... BOOKS AND .EADERS. Mr. Peter Cowel, F.RRES, principal librarian of the Liverpool Free Librares, under the auspices of the Corporation, lectured last night, at the Rotunda Lecture Hall, on books and theirreaders. At the outset, Mr. Cowell said that people often talked with a feeling of regret of the good old times, and by repe gthe phrase came, possibly, to believe that the old tines were ...

... MAGAZINES }FOR APRIL. [CONTINUED.] Blacckwoorvs Edinburgh M1agazine (Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons) gives the place of honour to the conclusion of the serial story entitled Sarracinesca, from the pen of 1. Marian Crawford. We have noticedthe various instalments as they appeared, and, as the novel has now been published in three volumes, shall refer to it more at length ...

... IFREE LIBRARY AM MUSEUMS. TO TEf EITOR OF THE LVDIOOL MM4CUZ, Gentlemen,-A correspondent in your paper of yesterday reminds us that 34 years have elapsed since the opening of this institution, and, notwith- standing the lapse of time, Sir James Picton occupies the chair, Mr. Moore retains his position as curator tor the museum, and Mr. Barger as keeper of the building. As a citizen of ...

... A.T TES.-a According to information received at the Artists' Club, the Liver Society, and the Con- w ay Valley Club, the following is the completed list of Liverpool artists who have this year contributed works to the exhibitions at the Royal Academny and the Royal Institute of Paint~rs in Water Colours: Royal Academy: John Finnie, three mezzo- tints, two on line, one on dado; P. Ghent, ...

... I e A JManu of the Constitutional History qy - Caiiruia. From the earliest period to the year d 1883. By John George Bonrinot, Clerk of ; the House of Commons of Canada. Montreal I IDawson Brothers. I Some such work as this has been long needed on both sides of the Atlantic. It contains in . handy form a logically-arranged and clearly- a stated exposition of the present Constitution of :o ...

... -0-X UITERRy NOTICE& OAlfifig Pabtur4, Eothiing H By Anne Beale. Iliustrated by F. A. Lockyer. London. Griffitli, 1Fara;, Okeden, and Welsh. The scene of this story is laid in Drtzhire, and purt of the dioge is in the expressive speech of that Prt of England. - There i per. hae a little too much of the preaobingelemant iat, but the whole tone is high, and what may be called the moral, ...

... ITHE POSi OPERA SEASON. Distinctive as the first work designed by it' 1 auther for the lyric stage, Esmeraida' is an i opera strong indranatide contrast; and of the; many musical settings of plays based upor Victor Hugo's - Notre Dame, i iis not the least Bpicturesque. Nadeshda is more poctic, t but its romanticism is not so robust as r that of Esnmeralda.' Mr. Goring Thomas I is a ...

... The last but one of the present-and probably lb of any other-series of Halle evenings was cele- b e brated by the performance of a Dvorak ' eo symphony. It is somewhat difficult to know a re how to deal with the work in question so that h the description may convey an idea to absentees 1o of what it is like; while to those who heard it tl A the present comnent will probably appear as , is only ...

... Such portions of Mr. F. H. Cowen's overture as reached one's ear through the din of conver- sation carried on by 20,000 persons during the ceremony of opening the Exhibition on Tlues- day, create a thirst for more. If the pro- gramme of the first concert in the great music room at the eastern extremity of the nave be not yet completed, the overture might appro- priately be included in it. This ...

... MUSleAL NOM. The fentave of the p wftk at the Rzhibi- tion hasabeen theexee lir OfMr A 1 n Blri To'thlxe within a cer i ecle, this, a. gedtem has log been known as one of tha not-accomplsed pianita in e comnry, and v be has now.eiv caulse for the enosenientof' Tsuch an ?? by a very large section of the e generl pubLi. It is to, be hoped that bavn thu8 brocken mew ground in Livrpooa go Phieal ...

... |THE L1VEgRINL.L EXHIBITION. I Tbe attend e at the Exhibition on Saturday was one of the largest since the opening day, and it would appear that the efforts of the authorities to provide agrleeable entertainments are meeing I with greatr approval and wrmer support11 on the pars of the pbli than was the cuse| at the commencement of the season. The building is full of attractive exhibits, aund ...

... ART NOTE& THE LATE. J. W. OAKFS, A.R.A. The many Liverpool friends and admirerc of the distingvished landscape painter John Wright Oakes, A.RA., will be sorrv and sur- prised to hear of his death in his 66th year, which sad event took place on Saturday last at his residence, Learn House, Addison-road, Lon- don. The deceased artist was born in this city in 1822, where his father, John Oakes, ...