Literary Notes

The Cu ríen t lias secured for ts Cliristmas lame - which in nimiy respecta will bc a remarkable one - from Edwin Arnold, cliief aniong English poets of the time, i splendid uoem, upon whicu be has long been engaged, and the cotnpletion of which he has just aiiiioiinced by cable to Tlie Current. It will be appropnate to the season, and will be marked by llie grace of expression and that superb portie power whieh once inanifested in "Tlie Llglit of Asia," have won for Mr. Arnold so conspiciuus a place in coutemporary literatura, as a laborious student, as a acholar of the highest authoiity, and a poet of the rarest genius. W ith its next iminber the Magazine of Art opens right royally its new volume Not s-iüsnVd with iriving a handsome etching by K. V. Macbeth is a Irontis, piece to the numbi-r, the publishers present to eai-h subsciiber to the vew volume a bmuilful etCblllg by J. A. 8. Monks after lus popular paintiiig, "Oossing the Pasture." Tnis t-Uhing is suitable for training or the portfoliop It representa a tiiick of ilieept with the usual blaek luember ot the hand, crossing a hillside on their way to the fold. The sceue is a peacelul oue and Mr. Monks has put a grrat deal of sentiment luto his burin. -Mr. Macbetirs etching. '-llere it Is," shows us a young roman tilting at the breaklast table louking over tlie morning papers. Tlic expression of tier face tella us phe bas fuund wliat t-he was lookiug fot and is pieased. The opening paper of this number, deflcrlblu "The New Forest" - that wild, piclurtque icgion in tlie South of England - is by Millicent üarnett Kawertt, wile of the late Postinaster-General of England. Lvery page of the uumber bears an llustration. A. leal ure of' tliis isue is an article on the Cincinnati Art Museum, in which the histnry of the Museum is givcn, with everul illustrations showinjt its diffi-reiil llamea in building, and a sketch from the aichitcct's diawings, showing how it will look when completed. This Is the iirst of a series on Aniei ican Art Iudustries, in tvbicb the uselul as well as the ornamental arts will be tieated.- Cassell & Company, Limited, Kew ïork. With the current number Cassell's Family Magazine closes its volume for the year. Tlic erial storii-s, "VVithin the C'lasp," and "Joliu Ford," which have held the interest of thalf rendéis for so niany inonths, are linished, aid the all'.iirs of their aeVeral héroes and heroines settled lor lite. The frontispiece of the numher 111 nat ratel a poe m, the Lovers Quarrel. The Coopni's Hill Eiiaineering College is deseneed by J. Manroe, C. K The 'Family Doctor" continúes his "talk" ind this inonth describes lus "obstinate patiënt." Oíd bread and new is considered by one who lias apparently had experience in the art of baking. Miss C F. Girdon-Cumming has turnefl her tion froni the OMUt-eaten of Fiji mul Rivt-s us a glimpse of Norway, a veiv pleasant glimpse, howing the peopie of tliat country of mountains and t jords In their home lift'. The Parish fashlon lettpr discusses hats, bonnets, gloves, colon etc. Tlie poetry of the iiumber is mt. greaf, but it 8 good. Evidently Cassell's Family Magazine lor 1884 mean to lenve a good imprexsion beliintl it.- Cassell fc Company, Limited, New York, il. 50 a year. John G. Whitüer opens the Christmas St. Xicliolas with a beaulifiil poem, entitied, "The Light that is Feit;" while Loid Tennyson is represented by a chartnltig iortrait of his two giandCblldren, trom the paintÍDg by Anna Lea Meriitt, which acoeirpanies her inlerestitig paper, "A Talk About Painting." Another artist-author, Maiy Hallock Foote. writes and illustrates a delighttul sea-side article.ealled "Meiihaden Sketches- öummer at Christiuas-time. A prominent feature of this numner of St Nicholas is a beautiful wood-engravinnof a pamtiiif; by the Spanisb pain te" V elaqm-z, which is considered one of the tinest child-picttires of the world. It ia a portrait of the Infant Marguerita Maria, daughter of King Philip of Spain, who was Velasquez's patrón and friend. Tlie cngiavinjf, which by peimission of the editor of The Century appears in St. Nicholas in advance of ita publication in the other magazine, In of a series of enííravings f rom the works of the old tnasters, now being made in Europe tor The Century by Mr. T. Cole. In additiou to this pictorial treasure, the artistic tiuality of the illustrationsiu tliismimber is especially line.