notice and repute to be relied on for subsistence." The mother of Agassiz-a re

of Agassiz

The mother markable woman wrote to her son about to her son.

the time he began to associate with Humboldt, Cuvier, and other eminent naturalists: "You know your mother's heart too well to misunderstand her thought, even should its expression be unacceptable to you. With much knowledge, acquired by assiduous industry, you are still at twentyfive years of age living on brilliant hopes, in relation, it is true, with great people, and known as having distinguished talent. Now, all this would seem to be delightful if you had an income of fifty thousand francs; but, in your position, you must absolutely have an occupation which will enable you to live, and free you from the insupportable weight of dependence on others. From this day forward, my child, you must look to this end alone if you would find it possible to pursue honorably the career you have chosen. Otherwise constant embarrassments will so limit your genius, that you will fall below your own capacity." To a young poet without for- Voltaire to tune Voltaire wrote: "Think first to im- poet. prove your circumstances. First live; then compose." In the same strain is the

a young

Scott to a reverend friend.

postscript to an unpublished letter of Walter Scott's, to a reverend friend, written at the time he was hard at work on The Fair Maid of Perth: "Will you excuse my offering a piece of serious advice? Whatever pleasure you may find in literature, beware of looking to it as a profession, but seek that independence to which every one hopes to attain by studying the branch of industry which lies most within your reach. In this case you may pursue your literary amusements honorably and happily, but if ever you have to look to literature for an absolute and necessary support, you must be degraded by the necessity of writing, whether you feel inclined or not, and besides must suffer all the miseries of a precarious and dependent existence." Pitch low, adapt to the multitude, has too often been the humiliating, mercenary advice of publishers to authors. A publisher A publisher once said to Froude: "Sir, if you wish to write a book that will sell, consider the ladies' maids. Please the ladies' maids, and you please the great reading world." "The reason why these fellows hate us [meaning the publishers] I take to be," says Lamb, "that contrary to other trades, in which the master gets

to Froude.

gives credit.

all the credit (a jeweler or silversmith for instance), and the journeyman, who really does the fine work, is in the background; in our work the world gives all the credit The world to us, whom they consider as their journeymen, and therefore do they hate us, and cheat us, and oppress us, and would wring the blood of us out, to put another sixpence in their mechanic pouches." At literary dinners the health of Napoleon, who shot a publisher, will ever be a standing toast; and legends will continue to be repeated as to the existence of a precious edition of the Bible in which the misprint occurs "publishers and sinners."

SION.

Previous to the inauguration of Hum- PRETenboldt's bust in Central Park, and when it was announced in the newspapers that Dr. Francis Lieber was to deliver the German speech, a friend of Lieber's was thus addressed by a car acquaintance who pointed to Lieber's name in the newspaper: "Don't you think it remarkable, sir, that a man like Dr. Lieber should publicly speak for that Helmbold and his Buchu?" meaning the then conspicuous patent medicine vender and his commodity. "Helmbold must pay him a thundering price—

A little confused.

Advised to read Plato.

that I know." The platform orator, Mr.
Parsons, had been advertised for his lecture.
on the great Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
The president of the lecture association,
before introducing the lecturer, stated to
the audience that "it had been deemed ad-
visable by the committee to change the pro-
gramme for the evening; that Mr. Parsons.
would not lecture upon Richard Brindle
Sheridan, but would, as requested, give his
lecture upon The Mediterranean." The
impression existed with a good many that
the lecture first announced was upon Sher-
idan the general; they had had enough
of him; they did n't want a war speech,
or anything of the kind; especially they
did n't want to hear recited again, for the
thousandth time, Sheridan's Ride. One
handsome fellow, handsomely dressed, with
a handsome wife on his arm
on the way
to the lecture was heard to say, that he
detested Sheridan's Ride; that he had
heard it recited so often he had thought
he would never hear it again; but he sup-
posed he must be tortured by it once more.
A Yorkshireman was advised to read some
really good book, and Plato was mentioned
as likely to suit him. Afterward he was
asked, "Well, what do you think of Plato?"

"Plato? O, that Plato! I'll tell you what
I think of him. He's as big a humbug as
ever lived.
Why, man, Emerson has said

it all before him." We once heard a

Pope con

preacher in his sermon sweepingly condemn the writings of Alexander Pope as Writings of immoral and dangerous. At the conclu- demned. sion, he read out, and effectively too - to be sung by the congregation - the beautiful hymn, "Vital spark of heavenly flame! Quit! oh quit," etc. Sitting one day in the family room reading The Spectator, a young lady of the neighborhood came in unexpectedly. To have something to say, I remarked, after greeting, that I had just picked up the old Spectator, which was always new and interesting to me. "Yes," responded the miss, lispingly; "my father subscribed for a copy when it first came out." Not knowing that the precious book was published in London a century before her father was born, and at the slow rate of a number a day. Referring casually, for purpose of illustration, to the habit of Neander, the church historian, of tearing Neander unconsciously the feathery part of a quill tentious to pieces while he lectured, a pretentious lady at the other end of the table, determined not to conceal her learning, inter

and the pre

lady.