LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. can copyright works. Newspapers in this country exist by the gross, some printers issue a dozen from one and the same forge; the poorest persons subscribe to them, and I have no doubt whatever but that the majority of the weekly prints will now publish the most valuable and modern copyright English works,, solely with a view to their sale on the other side of the water. Already we have the first volume of Macaulay's History of England, announced in two weeks' publications of a newspaper, at a cost of threepence. This is done in hopes of a large sale under the new postage law. It is to be hoped that the dilemma into which the British officials have fallen, will be the means of promoting an equitable international law of copyright. A minister of such high literary reputation as Mr. Bancroft, is, of all others, best suited to bring about such a desirable object." ENGLISH COPYRIGHT IN AMERICA AFFECTED | English officials did not see that the Yankees BY THE NEW POSTAL TARIFF.-The following were thus certain to get to windward of them. statement is made by the New York corres- Of course, the Americans say that English pondent of one of the daily papers: "Look-newspapers can take like liberties with Ameriing at the relative positions of Great Britain and America, it is hardly possible to overrate the value of the new postal treaty received by the Europa, and which is now in action, having been at once ratified by the United States Senate. Its terms have given universal satisfaction on this side, and great and deserved credit is awarded to Mr. Bancroft, for the ability and indefatigable earnestness with which he urged the question. Without detailing the several articles of the treaty, it is sufficient to state its provisions generally. By the terms of this treaty the rates of postage are as follows: Postage across the sea, 16 cents, or 8d. sterling. English inland postage, 3 cents, or 1 1-2d. sterling. United States inland postage, 5 cents, or 2 1-2d. sterling. The sea postage paid to the vessel performing the service. Transit rate through this country to Canada, 5 cents, or 21-2d. sterling; and 25 per cent. for paying by the ounce, instead of paying by letter. Transit through England, the inland postage, and 25 per cent. Transit through Canada; the Canadian rates:Newspapers between England and the United States, and vice versa, 2 cents, or 1d. sterling. Periodicals weighing two ounces, 1d. or 2 cents, or 1d. sterling; over two and under three ounces, 6d., or 12 cents; over 3, and under 6 ounces, 8d., or 16 cents; and 2d., 4 cents,, for each ounce or fraction.' It is provided, that in the event of war between the two nations, the mail-steamers are to continue running, unless six weeks' as we recorded last week to be the notice be given by either one or the other. the whole estate of Abbotsford free The great boon is, in the fact of newspapers from incumbrance. As his great hit was the being now mailable at a postage of 1d. monthly five-shilling issue of the novels, so sterling, and that the postages of every kind his great mistake was his so-called Abbotsford are optional as to pre-payment. I cannot edition, which is said to have cost him up avoid calling attention to the door thus opened wards of thirty-five thousand pounds, and for the admission into Great Britain of English known to have been a heavy article on his copyright works, reprinted in the cheap Ameri- shelves. He had little taste in art,-but can newspapers. Thus, for instance, one of thought he knew a good deal about it. He the New York Sunday papers of this week paid largely for what he wanted, made a publishes the whole of Dickens's new Christ- parade of well-known names, and picked up, mas work in its columns in one publication; rather by accident than anything else, a few the paper is sold for three-halfpence sterling; happy illustrations. He was never in an exhundreds are mailed by the steamer to- tensive way of business with authors. He day, and it is a matter of impossibility to check published for Capt. Basil Hall,-and, like all this serious violation of copyright, unless the every great houses," had an "Art of Cookery' postmaster in the country is turned into a sort of his own; but latterly he confined his attenof literary examiner. It is strange that our tion to working the Scott copyrights in every many or Mr. Robert Cadell, the eminent bookseller, and friend and publisher of Sir Walter Scott, died at Ratho House, near Edinburgh, on the 20th inst. He was the son-in-law and succes- ' sor of Archibald Constable, and rose into eminence as a publisher on the ruin of the celebrated firm of Scott, Constable and Bal lantyne. It was Mr. Cadell who suggested to Scott the republication of his novels and romances in monthly five-shilling volumes; and it was Mr. Cadell's tact and sagacity as a publisher that ultimately righted Scott's affairs, and set case 66 possible shape for a speedy sale. This he did so well, that he has died possessed of a handsome estate in land, a large sum of realized money, and the entire copyright of the complete works of Sir Walter Scott. Within the comparatively short period of twenty-two years, Mr. Cadell was able to make as large a fortune through the works of one author alone, as old Jacob Tonson succeeded in scraping together after fifty years' dealings with at least fifty authors, and with patent rights for government printing, which Mr. Cadell never had. This large sum is the more remarkable, when it is remembered that the writings of Scott were not first published by Mr. Cadell-that his fortune was made by the sale of works of which the public had already bought so largely, that many were in their fifth and sixth editions. Sir Francis Head, it appears, is the author of the article on the North-Western Railway, in the last number of the Quarterly Review. Sir Francis is so well pleased with the success of the article that he has greatly enlarged it, with a view to separate publication, to be called "Stokers and Pokers." THE COMMON WATCH.-The common watch is in many of its parts a very ill-constructed machine. The train of wheelwork which transmits the motion of the main spring, for example, is contrived on principles so faulty that they would be scouted by every prastised mechanician. Yet there can be no doubt that any attempt to introduce a better machine would utterly fail as a commercial enterprise. Long used methods and ingenious engines have been specially provided to fashion and cut every one of the minuter parts which go to compose the existing instrument. Mr. Dent in a lecture delivered at the Royal Institution stated that every watch consisted of at least 202 pieces, employing probably 215 persons, distributed among forty trades-to say nothing of the tool-makers for all these. If we were now materially to alter the construction of the watch, all those trades would have to be relearned, new tools and wheel-cutting engines to be devised, and the majority of the workmen to begin life again. During this interval, the price of the new instrument would be enormously enhanced. We should again bear men speak, like Maevolio, of "winding up their watches" as a token of magnificent wealth. Thus, in our complicated state of society, even machines in process of time come to surround themselves with a circle of "vested interests" which embarrass all our attempts at improvement.-Edinburgh Review. ELASTIC MOULDS.-At the school of design, Mr. Young Mitchell, the master, gave a lecture, illustrated by experiments, on the art of making elastic moulds. It has great advantages over the old plan. The moulds may be made at small cost, and with great rapidity. That which would occupy five or six days in the modelling, may be furnished by this process in half that number of hours. By the facility thus afforded, beautiful forms may be multiplied so cheaply as to be brought within the the reach of all. The principal material used for the elastic moulds is glue or gelatine. The best fish glue will answer as well as gelatine, and is much cheaper. The material is dissolved, like glue, in a vessel placed over the fire in a pot of hot water, stirring it during the process. To each pound of the gelatine it is necessary to add three-quarters of a pint of water, and half an ounce of bees' wax. It is ready for use when about the thickness of syrup. The model must be oiled carefully with sweet oil,-and the composition must be poured upon it while warm, but not boiling. Having set, it may be taken off the model. When the model is small it should be placed in a shoe or case, which gives facility for shaking the mould well when the plaster is poured, so as to drive it well into the crevices. plaster should be fine; and in order that it may harden and set quickly, about half an ounce of alum should be added to each pint of water used in mixing it. Before using the mould it should be carefully oiled. Great care is required in mixing the plaster, and watching it when in the mould, for if it be allowed to remain long enough to heat, the mould is destroyed. Mr. Mitchell exhibited moulds, and casts were taken from them in the presence of the audience. Mr. Mitchell also exhibited a specimen of stearine, and explained how casts may be made with a shining and wax-like appearance.-Sheffield and Rotherham Independent. The The feuilleton of the Constitutionnel contains the following list of pictures which have perished before the destructive hand of the Paris mob. It is well known that the Palace of Neuilly was partially burnt. The Palais Royal also suffered in the same. These buildings both contained many of the finest pictures of the French school. The remnants only remain heaped up in a confused mass in the Salle Henri Quatre of the palace of the Louvre. The "Neapolitan Improvisatore," of Leopold Robert, has disappeared. This picture was originally intended by Robert to represent "Corinne au Cap Misène." After painful efforts to give the requisite pose and expression to the heroine, he scraped the figure out of the canvass and painted in the figure of the improvisatore. So much for the history of this picture, which is now lost. It is supposed to have been torn to pieces, as a portion of it was seen in a picture shop near the Louvre. The Mamelouck" of Géricault has disappeared, as well as the "Soldat Laboureur" of Horace Vernet, and the • Marée d'Equinoxe" of Roqueplan. Two exquisite heads by Masaccio, Charles V. and Isabella of Portugal - and Eleanor of Austria, by Holbein - have been lost from the Palais Royal. Henry IV. and Catherine de Medicis, by Porbus, are gone. Amongst the pictures by living artists which have perished, are the Oath of the three Swiss," by Steuben; "Gustave Wasa," by Hersent; "The Brigand's Wife," by Schnetz; "Love- and " Psyche," by Picot; besides others of less note. Horace Vernet has suffered most. "The attack of the Gate of Constantine" has been cut from the stretcher and taken away. Many other canvasses were cut through, but not taken away. The battle pieces of Hanau, Montmirail, Jemappes, and Valmy, "The Confession of the Dying Brigand," the "Revue de Hussards," have been cut to pieces with swords. "Camille Desmoulins arborant la Cocarde Verte," and the portrait of the Peasant Girl of Arricia, have shared the same! fate. "The Neapolitan Mother crying over the Ruins of her Cottage, thrown down by an Earthquake," one of the masterpieces of Leopold Robert, has been pierced in a hundred places by bayonets. "The White Horse of Géricault" has also disappeared, Prudhon's portrait of Talleyrand. as well as SHORT REVIEWS AND NOTICES. made under the direction of Captain Cunning ham; was turned into English by Shahamet Ali, as an exercise in India; and is now published, with some official documents and origi nal remarks, in consequence of the manner in which the ruler of Bahawalpur has lately come before the public. The story begins with the eighth century of the Christian era; passing rapidly over some periods, and dwelling fully upon others. The narrative has more incident and a less juvenile character than some native memoirs; but the remoteness and smallness of the subject, the want of unity or end in the history, with the blue boory" character of the volume, render it of little interest to English readers, unless they have some object in view in consulting it.-Spect. |