Literature.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2119, 6 February 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

Literature.

— In the Vienna Hofbibliothek there is a parchment MS. written between the years 1516 and 1519 — the private prayerbook of the Emperor Charles Y. It bears the traces of long use. In one place of the book the npot where tho Emperor's spectacles used to lie is clearly marked, and in other places the names of some ol his near relations are inscribed, as his aunt Margaret, tho Elector Joachim of Brandcnberg, and others. It is adorned with beautiful miniatures by a Netherlandish artist. Tho book was formerly tho property of the dissolved Jesuit College in Vicuna Neustddt, where it had been kept since 1670. — Among the records of the ancient borough of Kiugston-upon-Hull, England, have lately been found a number of original letters from and to leaders in the great Civil War. The collection, which will noon be published in a volume to be entitled " Hull Letters," includes epistles from Andrew Marvel, Lord Fairfax, Oliver Cromwell, King Charles 1., and other renowned characters. — The American Company of Bible Revisers were restrained by their agreement with the English Company from publishing the version, with the eineudations they preferred to thohe adopted, until after the expiration of fourteen years. Professor J. (*. Lausing, D.D., ot the Theological Seminary in New Brunswick, N.J., being outside the application of that restriction, has begun such publications, with the issue, in small Bvo., of " Tho Book of Psalms translated out of the Hebrew," with the readings and renderings of the American Company incorporated into tho text. The readings and renderings preferred by the English Company are given in an appendix. — The London Religious Tract Society hits just published an interesting woik, entitled '• Jottings from the Pacific." The author— the Rev. W. Wyatt Gill, B.A.— has been for many years a faithful aud successful agent of the London Missionary Society, and his volume is full of information respecting the progress of the Gospel in the South bea Islands. It contains uUo many valuable Zoological aud Botanical Notes. —Messrs. William Inglis and Co., Melbourne, have issued their Christina* Annual. It is a neat little volume of over 150 pages, and .contains an Australian btory entitled " Euchred," by To*o Taylor, the author of " Buds and Bloobom," The story is sufficiently exciting to gratify the lovers of fiction. The writer whose poetry has been praised cau write a good story. The thort 6toiy, " A Night of Mystery, 1 ' we suppose is by the same writer, but this is not stated. The •' Annual ' is published at tho very moderate price of Is. — The two excellent theological and biblical monthlies, the Expositor and the Interpreter, continue to be well sustained. The November number of each contains a large number of instructive and valuable aiticlefc — expository, biographical, and critical. To the ministers of all denominations these periodicals should prove exceedingly helpful. The November number of The National Review is occupied largely with articles on political subjects. The initial paper is written by Mr Alfred Austin, and has for its title " Skeleton-, at the Feast." Mr Austin's skeletons are five in number, and they are all in his view very abhorrent. They are briefly stated : Peasant Proprietorship, Giaduated Income Tax, Free Education, Disestablishmeut and Disendowme.ut of the Church, and the Abolition of the House of Lord*. Other political articles are ou "The Church and the Coming Election," "The Birmingham Caucus," aud " Low Prices and Hostile Tariffs." Mr T. E. Kebbel contributes another of his series of papers on "Tory Prime Miuibters;" Lord Beaconsfield is his theme in the present issue. The articles of a more general character are " British Rule in India," " Peasaut Proprietors of the South, and "The Theatre."