AustLit

The Freeman's Journal reports: 'The Atlantic Monthly, for January, contains the first chapters of a story by Charles Dickens (George Silverman's Explanation)'. The report includes a brief plot overview and an extract from the story.

The Freeman's Journal reproduces the Dublin Weekly News's critique of Queen Victoria's Leaves from the Journal of Our Life in the Highlands from 1848 to 1861: To Which Are Prefixed and Added Extracts from the Same Journal Giving an Account of Earlier Visits to Scotland and Tours in England and Ireland, and Yachting Excursions.

The Irish newspaper declares the publication ‘utterly destitute of pretensions to literary merit’ and believes that ‘a similar narrative written by anyone else would be spoken of … contemptuously by the press, if indeed it would be dignified by notice at all’.

A portion of the Freeman's Journal's correspondent's report from Hartley concerns reports that were 'rife' in the Lithgow district 'to the effect that the entire staff of the Freeman's Journal – from the "gents of the editorial corpse" (as Artemus Ward would say) down to the "type-stickers" – had "dislocated", leaving behind them nothing but half-finished leaders, dusty piles of back numbers, and masses of seditious-looking "pie".' The correspondent decries 'such silly nonsense ... as the intervention of some over-zealous admirer of Martin's awe-inspiring (?) liberty-extinguishing Act of 1868', that is, the Treason Felony Act.

'Edward F. Flanagan, Dublin Book Warehouse, 594, George-street' advises the arrival of 'a fresh supply of Books, Prayer Books,&c, and a large assortment of devotional works, suitable for the Lenten season.'

An advertisement advising that the proprietors of the Freeman's Journal have entered into a 'job printing business' and 'are now prepared to execute orders'.

A list of suburban, country and inter-colonial agents for the Freeman's Journal.

An advertisement advising that Freeman's Journal 'is filed and may be seen, free of charge, at Holloway's, 533, Oxford-street, W. C., (late of 224, Strand) London, where advertisements and subscriptions may be received'.

An advertisement, for Greville and Company, for the sale of various types of paper, pens, pencils, slates, ledgers and other stationery items.

An advertisement advising that Greville and Company are the 'authorised Sydney agents of all the leading provincial journals of New South Wales' and are able 'to offer terms for the insertion of advertisements which can be done by none but a recognised agent'.

An advertisement for Greville and Company, agents for Messers Harrild and Sons, London, advertising the sale of various items of printing machinery and equipment.