"SATURDAY NIGHT."

Thames Star, Volume III, Issue 1683, 26 May 1874, Page 2

"SATURDAY NIGHT."

In a brief notice of " Saturday Night" which appeared in a previous issue we said there appeared to be a scarcity of original matter. The assertion requires qualification, as, on a further perusal, we are inclined to think there is a great deal of original matter, looking at the contents from a journalistic point of view. The premier story of " Saturday Night" is "Who Killed Isaac Payne" by John B. Williams M.D.—a name not very well known in the Auckland world of literature. Next we find a chapter of " Wit and Humour," the originality of which is above suspicion. "An Ode to an Oyster" and " Only a Sad Mistake," two poetic effusions, follow the half-column of wit and. humour. The "Experiences of a Dyspeptic" might be the experiences of an Auckland man and a member of the staff of " Saturday Night j " indeed we should imagine they were. "The Home Doctor " suggests an acquaintance with the "Family Physician," "JBuchan's Domestic Medicine " or some such popular treatise, and appropriately paves the way for another sensational dose in the novel line—" Nick Whiffles : the Trapper G-uide; by J. 11. ."Robinson." Then we light upon the address to correspondents and "our terms ; " followed by an article "To Our Readers,"-in which the intentions are made known, and by which we learn that " Saturday Night" is "a journal of light literature.'' Articles on Hasting to be Bich, Whom to Marry, and Lazy People; then a poem by Longfellow (which is acknowledged), a few Varieties, from the pen of the aristocratic Ivan de Biron, some Scientific, another short story, by a Judge, and some Proverbial Readings. More, sensation in a tale by Mrs Harriet Lewis; fashions—Josh Billings, some business announcement and a page of advertisements.. These complete the number, and' we confess that the whole suggests an uncomfortable feeling of disappointment,. If the matter is original (which we d.oubt_) why not say so ; if it is extracted from other periodi-, cals admit the responsibility, and don't commit wholesale literary piracy by i cribbing from others. " Saturday Night" might be made a useful rs well as an en-, tertaining serial, but. it will not be done by wholesale clippings from American papers, and from the writings of fifth or sixth rate authors and authoresses. "Saturday Nio;ht" may become, eminently popular, but its acceptance with the public must depend in a great measure, onthequalityofthematteritcontains. "The Southern Monthly," one of Auckland's earliest contributions to polite literature, had a short existence, but it was worthy of a longer one. It contained articles of real literary merit, and. articles betraying judgment in selection. " Saturday Night appears to do neither. There is;' no distinguishing what is original and what is select. It appears that American literature has been freely drawn upon, regardless of authors', rights and the International Copyright Act. This was our impression on first perusing the first num-. ber of " Saturday Eight"—an impression which suggested, the absence of original matter. We may be wrong; the proprietors may have secured a whole staff of original writers ; in which case we can only say that the publication is deserving of a wide support, if only in recognition of private enterprise; but if the novels and and tales and poetry are collated from other sources it would only be common fairness to acknowledge those sources, and 1 would not in the least detract from the" merits of " Saturday Night" as a reflex of a certain class of light literature.