LITERARY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1855, 10 June 1887, Page 28

LITERARY NOTES.

The Queen of Italy has had liberal offers from three of the best publishing-houses in. London for the purchase of her manuscript novel.

Mr Rider ' Haggard's "She" is the most popular novel of the day, and, so numerous are the inquiries for it that at Mudie's there are no fewer than 2000 copies in circulation among the subscribers. .*

The Marquis of Bute, with his characteristic generosity has given £1000 for-the establishment of a National Institute for Wales', at Cardiff, for the advancement' of literature, ajt, and science, as a jubilee memorial. The scheme will cost in its entirety £17,000. Miss Yon Finkelsteih lectured at Bath, &th March, on " City Life in Jerusalem," The platform was arranged to represent a modern interior in the Holy City, and the lecturer and her companions— a lady and two gentlemen — wore the costumes of the Syrian Hebrews.

The following is from a feuilleton publishing in the Temps:— "A great -tumult was heard near them. Emma was seized with emotion, and her heart throbbed within her. Mdme. Baug'e had thrown herself into the arms of a who kissed her ardently. He mas as pale as death ! ", In 1869 Mr W. S. Gilbert wrote his first comedy, "An Old Score," 'which he sept to Mr John Hollingshead. This piece was read within an hour of being placed in Mr Hollingshead's hands. But mark the " why and wherefore." Mr Gilbert, being a wise man, sent the play in print, a hint young authors would do well to take.

The high literature of Japan is in the Chinese language, due to the introduction to ■Japan 1500 years ago of four books by a Chinese author, highly esteemed by the Japanese. The Japanese women, however, continued to write in pure Japanese, and have thus preserved what would otherwise have been lost.

In Persia the books are laid flat upon shelves, fitted into niches in the library wall and shut in by rich hangings attached to the ceiling. The titles are frequently tooled upon the edges, a usage that is still followed in some parts of the globe. Upon the floor of the Persian library stand book chests, four feet in height, and in these likewise are stored the treasures of the collector.

Count de Lesseps' memoirs, which, it is said, will appear in April, will be published in two volumes. They will cover the period of his diplomatic career, his ministries at Madrid and Eome, and public events between 1840 and 1850. They will contain a. great deal about. Spanish affairs, much late political history," and many anecdotes about celebrities. • When asked if it will be amusing the author replies : " Vous verrez " (You shall see).