New-York tribune., 1879-04-14
LITERARY NOTES.

The current number of TArt has a contri-
button from the Rev. DIR. II. N Powers on the Dec
orative Art Society OF New York.
Frederick Martin has compiled the Estates
mans Book for sixteen consecutive years. ana IN
recognition of his work, Lord BeacOnsneld recently
placed MIN on the Civil List for pension OF alOO
year.
Macmillan g. Co. are about to publish the first
volume large work the history OF the alphabet.
This volume Will treat wholly OF the scandinavian
runes and their connections with the Irish Oghams.
The author. Isaac Taylor, oncludes that the Gothc
tribes east of the River vsula acquired edge OF
the alphabet from the Greek coonsts and traders on
the Dneipcr The work has been In preparation Tor
several years.
1t is announced who twentv-fOur of the
hundred greatest men in the new work projected by
Sampson Low & Co, will be- OF poets, Homer, Dante
and Shakespeare are named; of artists Phidias,
Raphael and Beethoven of philosophers. Socrates
Aristotle Bacon; Of preachers st Paul ST. Angus
tine and Luther Of historians. HerodOtus, Iacius ana
Gbbon ; OF men Of science. Archimedes, Newton and
Cuvier; OF warriors Alexander. Caesar and Napoleon,
volumes VIII be oiOs and there will be eight of then
The first two volumes of Sampson Low d
Co.'S new series OF illustrated biographies OF the great
artists have just been published They are KEN
brandt" and Tuiau." Raphael" and ivan Dyck'
Will be ready this month. The plan Is TO publish one
volume every fortnight and to furnish a seros at
price within reach Of every ono, which shall combine
the results recent Investigations In Germany the
Netherlands and elsewhere. These investigations are
important, as they correct old statements that have
been proved 10 be untrue, impart new facts.
and add IL Is said considerably ones interest In the
lives of the artists New light has been cast particularly
upon the lives of Michael Angelo, Rembrandt. Raphael
Van Dvck Hans Hoben ana Rubens. Portraits OF the
artists and examples their art will he given In each
volume. The ornamental design for the ending mas mas
which was published at Venice IN 1893
The Mather Age of American literature al
fords occasion to The saturday Rericc FOR goody out
,lrst of grim satire the writings of that time. The
books printed 10y those dreadful dyines btahed out
nothing but thuuicrirgs and slaughter against every
dissentient" federation condemned as vice, and
had Sir Thomas Browne venurcd 10 talk lis ReIgio
Medici" in Boston "bo would have run great
risk OF slit and whipping" Even the
Restoration did not help matters. Life in London at
that time with Scdicy aud EthCredEe plcasanter
and humaner thing than was in Boston where Edward
Hopkins denounced sinners till he bltd at the nose, and
that ghostly divine. Increase Mather" hunted
witches death Indeed, the history OF early colonial
literature this country is "htto else than csta'
logue uuwcldy and Gr1tesqUe works in defence OF
the most mloycy religion that was ever yet de-
vised for man." 1t was kind Of literary
madness that seized the colonsts-'th de-
mon Of scTibh'ing possessed them," ana 1.-THE
apotheoss Of pompous dulucss witnessed in tho
ascent of Increase Mathcr berobed and beperwigged
into the literary heavens of Boston; and. when MS
mantle fell from that empyrean height on the stu more
crass and loquacious Cotton Mathcr, Nature smiled to
think that a creature lusOcntly besOtted could
never as long time might last, weld the scepIe OF
Dellcslcttrcs.'
An autograph letter of Henry VIII. is pre-
served in the library OF Corpus Chrsu College, Oxford
and is now published is believed for the first time
Letters in bis hand are known to be exceedingly rare
and collectors have thought themselves fortunate TO
get those which he dictated and TO which his signature
was aferward appended The characters are described
as suf, upright. .gzas." proving the handwriting 10
he the Kings own 1t doubted II any other autograph
letter Of his exists with the exception of those 10 Anne
BOeyn IN the Vatican Rome, hut they are all brief
The present letter very curious and valuable IN that 1t
shows more clearly than any other the Kings apprehen-
sons of Cardinal Wosey, when be seemed most 10
trust him He avOws his desire 10 keep the matter TO
which !! relates from the knowledge OF the Cardinal.
The letter is addressed Mr.. SecretOry," without
giving the name, but IL IS believed that DR.. Knight
whom Henry had sent TO the Pope his own account
IN 1927 under the impression that Wolsey not do
Ing his best In the OF the Church, Is the person
referred TO- Three draft buds mentioned The first
had been privately furnished TO Dr. Knight but after
ward became known TO Wolsey; hence the King in
this letter cancels IT, and iuclOses second saying;
"Nevertheles do send 10 yOu the copy OF nm
other whlche man dOthe knOwe but they whiche i
am sure viii disclose il TO no man lvinge for
any crafte the lord cardyuall any other can fynd
wngc YOU bottle kepe IL secrett TO sOlclte that
81 NAV be made in due fOrme kepinge the efecte &
tenor theiof and with all diligence ut wOns imperae)
20 send IL 10 US