LITERARY NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4119, 3 June 1874, Page 3

LITERARY NOTES.

The Athoiwnni learns from Pekin that a printing-office has lately been established in connection with the Pekin College, from whicli a voluminous history of the Taiping and Nienfei rebellions will shortly be issued, and where also a work on chemistry, by Professor Billcquin, is in course of being printed. At the recent sale of M. Daneoisne’s books in Paris, the police officers claimed, on behalf of the Bibliothequc Nationalc, a'valuable 15th century manuscript, which it is alleged was stolen in 1804. Professor Blackie is engaged upon a volume of essays to bo called “ Hone Hellenics,” which will lie opposed to many of the views of Mr. Groto and Professor Max Muller. Dr. Charles Mackay is preparing for the press a work entitled “ The Gaelic Etymology of the Languages of Western Europe, and more especially of the English and Lowland Scotch, and their Cant, Slang, and Colloquial Dialects.” “Mark Twain” has had enough of lecturing-. He returned to his country about a. month ago and gave out that after having spoken his piece two or three times in Now York and Boston, he would retire to his adopted Hartford and live the life of a pampered child of luxury. A portion of the first part (A to E) of the “Lancashire Glossary,” according to tho Acuflcmy, is completed, and will bo sent to press immediately. A novel by Senor Castelar is announced at Madrid—■“ The Story of a Heart.” Thomas Cooper, the well-known author of “ The Purgatory of Suicides,” has a new volume in the press, entitled “ Old Fashioned Stories.” The Movimento of Genoa publishes the text of a curious autograph of Tasso, belonging to tho collection of the Marquis Villanova. It is as follows :—“March 2, 1570. —The undersigned acknowledges tho receipt from M. Abraham Levi of 25 lire, for which ho leaves in pledge a sword of tho same value, six shirts, four sheets, and two napkins. Torquato Tasso.” Tiic illustrious author of “ Jerusalem Delivered ” was twenty-six years old when ho wrote those lines. Torquato Tasso pawning his shirts to live ! Mr Henry M. Stanley, who has just returned from A slanteo, is tho first in tho field with a now work on that subject. Tho title, wo understand, will bo “ Coomassie and Magdala ; tho Story of Two English Campaigns.” It is already at press, and will bo published shortly. We are glad to hear that Mr. Disraeli has advised her Majesty to grant a pension to tho widow of Mr. Shirley Brooks.