17 DECEMBER 1859, Page 17

LITERARY NEWS.

The proprietors of the Corn/sill Magazine have made a forced march, and gamed a week upon the date of publication. The first number will be issued on Friday next, the 23d. The table of contents and the list of contributors are singularly rich in subjects and in distinguished names. Mr. Thackeray, the editor, contributes two papers, one of them the be- ginning of a new novel, and another novel is begun by Mr. Anthony Trollope. Sir John-Burgoyne has a paper on the great question, how to make the best use of our Volunteers. The story of the successful search for the remains of the Franklin expfldition is narrated from the journal of an officer of the Fox. The state of the case between the Chinese and the "Outer Barbarians" is summed up by Sir John Bowrine; and there are several other interesting articles by writers of high mark,

Mr. Murray announces as forthcoming a translation of Frederic Bas- fiat's "Harmonies of Political Economy," together with a notice of the life and writings of the author, by Mr. Patrick James Stirling, author of "The Philosophy of Trade."

Messrs. Griffin and Co. have in the press "Tracts Mathematical and Physical," dedicated to the University of Edinburgh, by Henry Lord Brougham, Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh. The work is to be in one volume crown octavo.

The same publishers further announce "A Manual of Moral and Me- taphysical Philosophy," by the Reverend Frederick D. Maurice; "A Lexicon of Freemasonry," by Albert G. Mackey, Id.D. ; "A History of English Literature," by George L. Craik, LL.D. • and "A Handbook of Contemporary Biography, comprising a series of authentic Memoirs of Living Celebrities, by various contributors.

The fourth volume of Baron Bunsen's "Egypt's Place in Universal History," translated by C. H. Cottrell, Esq., is announced as forthcoming by Messrs. Chapman and Hall; as also "The Sea and its Living Won- ders," by Dr. Georg Hartwig, translated from the fourth German edition and under the author's superintendence by H. N. Humphreys, Esq.

Messrs. J. H. and James Parker have in the press the second and con- cluding volume of Mr. John Hevritt's "Ancient Armour and Weapons in Europe, with numerous Illustrations from Contemporary Monu- ments." This volume will comprise the period from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century.

Messrs J. W. Parker and Co. have in preparation a series of short "Historical Tales," designed to illustrate the chief -events in British and Foreign ecclesiastical history. The prospectus expresses a hope that by means of these cheap little works many who now regard church history with indifference, will be led to the perusal of its singularly interesting and instructive episodes."

Messrs. Macmillan have in the press "Memorials of Harrow Sundays: Sermons preached in the Chapel of Harrow School, by C. J. Vaughan, D.D.," the late head-master.

A new work from the .pen of the Reverend Henry Christina*, editor of the Literary Gazette, is announced as forthcoming by Messrs. A. and 0. Black, Edinburgh, under the title of "The Christmas Week : a Christ- mas Story."

Messrs. Darby and Jackson, of New York, announce a volume of "Recollections of Washington," from the papers of his adopted sou, George Washington Park Curtis; accompanied by a memoir of the au- thor from the pen of his daughter, and illustrative and explanatory notes by J. B. Leasing.

The fourth and fifth volume of M. Sainte-Beuve's "Histoire de Port Royal," were published this week by Hachette, Paris. These volumes complete the important work.

M. Louis Veuillot, the renowned editor of the Univers, has come out with a little book of idyllic tales, entitled "Ca et la," in which in soft poetic language he sings the praise of sea and sky and flowers. The book, so unexpected from the acrid champion of ultramontanism, has made a certain stir in Paris. More than throe thousand copies are said to have been sold in one day.

The collected works of Donozo Cortez formerly Spanish Ambassador in France, and the greatest of living e

Spanish orators, have just been published in a French translation by Vaton, Paris.

Madame Fanny Loviot, a kind of French Ida Pfeiffer, who lately returned from India and China, has given the narrative of her adventures in the latter country in a volume which has been issued this week, entitled "Los Pirates Chinois."

The two first parts of a " Plutailue militaire de in Bourgogne," by M. Jos. Bard, have just been published. Among the contents are bio- graphies of Marshals de Vauban, Prince d'Eckmuhl, and the Duke of Magenta.

Guillaumin and Co., Paris, have just published "Les Libre-echangistes et lea Protectionistes conches, on Solution analitique des Questions econemiques restees jusqu'iei h l'etat de Problemes," by H. Du Megan- Marigny, member of the Society of Political Economy, M. Leon Wilier, secretary of the Institute of France, has published a " Reeueil des Inscriptions Romaines en Algerie,h which is to serve to make known the archteological riches of the Mediterranean colony, as well as to be a guide to the annually increasing number of persons making scientific- and linguistic researches on the same ground. '

Some changes of literary property have recently taken place in Paris. The Revue Europdenne, started sonic time ago by a member of the Impe- rial Government, in opposition to the Revue des deer Mondes, has been given up by its patron and become the property of M. Dentu, the book- seller ; and the Courrier de Paris, a lately resuscitated daily, has been sold to Messrs. D'Haussonville and Leymarie. The statement made by an English journal that the last-named paper had fallen into the hands of Emile de Girardin is devoid of foundation.

Among the pamphlets recently published at Paris, one entitled "La Pain de Zurich et le Nouveau Congres Europeen " which is said to come from the pen of a Russian nobleman, M. de Tchihatch4 is creating some sensation. It advocates an Anglo-Russian alliance for the settlement of the affairs of Italy.

A well-known German writer, M. Rudolf Gottsehall, has published a new Life of Napoleon III., from what are once more stated to be "secret sources." He calls the French Emperor a "Robespierre on horseback," and draws a lengthened parallel between him and Tiberius.

The first volume of a "History of Germany during the Franco- Sardinian War, from the Congress of Paris till the Peace of Villafranca," by Dr. Karl Jiirgens, is announced by Sehweighauser, Basel.

A "History of the Protestant Church in Austria," by -Victor Horny- ansky, editor of the Evangelic Journal, has been published by Osterlamm, Pesth and a "History of the Order of the Teutonic Knights," by A. von Winterfeld, has been Mimed by Berendt, Berlin.

Signor Albert Mario (husband of the well-known ei-devant Miss Jessie White) has published at Milan a pamphlet entitled "Italia e Francis," which is very hard upon Louie Napoleon. The book is said to have been " revised " by Joseph Mazzini.

Washington Irving is no more. He died on the 26th of November. Born in 1783, he began his career in literature as early as 1802, and he continued in that career to the day of his death. He is one of the few American authors who take a front rank in literature. He has shown his power as a historian an essayist, and a writer of fancy. He gained one of the two gold medals given by George IV. for eminence in historical composition, Mr. Hallam obtaining the other. Oxford accorded him an honorary degree in 1831; and eleven years later his own government made him its minister in Spain. Mr. Irving was absent from the United States from 1815 to 1832, having passed that period in travelling through Europe and in producing the greater part of those works which gained him so wide a reputation. His latest labours were lives of Goldsmith, Mehemet, and Washington, the latter, we fear, unfinished.

THE FIGHT ON THE PEIHO.—We could fill a volume with anecdotes of calm endurance and heroism, which were almost childlike in their sim- plicity—of the poor foretopman whol mortally wounded, was laid by his kind commander upon the sofa in his cabin, and as his life-blood oozed away, modestly expressed his regret at "doing so much injury to such pretty cushions !"—ef the old quartermaster, whose whole shoulder and ribs had been swept away by a round-shot, and during the few hours prior to death expressed it as his opinion, that "them Chinamen hit hardish," and had only one anxiety—" whether the Admiralty would pay his wife for the loss of his kit ? " But we need not, we feel assured, dwell upon rush traits to enlist the sympathy of our countrymen on behalf of the men who fought so well, yet lost the day at Taku. One fact struck every one—and it is a fact of which Admiral Hope may well be proud—that from the lips of those shattered men and officers there arose no complaint of having been wantonly sacrificed or misled; and had it been thought so, the anguish of the moment would assuredly have wrung it from their lips, and yet have met with kindly pardon. On the contrary, though all acknowledged them- selves thoroughly beaten in the fight, yet every mouth rang with praises of the leader who bad set them such an example ; and had Admiral Hope next day called for volunteers to renew the fight, desperate as such a measure might have been deemed, there was not one of the remnant of his force that would not again have cheerfully followed him. A repulse arising from the blunders of a leader never meets such sympathy. Officers and men keew all had been done as they themselves would have suggested, had they been consulted. The Admiral had. exhibited foresight, audeeity, and gegent perseverance. They were ready to follow such a man to the death. Had he turned hack without testing the foe, and endeavouring to take the forth, every man's tongue would have railed at him, and all England would have stamped him an incompetent leaden—Black:rood' s Magazine.