CURRENT LITERATURE.

F. B. Sanborn's "Life of Thoreau" is nearly ready for publication.

Mrs. Ole Bull is at work in Cambridge on a memorial volume on her husband.

"Political Economy in One Lesson" is the latest pamphlet tract of the Society for Political Education.

The third and fourth volumes of Lecky's "History of England in the Eighteenth Century" will appear in the spring.

C. F. Jewett, of Brookline, who was the original projector of the "Memorial History of Boston," has planned an illustrated handbook of the West on the same principle.

E. W. B. Nicholson, formerly of the London Institute, has been elected librarian of the Bodleian Library as a compromise candidate. The election is esteemed a high honor, and the salary of the office is pound5000 per annum.

The printing of Poole's "New Index to Periodical Literature" will be begun in April. Over forty collaborators have been employed in the work, which includes all of the important magazine references of this century. The book when issued will be as large as "Webster's Dictionary." Under the head of "Education" there are are 1000 references.

Wm. Everett of Adams Academy says of John Fiske, the eminent expounder of Herbert Spenser (according to the Detroit Every Saturday), that while in college he once wrote an article on Mr. Spenser's theories, which, being sent to England, drew forth from the philosopher a very flattering letter of thanks to Mr. Fiske. "Consequently," said Mr. Everett, "he has muttered 'Herbert Spenser' ever since."

The delegates of the Clarendon Press have determined upon an extension of the limits of the great dictionary of the English Philological Society, which will now much exceed Littre's famous work. The work, it is well known, is under the editorial charge of Dr. Murray, and he has thirty able scholars as assistants. Beside these, more than one thousand readers in the English speaking world have assisted in gathering quotations from every important book in the language. Prof. March of Lafayette College has been the American editor. An exceedingly interesting history can some day be written of this great enterprise-the greatest perhaps of its kind the world has ever seen. It is hoped that a first part can be issued during the present year.