other works of felton, in which her husband
is not alluded to. There is a new novel from her
pen announced, to be called Very Successful =
in which, rumor reports, Sir Edward is to get par
ticuar fits 1t will be illustrated with engravings
caricaturing her husband. Lady BuIwer LyttOn
has very handsome income, secured to her by the
Qce0 OF separation. w men Dir Edward succeeded
TO his mothers estate at knebworth, worth some
fl5.000 per annum, he very literally, and wholly
without solicitation on her part, trebled the allow
ance which she had previously received from him.
Lady Bulwer Lytton generally resides at Florence,
with Mrs. TrOllOpe as her companion, house-mate,
friend, and (it is added) ant-husband counselor.
Her Ladyshlp'S personal attractions, ver'-
considerable, have aPpeared-absOrbed in
romantic Obesity-and she has now turned : the
oh cnrDpr' of her 6ftipfh
Harriet Martineau, in her 55th year, and
the most voluminOus of female authors continues
to reside on her little farm at Amblesde, near the
hunts which the poetry of Wordsworth has made
memorable, but in such state of bodily ill-health
that her death may be expected at any moment.
She has Just published Christmas book, illuStrat-
ed by William Banks, called Sketches From Life
1t consists of original tales One of these ('Father
d'EsteanO is given as founded on historical fact
nearly 200 years old. Of the remaining stories
she says, the rest have all fallen within my own
cOgnizance in regard to their leading incidents,
though have taken liberties in the mode of their
presenmcnt, for various reasons, and especially for
the purpose of disguise, in consideration of the
feelings of persons who light otherwise detect the
originals of my portraits
In the last century. Beaumarchais, man of the
world as well as a playwright, organized the
dramatic authors of Paris, and made them combine
to fix such tariff of prices, and assert their rights,
as placed them on equal terms, at least with the
managers. The result has been that authors, as
well as managers, make money. The smallest of
the successful! authors, down to NJ. Scribe, with
his villa at Mendon and his estate in the country,
Is well paid. Even NJ Ponsard has made fortune
out of two or three successful plays, besides being
made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, pre-
sented with diamonds by the Emperor, and actual
ly elected into the Academy Of France.
This NJ. Ponsard is certainly clever. He started
as writer of tragedies after the manner of Racine
what cynical critic designated defective
plasters cast in antique moud-and was puffed,
as something great, by those who opposed the in
nOvations of Victor Hugo and his school. After
wards he turned to comedy, witness his Il Hon
neur ct IArgent,' and La Bourse.' This last, by
which the author has realized $4,000 francs, had
boIdneSs TO recommend 1t, at all events for 1t cut
sharply at the tricks of commercial gambling, (the
Emperor and his courtiers being all suspected of
stock-exchange trickery and jobbery,l and has
pleasea Inc U1hc 1t was NJ. Ponsard who said,
on taking his cila? in the Academic, that Racine
was as natural as Shakespeare, when Shakespeare
is NATURAL but that Shakespeare-whom he calls
the divine Wiliams'-is far too obscene for the
purity of mind happily possessed by French au-
dence!
Jules Janin's supremacy, as newspaper critic
and essayist, has lately received great shock
from the satirical bl-weekly paper called Figaro
The leading writer of that clever wicked, satirlca
print was a table talk-man, one NJ. Villemot,
who had a knack of putting serious things in
laughable point of view. The independence Beige
which has good deal of Parlsan gossip, snapped
up NJ. Villemot, at large salary, and seduced
him to one of its editorial chairs at Brussels. The
Figaro Immediately and Enthusiastically appeared
to have lost force. NJ. Villemot's wit disappeared
from the Figaro, and oddly enough, has not yet
become perceptible in the Indcpenddnce Beige.
After three weeks of duness, out came letter
in Figaro from ' On bon jeune hornme sa cous-