The Sun. — 1869-12-20 (London, England)

ART AND LITERARY GOSSIP.  The Orchestra deeply deplores to bear on what it con siders good authority that Signor Mario has committed suicide at St. Petersburg. He is said to have poisoned himself with prussic acid. Grief for the loss of Madame Grisi, and the dread of destitution are the reasons assigned for this lamentable act.—lt is said that Mr. Hepworth Dixon has registered the title of a journal to be called Light.—Signor Graziani is reported to be dangerously ill.— Mr. J. P. Crocker, one of the joint proprietors of the Christy Minstrels, died on Friday. The cause of the lamented gentleman's death was consumption, from which he had been suffering for two years.—Cuthbert Bede, who made a great success with " Verdant Green," has written a new humorous story for the illustrated Midland 11 ezrs.— Messrs. Fields and Osgood are to publish Mrs. Beecher Stowe's " Vindication of Lady Byron," and a new work by Emerson, beside a book on " Political Economy," from the Protectionist side, by Horace Greeley, of the Tribune. Mrs. Stowe's book will be ready this week.— The Atlantic Monthly for January will contain a new poem by Lowell, " The Cathedral ;" a paper called " Nearing the Snow Line," by Dr. 0. "W. Holmes; "The Autocrat," an essay by Coldwin Smith," and a ballad by Whittier.—The re-edition of Shelley, on which Mr. W. M. Rosetti has been earnestly engaged, will probably be published within the current month of December by Messrs. Moxon and Co.--The library of the old Seraglio contains a large collection of very valuable manuscripts, formerly belonging to Matthew Corvinus, King of Hungary. On the occasion of the recent visit of the Emperor of Austria, the Sultan presented his Majesty with four of the most beautiful of these archeological treasures, bearing the arms of their original owner, and splendidly illuminated.—Mr. Jefferson Davis is writing a history of his administration as President of the Confederate States.—Mdlle. Chamerovzow made her first appearance in London, as a vocalist, on Thursday night, at the Hanoversquare Rooms.—Mr. Peter Austin Nuttall died recently at his residence in Canonbury. Mr. Nuttall was the compiler and editor of numerous educational and classical works, amongst which was a scientific dictionary.— The treasure just brought to light at Pompeii consists of 700 coins, Consular or Imperial, some of gold, with a quantity of jewels, among which is a magnificent chain of plaited gold wire, forming a very thick round cord not less than Bft. in length.—Verdi has presented to the daughter of his librettist, I'iave, the sum of Io,ooof. He has also requested that the pension of GOOf. a year, attached to his chevalier's Order of Civil Merit of Savoy, be paid to two poor pupils of the school of Busseto, who have distinguished themselves by their talent and zeal.  The John Bull states that the University of Cambridge have just obtained, through the trustees of the Fitzwilliam Museum, a very fine work of Dlurillo. It is a large picture representing St. John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness. The Baptist is a Spanish peasant (as might be assumed in a picture of Murillo), but more nobly idealised than is always the case with this painter's Scriptural works. The other three figures are delineated with great power, and the colouring is magnificent. The pedigree of the picture is interesting and well-traced. An English gentleman was in Spain while the French were pillaging the convents and churches of their arttreasures. Ho bought this picture and two more from the frightened inmates of a nunnery, and had only just time to get safely away with them when the French marauders arrived and made a dean sweep of all that remained. The painting has ever since remained in the purchaser's private collection at Newcastle, from which, through the good offices of a neighbouring connoisseur, it has been obtained as above stated.  A Cable telegram from New York reports that the ship Energy, of Liverpool, has boon abandoned at sea. It is stated, by Nature, that the Council of the British Association for the Advancement of Science have determined to ask the permission of the Lord President of the Council to appear before him as a Deputation, to urge upon the Government the need of a Royal Commission to inquire into the Present State of Science in England. Ain.