Literature.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2116, 30 January 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

Literature.

— Mk^ius Pitbian announce that they v>ill shoitly publish, in monthly parts, an edition of the Biblo in shorthand, at aixpenco e.ich part. Tlic woik will bo illustrated, and produced under the cmc of Mr Ford, editor of The Reporters' Journal. — The celebrated traveller, M. Vanv bcry, has piepaied a boys' edition of his "Life and Adventuics." The volume %va-> announced icccntly as ready for pub licitiou by Mr T. F. Unwin. This should bo good news to boys. —A biography of the late Mrs Helen Hunt Jaukhon, well-known to readers of American journals and periodicals as " I LIE.," is to be written by Mr 11. W. Mablc, associate editor of tlie New Yoik Christian Union. Mr Mable has undertaken the work in compliance with Mis Jackson's desire expressed shortly befoic her death. — Messrs D. Lothrop and Co. have just published a beautiful folio volume, entitled " Heroines of tho Poets." The text consists of twelve poems by the most famous poets fro.n Chaucer to Browning, the heroines of which arc presented in full-page ideal drawings, especially propaied by Lungren, and each drawing painted by hand on Indian paper, with no two in the same tint or colour. This is a splendid holiday volume. — Ueorge Bancroft, tho historian, recently celebrated his eighty-fifth birthday at Newport, United States. It is stated that Mr Bancroft is one of the few living Americans, if not the only one, who knew Lord Byron. — M. Ernest Re*nan has published a new work in the form of a drama, called "La Pretre de Nemi." The epoch is very remote, being that of the rivalry of Rome and Alba. Tho play expresses the opinions of M. Renan on democracy and the part it played in antiquity, but the moral idea is to demonstrate the impossibility of society existing without some notion of religion. — It is announced that a new review, devoted to liberal theology, and gener topics treated from that point of view, will appear shortly. It will be, in effect, a revival of the Modern Review, a publication which contained many excellent articles, but which did not attain a wide circulation. — The readers of that admirably conducted monthly, Good Words, will be gratified with the announcement that the volume for JSSG will, in addition to a great variety of articles by able writers, contain two serial stories ; one entitled "The Haven under the Hill," by Miss Linskill, »nd another entitled "This Man's Wife," by Mr Fenn. The lastnamed is to be illustrated by Mr J, Watson-Nicol. — Dr. Tulloch'o recently - published volumo, " Movements of Religious Thought in Britain duwngrtho Nineteenth Centu 7," has met with a favourable reception in Great Britain and America. The lectures were delivered in St. Giles'Cnurcb, Edinburgh, to large audiences. The subjects are :—": — " Coleridge and His School, '* Tho Early Oriel School and its Congeners," " Tho Oxford or Anglo-Catholio Moveraont." On these and other topics, the learned and able principal of St. Andrew's University is quite at home. Thoughtful and intelligent readers will find in this work much to their taste. — " Mir'sters' Wives" is the title of a a volume by Mrs James Martin, which has just been published by Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton, of London. It is an exceedingly interesting volumo, and wo have pleasure in bringing it undor the notico of the members of all religious denominations. Wo have read Mrs Martin's book, and while Some portions of it W'U, doubtless, bo regarded as 100 highly coloured, we feol assured that all candid readers will admit that it is a clover and suggestive book/and ministers' i wives and church members generally may profit by its perusal. — Among the holiday books worthy of special mention, the superb subsciiption cc v tionof Longfellow's complete poems and prose works stands in the front rank. It is published by Mossrs. Houghton, Mifflin, and Co., of New York, in three magnificent quarto volumes, contain' ig over 700 designs by eminent American artists. —Tho latest additions to the series of volumes now in courso of publication by Messrs Casspllj Co., London, under the general titlo of "The World's Workers," aro Charles Dickens and Turner, the artist. The first-named is a biographical sketch of tho popi 7 ar novelist, written by his eldest daughter, and gives the leading incidents of his Hfo. Tho second volume is written by tho Rev, S. A. Swaino, and tells briefly the story of the famous painter's career, from his birth to his death. His principal works are noticed, and tlio volumo closes with a chapter on " Tho Mental and Moral Excollcucies and Defects" of tho great arsist. Both volurnos are beautifully printed, and the prico places them witlr'i tho reach of all. — Tho first article in the November number of Tho Nineteenth Century is entitled " Dawn of Creation and Worship," and is. a reply by tho Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P., to some strictures in Dr Reville's recently published " Prolepomcncs do l'Historio dcs Religions." It is a long, able and most interesting article, and it is marvellous that a man so advanced in years and burdened with so many cares and heavy anxieties has been able to secure leisure for the writing of such an article. An outlino wo cannot give, but tho articlo will repay careful study. Lieutenant Dawson's account of '• Sir Herbert Stewarts Desert March," will bo found profoundly interesting ; and not less so the articlo by the Countess Cowper on " Some Experiences of Work in an East-end District." There are a number of articles on political topics by well-known writers, and Mr Edgar Whitaker supplies a paper of present day interest entitled " The Coup d' Etat in Eastern Rouroelia."