LITERATURE AND ART.

We hear that Mr. Browning has thirty fresh poems, short and long, ready for his new volume. Mr. Humphry Ward lias presented his portrait of Dr. Johnson by Opie to the Athenienm Club. Mr. Froude's "Two Chiefs of Dunboy" has passed rapidly through throe American editions in Scribner's " Yellow Paper Series." , c -~ We regret to hear of the death of Professor E. Liibberb, of Bonn, well known for his contributions to the philology and history of Greece and Rome. , The death is announced of the Lancashire poetess, Fanny Forrester. She belonged to the working classes, at an early age developing a taste for poetry. She was a frequent contributor to journalistic literature. The forthcoming " Bibliography of Ruskin " promises to be a very long and elaborate work. To give some idea of the large number of editions and variants, I may state that the first part will be entirely occupied with only three of Mr. Ruskin's books. "Popular Poets of the Period —a volume edited by Mr. Eylos—is about to be published in a few days by Messrs. Griffith, Farran, and Co. The more important articles aro by various writers of repute. Mr. Mackenzie Bell has written an introductory essay dealing with contemporary poetry. Mr. Justice Stephen is about to bring out, through Messrs. MacMillan, a new edition of a book which he originally published in 1803—" General View of the Criminal Law of England." The new edition is practically a new work, and is intended as a text-book on the criminal law for University and other students. Messrs. George Bell and Sons have in preparation a new series of cheap illustrated volumes dealing with subjects relating to the farm, called "Bell's Agricultural Series." The first volume,'"to be published in the course of next month, is "The Farm and Dairy," written by Professor J. P. Sheldon, formerly of the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. Under the will of Count Joseph Loubat the Royal Academy of Berlin is going to award a prize for a work published between July 1, 1881, and July 1,-1889, that deals with the European colonisation of North America and the recent history of that continent. Works in English, French, Gorman, or Dutch are eligible for the prizo (which amounts to 3000 francs), and must be sent to the Academy before July 1, .1890. A familiar figure for years in the readingroom of the British Museum, Mr. John Ingram Lockhart, died recently in Mornington Road at the age of seventy-seven. Mr. Lockhart spent his early life in Holland, with the history and literature of which lie was thoroughly acquainted. He was the author of " Attica and the Athenians," of "The Wife's Peril," a novel, of several translations from the Spanish and other languages, and, lately, of "The Triple Angel," a very remarkable and eccentric poem. In the last book sale for this season, which Messrs. Sotheby, Wilkinson, and Hodge have completed, the following books realised high prim*:—"St. Angustin, La Cite do Dieu," an illuminated manuscript, in two volumes, on vellum, fourteenth century, £100 ; " Notes and Queries," 1850-S6, £27; Punch, 1811-84, £19; Shakespere, Plays, edited by J. P. Collier, eight vol., 1875-8, £-'1 ; J. 0. Halliwell - Phillips, " Shakespere Facsimiles," forty -eight volumes., 1866-71, £52; Gould, "Birds of Groat Britain," 1862-73, £45. At the sale of books and manuscripts at Sotheby's a few days ago the -■ original autograph MS. of the third, fourth, and fifth volumes of Lord Beaconslield's " Vivian Grey " and the autograph MS. of the same author's "Captain PojKinilla's Voyage" were brought under the hammer. Each MS. was brought by Mr. Robson for the sum of £21. The original autograph MSS. of five poems of Burns—viz., "On the Death of Sir J. H. Blair," "Epitaph on a Friend," "The Humble Petition of Bruar Water to the Noble Duke of Athole," " On Reading in a Newspaper the death of .1. M'Leod, Esq.," and " Epistle to Mr. M'Adam, of Craigengillen"—were bought by Mr. Sabin for £35.