Literary Items This column cotains notes about current and forthcoming publications, news and gossip about prominent literary and artistic figures, and a general overview of literary and artistic events.  Of note in this column are a discussion of why the author of the <cite>Life and Times of Sir Phillip Sydney</cite> should not have chosen to remain anonymous, a mention of Macauley as the biographer of William Pitt in the new edition of the <cite>Enclyclopaedia Brittanica</cite>, the translation of Fitz-Greene Halleck's "Marco Boggaris" into Greek, Derby & Jackson's announcement of a large series of French translations, the estalbishment of the "Athanaeum" club, Mr. Townsend's upcoming thirty-three volume publication of Cooper's works, Boswell's continued campaign to M. Von Humboldt for the position of biographer, a discussion of the new issue of the <cite>Home Journal</cite>, and a section entitled "First Things in Literature - Collaged by the Boston <cite>Transcript</cite> that discusses literary firsts.