nomy," "Geography," and about twenty other classbooks, well known to teachers and pupils. The case, as represented in a public advertisement, is one which seems to deserve the assistance of Government when there are any funds available for such an object.

WE hear from Paris that the Emperor of the French intends to offer a prize of 20,000 francs (£800) for the best poem on the taking of Sebastopol; also three or four other prizes of equal amount, on different subjects connected with the Universal Exhibition. We, however, only mention this as on dit, without in any respect guaranteeing its truth.

M. DUMAS is still Dumas the marvellous! He has had a little tiff with the Imperial Government-that mighty power having apparently shaken in its shoes because Alexandre, lover as he is of paradox and parenthesis, thought fit to state, in a private letter to a friend, the curious physiological fact, that his body was in Paris and his heart in Jersey and Brussels. Simple folks would have thought that such a state of things would have been uncomfortable only to M. Dumas. But the power that reigns in France is not content with a "divided" duty; and the body without a heart has lately been in trouble. Alexandre was put under process; but Napoleon's good genius stepped in to prevent more wicked laughter in the cafés. So the author of "Monte Christo" is not to be a martyr. What then will he do? In the words of the Daily News correspondent, "he intends to remain in Paris but a very short time, in order to bring out two dramas, (one at the Vaudeville, the other at the Porte St. Martin,) and to superintend the publication of a new edition of all his works in three hundred volumes, and then to travel for several years, visiting China before he comes home." To bring out two new plays and to edit three hundred volumes ought to occupy him at least a month!

ADVICES have been received of the death of the eldest brother of the house of Rothschild, at Frankfort, on the 6th ult. Baron Anslem von Rothschild is the third of the brothers who have departed this life in 1855, the head of the house in Naples, Carl, and the head of the house in Vienna, Solomon, having already died this year. Of the five brothers, there remains now only James, the head of the house in Paris. Baron Anslem was looked on as the founder of the great financial Rothschild power, and, though possessed of less cultivation and education than his brother, was a decided genius in money matters; he died childless, and has left to the house a fortune of

30,000,000 gulden. The funeral took place on the morning of the 8th ult., and, though devoid of any attempt at external splendor, it was attended by more than one hundred carriages of persons to whom, during life, he had stood in so many varied positions of man of business, patron, friend, and benefactor, including all religions and confessions.

ONE of the most distinguished writers of the nineteenth century, the Polish poet, Adam Mickiewicz, died at Constantinople. The language in which he wrote is not popularly read in England and France; yet the fame of the poet had overcome this all but insurmountable obstacle. M. Mickiewicz was formerly Professor of Sclavonic Literature in the College of France. Lately he has discharged the duties of Librarian to the Arsenal. At the desire of the Imperial Government, he had repaired to Constantinople on a scientific mission, and he there fell a victim to the ravages of cholera.

MRS. Gaskell, of Manchester, has undertaken to write the "Life of Charlotte Bronte" (author of "Jane Eyre,") having been requested to do so by both father and husband.

MR. Lardner, assistant librarian of the British Museum, has lately been in so excitable a state as to make it necessary that some one should always be with him. While at the Museum on Tuesday week, on a sudden, he ordered the servant to quit his room on the second floor, which order she unfortunately obeyed. He then flung himself from the window, and received such frightful injuries, that he expired in a few minutes after he was taken up. The jury returned a verdict of "Insanity."

FRANCIS LIEBER has just closed a connection of twenty years' standing with the College of SouthCarolina, by resigning his professorship of Political Economy. Dr. Lieber's reputation is world-wide, as one of the most distinguished men of the age, in that department. He was one of the Prussian soldiers at Waterloo; afterwards the friend and correspondent of Niebuhr the historian; and the associate of Byron in the Greek struggle for independence. In his riper years, he has conferred honor and substantial benefit on the country of his adoption, by originating and editing the Encyclopædia Americana, and by writing a profound work on Political Ethics, which is, probably, unsurpassed in ability by any similar work. As an original and profound thinker, and thorough master of political economy and kindred sciences, Dr. Lieber would do honor to any institution which may be fortunate enough to secure his coöperation. The post which he has just vacated in South-Carolina College will not be easily filled.

DR. Veron, the former proprietor of the Constitutionnel newspaper, and author of "Memoires d'un Bourgeois de Paris" has recently made his debut as a romancist with a story of Parisian Life entitled "Cinq Cent Mille Francs de Rente." (Five hundred thousand Francs a year.) The title seems to have been suggested by Samuel Warren's celebrated novel. The book shows up very cleverly, and with an unspairing hand, the follies of the branches of the Potiphar family in Paris, as represented by various

Nouveaux riches" and "Parvenus." One of the most eminent capitalists and millionaires of Europo has his portrait drawn, they say, with most life-like exactness.

THERE seems to be in France, as there has been in England lately, a rage for cheap books, or "railway reading," as they call it on the other side of the channel. The two publishers who have more especially devoted themselves to this object, are Messrs. Hachette & Co., whose series is styled "Bibliothèque des Chemins de fer," and a joint stock company, under the designation of "Librairie Nouvelle," whose series bears the same title as that of their firm. These works are in 18mo. form, excellent print and paper, and containing from 130 to as much, in several instances, as 500 pages each volume, the prices ranging from 50 centimes to 1 franc. Some of the best of the modern French littérateurs are embodied in these two series, including contributions from Lamartine, Karr, Sandeau, Dumas fils, Champfleury, and many other eminent names. To meet this demand the enterprising firm of Michel Levy Frères have within the last two or three weeks enrolled themselves as candidates for popular patronage. They have already issued four or five vols. of a series, bearing their own name, and selling for 1 franc a volume. The

authors they start with, are Mme. de Girardin, | Scribe, George Sands, De Stendahl. When it is considered that all of the above works are subject to copyright, they are really marvels of cheapness.

FRANCIS RUDE, the French sculptor, died lately at the age of seventy-one. His statue of the Neapolitan fisherman first made him famous, having for it received the cross of the Legion of Honor from Louis Philippe. He was the principal artist employed by M. Thiers in decorating the Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile. The grand jury of the Paris Exhibition had shortly before his death awarded to him a grand

madaille d'honneur.

THE works of Dr. Channing, of the United States, have obtained the honor of translation into French.

A translation of Ranke's "History of France in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries," has also just been published at Paris.

THE discovery of a new "variable star" has just been made by M. Luther, of the Observatory of Bilk, near Dusseldorf, in Prussia, and he has given it the name of T. Piscium. The degree of variability is from the ninth to the eleventh magnitude.

NEW MONTHLY PERIODICAL.-The New Year, as usual, is a signal for the commencement of literary speculations, some of which die after a brief and checkered career, whilst others survive and event

ually become property. The Idler is a new English candidate for the latter desirable consummation, and, judging from the prospectus, it ought, from its spirited bill of fare, to have a good chance. Among its leading attractions, is a new tale from the pen of the author of "Singleton Fontenoy."

THE DUBLIN UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE.-This wellknown and deservedly popular periodical has passed into the hands of Messrs. Hurst and Blackett, the

highly respectable successors of the late Henry Colburn. The sum given for the copyright was £750 and we consider it well worth the money. We perceive it stated by some of our contemporaries that it was valued at £100; but it should be mentioned that this valuation took place on the other side of the Channel, and no doubt by those who would have had no objection to buy it at that price. Fortunately for those who had an interest in realizing the full value of the property, the Irish valuation was simply laughed at. Messrs. Hurst and Blackett, we hear, intend still to publish it in Dublin as heretofore, and that they will preserve the national character of the Magazine to the fullest extent.

MR. James Hardiman, a well-known Celtic scholar, formerly Commissioner of Records in Dublin Castle, and afterwards Librarian to the Queen's Colleges, died lately at the age of seventy-three. His land," have given him a distinguished name among History of Galway," and "Bardic Remains of Ire

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the authors of Ireland.

THE sales of the libraries of the Rev. Dr. Townshend and the Rev. Dr. Gilly, are fixed for the 11th and 17th inst., at Messrs Southgate and Barrett's rooms. They are most valuable collections, chiefly of historical and ecclesiastical works.

M. LEVERRIER and Sir. R. Murchison have been elected foreign members of the Royal Academy of Science at Stockholm.

THE Academy of Inscriptions et Belles Lettres, of Paris, has elected M. Texier a member, in the room of the late Baron Barchon de Ponhoen.

M. DE KONINGH, professor at the University of Liege, has been elected foreign member of the Academy of Science at Munich, as attached to the class of physical sciences and mathematics.

SOME of the artistic trophies captured at Sebastopol have already arrived at the Louvre at Paris. The most important of them are two sphinxes in white marble.

THE Paris papers announce the death of F. Berat, a musical composer and poet of some little note.