The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-04-02
Literary Notes.

There is a strong rivalry growing up between
the various American illustrated papers, one good
result of which will undoubtedly be an improve
ment in the character of the illustrations. 1t
does not speak well, however, for American artists
to see the greater part of the pictures published
in America merely copies from European Illus
ira ted papers, without credit as to the source
they are obtained from. Not unfrequently Har-
per's, LeShes' and EUery Saturday will each pre-
sent on the same day the very same pictures,
taken from London papers.
The London Illustrated Nears furnishes the
finest wood engravings, and some of these are re-
markable as specimens of art. Take, as exam
pies, the Wolf Rock Lighthouse " and " Ora
vosa Harbor in its issue for January Is, 1870.
The execution of these-the perspective and the
fineness of the engravings have rarely been
equaled. Again in the issue for February 10,
the Sources Of the Missouri River" on page
1913, is a most admirable work of art. Some of
its portraits, as for instance, those of the French
ministry in the issue of February II, are equal
to the finest steel engravings. This periodical
deservetly stands at the head of illustrated pa
pers. It's only fault is the high cost-$14.OO a
year.
Hdrper's Weekly of March u publishes a very
fine portrait of the late Arson Burlingame. the
Chinese Envoy to America and Europe. Those
who met him here four years ago will recognize
in it q most faithful likeness of this able diplo-
matist.
HEARTH AND HoME, a semi illustrated weekly,
is n most admirable and instructive family paper,
being filed in the main with selections intended
for home reading. 1t is edited by Donald G.
Mitchell, and supplied at the news depots here at
five dollars a year, hostages paid.
Mark Twain's last book, "The Innocents
Abroad, or the New Pilgrims Progress is en-
joying a very large and rapid sale, and is really a
funny book. The author sold out his copyright
for ten thousand dollars, and the publisher will
probably net double that sum from the book.
Mr.. HORACE GREELEY has commenced a series
of Essays on Farming in the weekly Tribune.
The Tribune was never more prosperous than at
the present time. 1t has divided among its pro-
prietors over SI8O,OO0 within a year.
APPLETON's JOURNAL (weekly) is one of the
most attractive periodicals of the present day.
1t and also EUery Saturday promise to publish
new novSf, entitled The Mystery of
DIUUu.
An enterprising London firm, publishes every
day at noon a little paper of twelve pages about
the size of All the Year Round, called The Me,os
Last and hader. In it is given a list of the sub
jects discussed by the morning papers-the CORE
spondence, reviews and intelligence. The weekly
papers and the magazines are dealt with in the
same way. The price of this curious little sheet
is a penny. rEs.
Mr.. D. D. 7. Moore, proprietor of the Rural
.eD YORKER, on New Years Day, presented
twenty persons in his employ with paid-up life
policies, in amounts of $500, 81 900
md $4,000 respectively, aggregating SIS 900 in
Surance. at a cost of SIS, 500.
The Byron scandal has given rise to innumera-
bic articles in the literary journals of Germany.
Stowe is bitterly denounced by the German
as guilty of " the greatest literary crime
IF the century"
Some idea of the enormous sale of dance music
nay be formed from q statement in a French
laper, that the profits derived from the sale of a
certain Vase deS Roses amount to 252, 600 francs.
The ReUue deS DeuG MOndeS, which is gener-
lily considered the best European magazine, has
circulation of only twenty-one thousand copies.
The circulation of the London Times is only
lalf what it was three years ago.
1t is again rumored that another attempt at an
american Punch is to be made.
DE Lesseps is writing his own account of the
Canal. 20
The first number of the new Boston Magazine,
I'D and Neto, reached a sale of 25, 900.
Roehetort will occupy his time in prison, in
Vriting his autobiography.
The Queen of Prussia has a religious novel in
)ress.
Dumas is writing a play on the Trauppman
lurders.