Our learned, grave, and potent cotemporary, _The Quarterly Review_, has,
in the number just issued, a very pleasant gossiping article on _The Old
Countess of Desmond_. The writer, who pays "N. & Q." a passing
compliment for which we are obliged, although he very clearly
establishes the fact of the existence of a Countess of Desmond, who was
well known and remarkable for her _extreme_ longevity, certainly does
not prove that the old Countess actually lived to the great age of 140
years.
The publisher of _Men of the Time, or Sketches of Living Notables_, has
just put forth a new edition of what will eventually become a valuable
and interesting little volume. There are so many difficulties in the way
of making such a book accurate and complete, that it is no wonder if
this second edition, although it contains upwards of sixty additional
articles, has yet many omissions. Its present aspect is too political.
Men of the pen are too lightly passed over, unless they are professed
journalists; many of the greatest scholars of the present day being
entirely omitted. This must and doubtless will be amended.
It is with great regret that we have to announce the death of one whose
facile pen and well-stored memory furnished many a pleasant note to our
readers,--J. R. of Cork, under which signature that able scholar, and
kindly hearted gentleman, MR. JAMES ROCHE, happily designated by Father
Prout the "Roscoe of Cork," was pleased to contribute to our columns.
_The Athenæum_ well observes that "his death will leave a blank in the
intellectual society of the South of Ireland, and the readers of 'N. &
Q.' will miss his genial and instructive gossip on books and men."
_The Photographic Society_ is rapidly increasing. The meeting on the 7th
for the exhibition and explanation of cameras was a decided failure,
from the want of due preparation; but that failure will be fully
compensated by the promised exhibition of them in the rooms of the
_Society of Arts_. While on the subject of Photography, we may call the
attention of our readers to a curious paper on Photographic Engraving,
in _The Athenæum_ of Saturday last, by a gentleman to whom the art is
already under so much obligation, Mr. Fox Talbot.
BOOKS RECEIVED.--_Wellington, his Character, his Actions, and his
Writings_, by Jules Maurel, is well described by its editor, Lord
Ellesmere, as "among the most accurate, discriminating, and felicitous
tributes which have evaluated from any country in any language to the
memory of the great Duke."--_Temple Bar, the City Golgotha, a Narrative
of the Historical Occurrences of a Criminal Character associated with
the present Bar_, by a Member of the Inner Temple. A chatty and
anecdotical history of this last remaining gate of the city, under
certainly its most revolting aspect. The sketch will doubtless be
acceptable, particularly to London antiquaries.
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