Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

A " sensation bookseller" is one of a new class , founded in the United States . To a tradesman so-called , Hicks , the pirate and murderer , sold , just previous to his execution in July , the copyright of his autobiography , dictated by him to an amanuensis . To do honour to the amiable author of this record of many rascalities , he was conducted to the island in the hay of New York , the

scene of his last murder and of his execution , in a gay steamer , on hoard of which were many of his friends ; and all enjoyed the good things provided for the occasion . Hicks was the only one of them who was hanged , but probably a good many of them deserved to be . The American Sensation Public will doubtless be in a state of suspense , also , till Mr . Hicks ' s volume is published .

"Messrs . Appleton , of New York , " says the Philadelphia Press , " have published , in an octavo volume of nearly' 500 ' pages , the celebrated "Mount A emon Papers , " contributed by Edward Everett to the New York Ledger . The history of these articles is curious enough , as showing a new phase in newspaper advertising . In September 1858 , Mr . Bonner , proprietor of the 2 ¥ ew York

Ledger , offered to pay 10 , 000 dollars to Mr Everett to be hy him added to the fund for the purchase of Mount A ernon , provided that Mr . Everett should write one original article for the Ledger every week for one year . Mr . Everett , who has done more than any other

man to effect the purchase and permanent preservation of the home and grave of Washington , assented to the proposition , received a cheque for the money , paid it over to the Association , and commenced the promised articles . The collection ( adds our Pennsylvanian contemporary ) makes a handsome and imposing volume . The papers read much better in a book than they did in the Ledger . It is gratifying to know that the enterprise of Mr . Bonner , who is

an Englishman , has met with its due reward , and that his paper is now one of the first in the States . The most gratifying intelligence which reaches us from the United States is the rejection , by the American Senate , of the scheme for largely increasing the duty on hooks printed in England , which has been frequently referred to of late in our columns .

Stagnation still characterises the indigenous literature of the States ; a new volume of Poems by Oliver AVendell Holmes ( " The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table" ) being the only announcement worth quoting . M . Louis Viardot has published a new edition , revised and enlarged , of his well-known "Musees d'Europe ( 5 vols . ) : a review of the Fine Art Collections of France , Italy , England , Holland , Belgium , Russia , Germany , and Spain . " This work is the ' result of much travel and of much research .

Dr . R . Friederichs has published , at Erlangen , an essay on that vexed question , the pictures described by Philostratus ; in" which , following Passow , and in opposition to ITeyiie , Goethe , and others , he maintains that tlie pictures described by the second-century sophist were imaginary , not real ones . Dr . Friederichs ' s book includes also some interesting dissertations on various points in the philosophy and history of Greek art ; such as the Greek profile ,

Greek composition , Homer's description of Achilles's shield , Greek treatment of the nude and of drapery . Little seems to be doing in French literature . M . de Saulcy , of the Institute , has brought out a work on Julius Caosar ' s expeditions nto England , in which , however , there is nothing to rouse the i i c of a volunteer rifleman . AA e see announced a French translation of " Adam Bede . "

From Germany our literary intelligence is scanty . The great editions of the works of Kepler and of Leibnitz progress satisfactorily ¦ . the new' volume of the latter contains his mathematical essays . Strauss ' s " Ulrich von Hiitten " has reached a third edition , and Louise Miilbach ' s modern historical novel , "Napoleon in Germany ,- " seems to have been a success .

The Bristol Fine Arts Academy lately held its sixteenth annual meeting . The report of the committee of management spoke of quiet success and secure prosperity , though a debt of about £ 1300 still remained due our account of the building in AVhite-Ladies ' - road .

Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

One of the recent additions to the sculpture of the Oxford ! Museum is a statue of the philosopher Priestley . The statue is the gift of sundry lovers of science in London , and is hy Mr . E . B „ Stephens , lt has been erected on one of the corbels projeetingfroni the pier at the south-west corner of the great central court It stands near Mr . Munro's statue of Sir Humphrey Davy , one of

the last three from the latter sculptor's hand recently set up . Lite them , the statue of Priestley is in Caen stone . A testimonial , in the shape of a china dessert-service , together with a plateau epergne candelabrum and other plate , has beeii presented to Sir Morton Peto , at Lowestoft , as an acknowledgement of his successful efforts in establishing a complete railway system in the county of Suffolk . The cost of the articles 2 iresentod was

about £ 2 , 000 . The work of repairing the Cathedral of Notre Dame , at Paris , is being continued with the greatest activity . Four statues have been , placed in niches in the pillars of the poarcli . Eight others will shortly be added to complete the series of Christian kings , from . Clovis to Philip Augustus . All the stained g lass has been repaired in the interior . The grand altar has been replaced in its origins ! . ? position .

Poetry.

Poetry .

IL CAA'ALIERE SERA ENTE . Antonio Branch * was a noble Roman , A married man—but that ' s his own affair ; 'Tis very certain that in Roma no man Ere " paid such mark'd devotion to " the Fair ;" And consequently , if at any Festa —• Or gay resort—within the Holy City , He met a " Bella Donna , " he address'd her , And mostly with success—the inore ' s the pity . '

It chane'd one year , at Carnival appearing , . He sought by stealthy glances all around , In every carriage , and beneath masks peering , For what it seem'd was nowhere to be found ; It was not very difficult to guess Some " assignation " prompted this research ; And when the streets grew silent , his distress AVas great , to find himself " left iu the lurch ! "

So giving o ' er the chase , he turn'd away , Intending peaceably to go to bed ; And would have done so , but that in the way Came that which turn'd his footsteps and his head" It cannot be ! I never could suppose her So false ! And yet this chance is monstrous handy ! Although I ne ' er would doubt my lovely Rosa , I'll see the truth on't , or my name' .- ; not I ' randi ! "

And so he follow'd , being now eonvine'd "Tivas she—the faithless "Rossi "—sought in vain—And with another ! Poor Antonio wine'd , Not with a husband's , but a lover's pain ; Along the " Ala Condotti "—past the Fountain—Through the Piazza—t ' wards the Pincian Hill—The pair moved on , and just as they were mounting The steps , they felt his presence , and stood still .

The night was dark enough , but yet the Moon Throw on the spot a faint illumination : A shrieh of recognition—then a swoon—And then Antonio ' s angry exclamation"Signor ! this lady is , I think , my own !" The lady groan'd—Antonio drew his sword—One instant , and the Cavalier had down , And left them both without another word . He a-enfly raised the treasure from the ground ,

AVhere still she lay with scarce a sign of hie ; But mark Antonio ' s horror , when he found "fwas not his long-sought Rosa—but "his wife !" Quite blind to our own faults , we see them in others , Although the impeachment our nature disowns ; lie content with your own , and don't covet another's , " Those who live in glass houses should never throw slorifiu " Lgrics and Legends of Rome .