Literature. Review.

declared heir of an exceedingly old baronetcy , and tho representative of two attainted earldoms . We suppose , though Sir Bernard Burke does nofc mention ifc , that from this old historic race descends the groat African discoverer , ivhoso fortune it may bo to make an ancient name as famous on the banks of the Shire and the Zambesi , as over ifc was on those of tho Toviofc and the Tay .

Wo have also some account of the Laws , an old Scotch family , from whom descended the celebrated John Law , of Mississippi notoriety : and Sir Bernard Burke gives several instances of his generosity , remarking that to blacken tho name of this great speculator has been fche fashion , while he was , in many respects , an amiable and liberal man . Tho Irish families of O'Donnell , MacCarfchy , O'Melaghlin , ancl

Desmond also figure pretty prominently , as ivell as that extraordinary native of this country , Ward , the stable-boy , who , in the sendee of tho Duko of Parma , became a Baron and Prime Minister ! The work before us is amusing , and deserves to be road by all , but its readers should have either a good memory or some book of authority at hand to correct the many glaring ¦ errors which deface its otherwise attractive pages .

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE ,-AND ART . Mr . Cosifjo Innes , one of the most eminent of living Scottish archaeologists , and Professor of History in the University of Edinburgh , is about to follow up , with another of a similar kind , his recent volume , " Scotland in the Middle Ages . " His new volume will be entitled " Sketches of Early Scotch History , " and will

include chapters on the Church , its organisation , parochial ancl monastic ; on universities , social habits ancl morals , family history and topography , ancl statistics . The Memorial of Oriental Travel , by Mr . Walter Thornbury , is to be entitled " Turkish Life and Character / ' and to be accompanied -by . illustrations from photographs .

A new novel by the Hon . C . Stuart Savile , entitled " Night and Bay , " is to be shortly published by Messrs . Hurst and Blackett , who have also in preparation a now three-volume novel to be entitled "The Road to Honour . "

Messrs . Smith , Elder , and Co . have nearly ready for publication a now novel by Mr . Chanter , author of " Ferny Combes , " to be entitled " Over the Cliffs . " Mr . Chanter is , we believe , a near relative of the Rev . Charles Kingsley . Among the works preparing for publication by the Messrs . Kentledge is a collection of the poems of Gerald Massey ; a volume by Captain Mayne P . eid , to be entitled "Odd People ; " and a

republication of " The Unloved One , " by the late Mrs . Holland . The Messrs . Rivington are publishing a second edition of " The Way of Holiness in Married Life , " a series of Lent sermons , by the . 'Rev . H . J . Ellison , Vicar of Windsor , Prebendary of Lichfield , and Header to the Queen at Windsor Castle . Mr . Bentley adds to his new series of moderately-priced

"Standard Novels" the Hon . Eleanor Eden ' s "Euston and its Inhabitants . " Messrs . Hurst ancl Blackett will publish , during the first week in August , Capt . Langley's " Narrative of a Residence at the Court of Meer Ali Moorad , with Wild Sports in the Valley ofthe Indus . " A rather large number of second editions has been issued , among

which are the beautiful "Ecclesiastical Biographies of Mr . Kingsley ' s Predecessor at Cambridge , " Sir James Stephen ( Longman ) . Dr . Donaldson ' s strange ancl nofc over-decent work " Jashar , " Latin , and printed in Germany , has at last attained a second edition of very limited issue . Mr . Bentley is preparing for publication a work lull of

interesting gossip about the fashionable and literary society of England during the eighteenth century . Ifc is the autobiography of Mrs . Delany , a name familiar to the readers of " The Diary of Madame d'Arblay , " like whom she was attached to the person of Queen Charlotte . Born in 1700 , a daughter of Bernard Granville ( afterwards Lord Lansdowne ) , she married en secondes twees Dr . Patrick Delany , the once well-known writer ancl intimate friend of Dean Swift .

No confidence need be violated , say the Illustrated News , ul referring to tbe report long circulated , but which has now assumed an aspect of certainty , that the editorship of the Quarterly Review has changed hands , and that the learned and acute Mr . Elwin has laid down the sceptre of command in favour of an erudite gentleman from the north , a Mr . MacPherson . Whilst one of the ( doubtless ) distinguished ornaments to Scottish literary society has thus

been transplanted from his native soil , we perceive that the void ( necessarily ) created will be filled , so far as the " Modern Athens " is concerned , by an eminent literary Scotchman who has been bold enough to go back to his native land . Mr . James Hanney , satirist , scholar , essayist , novelist , and quarterly reviewer , proceeds to Edinburgh , there to reside permanently and to edit one of the

bestknown Tory papers published in that city . England is decidedly the loser by the emigration of one of her most talented adopted children ; but we trust that Mr . Hannay ' s secession from the south is not considered as final . " In the abstract" Edinburgh may be metropolis of literature and art ; but in actuality there is but one metropolis of Anglo-Saxon letters , and that is London . " Tout

ehemin mene a Home , " says the old proverb , and the goal of every literary man should be Eleet-street . Some efforts are now being made on behalf of the poor Cambridgeshire bard , James Reynolds Withers , of Fovdsham . We heartily wish them success . Mr . Withers has genuine wit and worth , real poetic genius , and beauty of expression . The rural poet

was brought up in the fens , and , in the native business parlance , would be called a bog-trotter . Surely those who are able and willing to assist real and unbefrionded merit will do something to assist him to a more congenial path in life .

Dr . Bandinel retires from the Librarianship of the Bodleian next September , after a long ancl meritorious service . His successor will , we trust , take equal interest in adding to the vast treasures of early English literature there preserved ; Dr . Bandinel having paid great attention to that important branch of the collection . We may also take the opportunity of mentioning that the printed books of the Ashmolean Museum , as well as the

manuscripts , have been removed into the Bodleian Library . An interesting collection of national French songs ( "Chansons populaires des Provinces de Erance" ) has just appeared in Paris , edited by MM . Weckhc-rlin ancl De Champflcury . As the French are by no means so rich in the collections of these national treasures as the German and tho English , credit is due to the editors . Herr

Weckherl ' m , an Alsatian , has arranged the melodies for the piano . A German source is traceable in the songs of tho songs of Lorraine and Aslatia , where Ilcbcl is still in the mouths of the people . The purely French national songs are worthy of attention ; few of them arc known . Tho songs of Brittany ancl Languedoc especially are very peculiar .

Two well-known American authors are circumnavigating the globe—Mr . Danan , the author of " Two Years before the Mast , " and Mr . Herman Melville , the author of "Omoo" "Typee" & c . Both will doubtless record their impressions of travel for the benefit of the reading world . Mr . Charles Scribner , of New York , will shortly publish a new work by Dr . Holland , the " Timothy Titcomb " of general notoriety ,

whom the American press style " undoubtedly the most popular 'Man of Letters' of the present day . " According to report , ifc will contain some caustic hits afc prevailing novelties of opinion on female education ancl development . Mr . II . B . Dawson , author of the " Battles of America , " has had entrusted to him by the family the entire manuscript correspondence

and papers of the Hon . D . D . Tompkins , Vice-president of the United States and Governor of the State of New York , to he employed in a memoir , which Mr . Dawson is now engaged on . To the close of the London Exhibitions follows the opening of the provincial ones . That of the Liverpool Society of Fine Arts will commence in August . The 10 th of August is the last day named for receiving works ,