LITERARY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1162, 7 March 1874, Page 21

LITERARY NOTES.

M. Michelet is writing a history of the year IS (5 and the Uestorution. The United Sfcatcs nlono has 5871 journals and periodicals, while all tho rest of the world has but 7042.

" Austen Ly ell " is the title of the forthcoming volume of poetry by tho author of " Oing Grange." The Areh.biah.op of Canterbury was to contribute an article to "Winged Arrows, <J the Christmas part of the Quiver. Oi-enc. al Garibaldi is mid to bo writing an epic poem, " The Thousand of Marsala." It is to be published by subscription. A new inontlily magazine, to be called the Christian Evidence Journal, editud by Mr B. H. Cowpor, was to be started on tho Ist of January.

Miss Annie Thomas (Mrs Pender Cudlip the well-known novelist, has become a contributor to tho Press, and writes for the Morning Post. The Irish Echo is the title of a new Dublin daily paper that has just made its appearance. The Dublin Evening Telegraph is merged in the new paper.

A new edition (the fourteenth) of "Haydn's Dictionary of Dates, ' bringing down the work to the present time, is being issued in monthly parts.

Mr Richard Crowing, editor of the School Board Chronicle, has been appointed editor of the Gentleman's Magaziue, in the placo of Mr Joseph Hatton.

The Athenaeum says : — Messrs Trubner have in preparation a work ontitled "Threading My Way : Twenty-seven Years of Autobiography," by Mr Robert Dale Owen.

A now monthly literary journal was to be started in London on tho Ist January, under the title of the Literary Herald, conducted by the editor of the Newsvendor. Oue of the Jesuit Fathers at Stonyliurat is engaged on a history of the doctrine of Free Will as ifa appeal's m modern English philosophy from Hobbos up to the present tune. Mr Henry Glassford Bell, shoi iff of Lanarkshire, died on November 24th. He was a learned Judge, and author of the poem, "Mary, Queen of Scots," and other works.

Mr Eubule-Evans, the author of " Hovealed at Last," "The Bond of Honour," "The Curse of Immortality," &c, is engaged on a new novel, which may be expected to appear early this year. It is stated that Mr Thomas Oarlyle is writing a pamphlet on the controversy between the Herman Emperor and the Pope, a subject in which he takes a profound interest.

In November the first number of a new weekly journal of satire, politics, and criticisms appeared. It is entitled The Octopus, and will be brought out in Brighton and London simultaneously. The writer of tho article on "Archbishop Cranmer and the English Reformation," iv tho current number of the London Quarterly Review, is understood to bo the itov. W. H. S. Aubrey, of Croydon. A new story from the pen of Sir Arthur Helps is in the press. It is concerned with Russian conspiracies, and gives an accouut of the economics of Siberia, to which his chief characters are transported. Mrs Lynn Linton, tho Saturday roviower, is writing a new novel, in which women's education will be dealt with. She has been residing for some months in Wales, where she has been busy on her forthcoming work. Tho first impression of Mr Mill's Autobiography, consisting of 3000 copies, was all j sold within six days of publication, and it second impression of tho same number was also exhausted in a few days. Sir John Bennett has announced his intention to offer a premium of a hundred guineas for tho best English national song and chorus, a jury to be appointed to decido upon the morits of tho composition offored.

•-•■* The Torch is the title of a new London weekly paper, which has taken the place of Junius. A society, to be called the London and Provincial Press Pi otection Society, having for its chief objects the protection of newspapers from vexatious tuits under the libel law?, and tho reform of those laws, is in cour£>e of formation. " Amicus Vorioatis," the correspondent of the Times, who ashurfc time since impugned Mr Blight's vuiacity as to the part the hon. Gentle-man &aid he bad taken in tho Education Bill, ia, we are told, the Higub lion, liobert Lowe.

The author of "John Halifax, Gentleman," who has not for some time appeared before the public as a novelist, has just completed a new domesti? love story, entitled "My Mother and I," which will appear immediately in Good Words,

Mr Hiuisoll, M.P., hasr, it is said, pur-cha.'J'-d an hit-rest in one of tho two magazines that are supposed to represent more" or k'ss the cln sa whoso weltaro he has ao much at heart, and intends bringing the serial out under his own avowed editorship. Messrs Macmillan ovo about to issue a somewoafc elaborate book on Technical Education. Each point of view is hilly discussed — thu clucational. tho industrial, and the scientific. The writer ia Mr Thomas Twining, Vice-president of tho Society of Arts.

" Veritas" is the title of a book by Henry Melvillo (edited by i<\ Tennyson and A. Tudor) in the press, being a " Revelation of the Mysteries, Biblical, Historial, and Social, by means of the Median and Persian Laws," ilJustratod with celestial charts and engravings. It is announced from Sfcuttgard, thafc Berthold Auerbach is about to produce a new romance, connecting tho events of the late war with that homo life of the simple population of the Black Forest, -which his "Edelweiss," and other well-known novels have ma r le familial 1 to Isnslif.li readers.

Mark Twain ii following t.he example of Mr Charles lleadu and Mr .Coucicault, ami bringing out a novol wiittou joiutJy by himself and Charles Dudloy Warner. It ia called the " (Jjlilod Age," and its title ia sufficient to show that itTwill )'O a tolerably severe satire upon this ago of gilt, which some people call gold. The Paris Figaro think 1 ? that Us readers must sometimes be bored with politics, and so has determined to give them a holiday every Moudny, the number for that day beiug tilled with literary and artistic gossip, aivl those amusing Parisian storie3 and on dlts for which that journal is so renowned.

Mr G. 11. Lewe'a new book, which waa originally to have been published by Messrs Blackwood and Sons, is to be issued by Messrs Trubner. In itthe author endeavours to establish] i creed of a philosophy founded on the Knowable, to the utter exclusion of what he consideis the Unknowable.

A company has betn formed called "The Protestant Newspaper Company, limited," for the purpose of .starting a newspaper iv Manchester, the object being to have in Lancashiro an organ to uphold Evangelical principles in opposition to Piitualism. The Manchester Protestant Standard is to be the title of the new journal. Mr Alexander Andrews, tho author of tho well-known ' ' History of British Journalism " and other works, died on November 9th, aftor a lingering illness, at his residence iv Albion Grove, Stoke Newington. Mr Andrews was born on the 4th of August, 1524, and was consequently in his SOth year at the time of his decensc

A new volume of sermons by Archbishop Manning, entitled, " Sin and its Consequences,' 1 ia in the press, and will be ready very shortly. The publishers are Messrs Burns and Oates. The same firm are about to issue an English translation, by Mr C. F, Audley, of Montalembert's "Letters to a Schoolfellow."

Mr E. E. Francillon, author of "Earl'a Dene," "Pearl and Emerald," &c, is writing a new story, called " Olympia," for the Gentleman's Magazine. Another young writer, Mr Gosse, of the British Museum, ia about to publish a volume of short poems, to which unity is given by a musical theme.

There is in the press (says the Athenaeum) a memorial volume of the late Principal Candlish, consisting of a select number of sermons (not hitherto published), preceded by a short biography, The volume is being edited by his son, Professor James Candlish, of the Free College, Glasgow. It is expoctecl to 1)0 ready in Dectmbor, and will be published by Messrs A. and C. Bluek.

The Scotsman announces tho death of Mra Janet Hamilton, the Coatbridgo poetess, whom it describes as one of the most remarkable Scotchwomen of the present century. Jancb Hamilton was tho daughter of a working shoemaker, and although without education, tho mother of a large family — she married at thirteen — and for many years towards the close of her lifo totally blind, yet contrived amid circumstances seemingly so aclvorso from first to last, not only to store her mind by self-culture, but to produce poems and various other writings of 110 ordinary merit.

Again Mr Tennyson's publishers are to be changed. When Messrs Strahan and Co. succeeded Messrs Moxon as publishers of Mr Tennyson's pooins, we (Booksoller) believo that they agreed to pay that gentleman no less a sum than a thousand guineas a quarter for tho right ; but it socnis that the bargain was better for tho poet than for his publishers, who, having lost scvoral thousand pounds by the transaction, havo given notice of their intention to terminate the agreement at Christmas, aftor which time Messrs TTcmy S. King and Co. will issuo tho Lauroato's works,

NOTES OF A TRIP TO ROTOMO HANA AND THE HOT SPRINGS.

We left Auckland en route for the "Springs" in the good, bad, or indifferent steamer Southern Cross on a bright Bunny afternoon, with just enough wind against us to make the furnaces draw and enable the skipper to say "full speed" — though what this meant we could not discover. Wereferred toafriendwho had once known an engineer on the Onehunga railway, and hesaidunderthecircumstanceshe •was compelled to give it vp — he never could answer riddles. However, the captain did say "full speed," and the steamer puffed at him, but moved no faster through the water. A welcome bell called the hungry to tea, and we were delighted to find we were only packed " six upon i four " at the table, and that one man was muscular enough to attend to twenty | hungry men and a few sick women. We did not enjoy that tea ; we saw the steward making milk in a jug ; he seemed to make it very well, having, perhaps, practised much. We were put to bed on shelves — horsehair covered shelves — without any blankets. A pillow each was served out to a few favoured ones, bnt they did not appear to be overjoyed, at least, nobody asked the captain or steward to have a drink. Not to put too fine a point upon it, I think the " fast and favourite screw steamer Southern Cross" about the most dirty little boat I ever travelled in, and I have voyaged in many.

"Without loss of life, and after exhaustion of the limited stock of soda water on board, we found ourselves steaming slowly past Maunganui, the sentinel that guards Tauranga harbour, and watches the few straggling houses which — collectively — fondly imagine themselves to be a town. When we looked on the point thai bears the cemetery, where lie the bones of the many brave fellows we lost at the disastrous attack on the Gate Pa, we felt as sad as we did when we saw the men rushing and hurrying about after their pitiable defeat. Te Ranga, however, gave our men an opportunity of revenging themBelves and retrieving their lost honour. The visitor to the hot springs passes the Gate Pa about three miles out of Tauranga, and finds nothing very interesting in its present aspect, the trenches and rifle-pits being for the most part filled in or overgrown with fern and tutu. We found a few pieces of shell, and heard of the existence of some live 50-pounders. We did not attempt to disturb these gentlemen, as the last one that was touched exploded and blew a poor fellow to pieces. Pushing on for six or seven miles, we arrived at Europe, where an enterprising settler is erecting a store and accommodation house. We partook of some peaches, and presently were plunged into the shades of the magnificent bush that extends for eighteen miles on either side of the road, which said road is a wonder — up and down the precipitous cliffs, deep in to the ravines, crossing and re-crossing the many creeks that, drain the surrounding mountains, and bringing one suddenly again ihto the sunlight, exposing to the enchanted spectator the marvellous beauties of Lake Rotorua, in the bosom of which lies the wonderful island of Mokoia, the island of romances and legends innumerable — by the way, these said "yarns" are very aaughty, or I would favour you with a few. Sir George Grey offered £4000 for Mokoia (traditions and all), but the Natives declined to sell. I don't blame them, as it is able to support a considerable population. Ohinemutu, a Native village, nestles comfortably on the edge of the Lake, by the banks of which hot springs send \ip their clouds of steam, concealing for a time the tatooed Maqri wife who, crouching by the side of one of these natural saucepans, watches the cooking of her potatoes, koaro (prawns), whitebait, or pork. Then the pleasures of the bath ! Let the reader picture to himself a dive into seven or eight feot of warm wator, and a swim — well, as far as he is able — when, feeling a little tired, one sits on a warm rock and lazily watches the bubbling water around and about, sleepily wondering why anybo dy ever did anything else but sit in warm water on warm rocks. Then the natural restlessness of the Anglo-Saxon subject] begins to make itself apparent, for our patient slinks out of the warm water, dashes himself into an ice-cold stream, and emerges all glowing, full of strength, and laughing in the fulness of his joy at himself and everybody olse. Then, after a tremendous scrubbing with crisp white towels, fly away to the hospitable shelter provided by Wilson and M' Konna, where, in a snug bedroom, one's body is adorned in such picturesque garmonts as the wild imaginings of the dry patient suggested before he learned how little ho really did want in this wonderful place. Thon dinner. Well, we were satisfied. Soup, fish, ducks, good English ale, the placid cup of tea, followed by the soothing pipe, the which no sooner finished, than into the water again, and for another hour

enjoy the superlative pleasure of thinking about nothing ; out again, a social pipe, and to bed.