About Progressive People.

M. Jules Valles, of Communist renown, has written a four act comdy entitled "Les Reguliers."

Mr. E. L. Youmans, editor of the "Popular Science Monthy," and his family are summering at Saratoga.

Algernon Charles Swinburne has written a poem called "The Statue of Victor Hugo," which will appear in "The Gentleman's Magazine."

Mr. Karl Blind has written an essay on recently discovered Shetlandie folk-lore, the first part of which appears in the "Contemporary Review" for August, under the title of "Germanic Water Deities."

Mrs. Annie Besant has passed in the first class at the preliminary examination for the degree of B. Sc. in the University of Loudon, her tutor being Dr. E. B. Aveling. Mrs. Besant has also passed in the advanced classes in seven subjects at South Kensington.

Henri Rochefort refused to be a candidate in the coming French elections, saying: "I have no desire to enter that hospital where, the 363 [the number of Gambetta's followers in the chamber of deputies have been exhibition their plague-spots and deformities."

At the recent burial in Halle, Germany, of Anlauff, the German socialist, the followers in the funeral wore red flowers in their button holes. Ceremonies at the grave were prevented by the police. Anlauff was banished from Berlin at the time that city was declared under state of siege, and later from Leipzig when that city was included with Berlin under that condition.

The radicals of Belleville, the communist quarter of Paris, who elected Gambetta to represent them in the chamber of deputies before that time-server adopted his policy of opportunism, have pitted against him in two arrondissements for the coming election Sigismund Lacroix, a member of the commune of 1871, and Tony Revillon, and are giving these candidates a strength of support unexpectedly formidable.

The Marquis of Queensbury, at a conference of the British Secular Union held at Leicester recently, read a paper in which he said the Secularists, who were strongly bound together in common enthusiasm for the elevation of mankind to its ideal state, and who had no dogmas respecting the Unknowable to quarrel about, justly claimed to possess a great and ennobling religion, and their possession would ultimately have to be recognized by those who apparently desired to ignore their existence as a religious body altogether.

The first subscription list for a statue of Victor Hugo amount to 7,078 fr. The president of the French Republic contributes 200 fr.; the president of the senate and chamber 150 fr. each; the ministers each 100 fr. A journalist of Paris, having had occasion lately to drive to Victor Hugo's residence, on arriving at the door, got out and tendered the cabman his fare and pourboire. The latter, however, on noticing where he had come, refused to take the money - 2 fr. 50 c. - and requested his passenger to add the "little sum towards the subscription for Victor Hugo's statue." This was done, and the 2 fr. 50 c. may be seen on one of the lists to the credit of "Cocher No. 11,492," in the service of the Compagnie Parisieune de Voitures, a proof of the poet's popularity among the masses.

Kossuth is in mourning for the death of his friend and constant companion, General Ihass. His life at Barraccone, near Turin, is most retired and uneventful. There are few persons whom he will see, and these are chiefly Americans, whom he will always see. At present he is engaged in preparation of the third volume of his memoirs, and this, he says, will be the last volume, although, did strength permit, he would gladly write a fourth. Recently, when visited by a friend, he pointed to his secretary and said he had materials there for twenty volumes, none of which would go into the grave with him, as all would be left to his sons for them to deal with as they should think best. Kossuth finds that his income is not sufficient to maintain his quarters in Turin, as well as the villa at Barraccone, and has accordingly determined to give up the villa. It has been suggested that it would be a graceful thing for the Hungarian nation to purchase the villa and make him a present of it.