The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-10
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.


-"Mugby Junction." Dickens Christmas
story for 1866, is published complete in the
hitieth number of EUeyy Sdturd ~. As Mr..
Dickens contribution to the story this year
occupies a larger poI ton OF the volume than
usual, 1T is safe TO predict that "Mugby juno
I on will prove even more popular tuan any
It's predeceos ors. The first four tales in the col.
leCJlon are IRON the pen OF the inimitable
BOZ" These episodes. are written in the
authors happiest vein. Many of the characters
introduced TO the reader will take their places
in literature beside such immortal creations As
"Mr. Pick wick" Little Neil, . "The Marchio-
ness and "0liver Twist" The sketch emitted
"Barbox Brothers" is one of those delicious les
sons which Dickens teaches so admirably. No
one can read 1t without strengthening his belle
in human goodness. young Jackson"
Phoebe" and Lamp" with his periodical
,rounder5,p become our personal friends imne-
dlately. Little Polly" the lost child, whose
name is not T-'7its, is a conception as charming
as anything in that marvellous series of novels
which we are never weary of perusing. The
whimsical description of the reheshment room,
win the stale pastry, anil poor Mr.. 5 Vift, will
make Mughy Junction" a favorte stopping.
place this year for many delighted reader,
This story appears in Eoe,y Saturday, seven
days previous to its appearance 10 England
"A preliminary meeting for promoting the
contemplated memorial to Lord Byron} has
been held IN Nottingham. The proposition most
IN laVor was the erection of bronze statue in
Nottingham. MIR. Walker suggests Carlton street
NoWlne-STeeh), Che scene OF the noble poets
"In Nottingham to . H. near to SWINE green,
Lives as curst an old woman as ever was seem"
as the most appropriate place. The top of
Market street was also mentioned as a proper
place Tor the statue. The folio wing resolutions
were unanimously carried IL. "That it is
heartily desirable that an effort should be made
Tor collecting a national subscription with
view OF erecting memorial to Lord B Sron." 2.
THAT it is desirable to form a provincial com
mittee, and that Mr.. Down and Mr.. Chapman be
the Honorary Secretaries " 1t was then ar
Hanged TO write to Lord Lytton Lord Boughton,
Sir John Bowring, Lord Brougham, Mr.. Charles
Dickens, and other noblemen and gentlemen, for
support. When replies from the above have
Deen received, public meeting will be con-
veHed.
"A statement which has recently appeared in
the papers, that Mr.. Swinburne would reply to
his critics IN preface to new edition of the
Poems and Ballads" is incorrect. Under the
title of "Notes Poems and Reviews" the
poet, at the instance of his present publisher,
and by The wishes of private friends, has pre-.
pared pamphlet, giving his Interpretation of
withdrawn all his books from the Messrs. MoXon,
and in future they will be published, along with
his Poems and Ballads" by Mr.. Hotten, of Pic
cadlly, who will shortly issue Mr.. Swinburne's
of William Blake, the Artist and Poet" A
volume of criticism on the much-censured
Poems and Ballads" by MIR. w. NJ. Rossetd
(brother of Miss Christina Rossett, the poetess),
will be issued by the same house in a few days.
AT a literary dinner in London, where
Thackeray and Angus B. Reach were uas-d.0iS at
the table, Thack eray-who had never before met
Mr. Reach-addressed him as Mr.. Reach, pro.
naturally indicate. "Re-ack, sir-Re-acE, If you
please" said Mr.. Reach who is punctilious
upon having us name pronounced in two sylla-
bles, as it il spelled Relax. Thackeray, of
ton; but in the Nourse of dessert, he took occa-
sion to hand pl te OF fine peaches across the
table, saying in tone which only he possessed,
'Mr. Re;ak, will you have peak ?" Whether
Mr.. Re'ak took peak or pique is not re-
corded.
Under the title of "Twelve Champions of
Revolution" work has been published at
Berlin, giving the biography of twelve men of
years in Germany, France. Russia, and Italy.
Freillgrath, Karl Blind. Robert Blum Dortu,
Hecker, Ruge, Schlofel, represent Germany
Ledru Rollin and Louis Blanc, France;
Bakunin, Russia; MaZZini and Cavour, Italy.
The work Is by M. Gustav Stuv, one of the DEM
ocratlc leaders of lS48, and DR.. Rasch.
THE fourth and last volume of the General
History OF the Catholic Church." by the Abbe
Spalding, of Baltimore Is published. The his
tory closes with the Pont6cate OF Gregory XVI,
IN l846; but a supplementary chapter. by Rev.
Dr. White, gives an interesting sketch of the
"Origin and PROGRESS of the Catholic Church in
the United States of Americo." This is the first
American edition of a standard French work.
Among the other good things which are
promised Tor the forthcoming Paris Exhibition,
is a collection of the finest specimens of French
printing and bookbinding. M. Firmin Didot,
the Due d'Aumale, and several other distin-
guished collectors have promised to contribute,
and copies of the first edition of JACQUES de
Thou 1882, of the first edition of Montaigne's
works, 1896, once the property of Queen Eliza.
beth, have already been offered.
-Lamartsne, although the largest size charity
boy in Europe gives very jolly dinners. The
beverages are excellent old MonceauX wine from
the poets estate, a little Bordeaux, little cham
payne, and with the dessert glass OF admirable
pernmed Cyprus wine, which he brought from
the East in 1892
MIR. Robert Buchanan has brought action
against Mr.. Bentley, the proprietor of TEMPLE
Bar, for publishing his name as the author of
a poem called "Hugo the Bastard" Mr.. Bu-
chanan does not deny he wrote it, but he did
not wish to own 1t, because he thought it did
not come up TO his usual standard, in merit.
"A dozen young Pitts6eld clerks had what
they called ''hunt on Thanksgiving day, in
which the side killing the most game was to
win supper. One side brought in a red squir-
rel and the other side very d0mestic-lOokng
rabbit. The rabbit side was declared the winner
and they had their supper.
This eonundrum is old, but is bad enough
to be rather good:-"Why is beggar with his
toes out of bis shoes like the King of Prussia?
Because the King OF Prussia issues manifestoes
and a poor beggar has manifest toes to his
shoes.n
Among the wealthy oil men of Pennsylvania
is old John Bennehoff, whose income, estimated
rom the present production OF his oil farm, Is
not less than $500 900 per year. He still lives In
OF Bennehoff run.
There is no truth in the story that the Mas
sachusetts Historical Society has offered $4,000
Ior watch said to have belonged to benjamin