answers.

re

I suppose, Mr. Demetrius C. Boulger's “The Life of the Daily Mail. But his book is not pretentious: he Gordon " (l'nwin, two vols., 21s.). Mr. Boulger makes makes no claim to the presentation of new facts, but special claim to providing much new material, and he merely to the collation and arrangement of those certainly reopens many old questions—that crucial one, which have always been accessible to the public. His for instance, of where lies the responsibility for Gordon's final chapter, “ Are we ready for war?” is, of course, the death. Dr. Archibald Forbes's “Camps, Quarters, and real text of his discourse. “We are most unready," he Casual Places” (Macmillan, 7s, 6d.) is just such another

“We have not the ships; we have not the collection of the veteran war-correspondent's men; we have not the guns ”; and he adduces his reasons miniscences of great events and great men as that I sent for his conviction, and indicates the course by which, in you a year or so ago with such hearty commendation. his opinion, our naval salvation is to be secured. A That trick of picturesque description, of writing so as to more or less valuable work, but one suffering from the interest, learnt by Dr. Forbes on many a battle-ground, inevitable defects which follow on its being made he has not forgotten, and the present volume holds the up of the work of many different men, is The excitement of a score of ordinary novels; and, of course, Civilisation of Our Day: å Series of Original Essays its historical value is by no means slight. A trained on Some of its More Important Phases at the Close observer and a ready thinker, what Dr. Forbes saw he re- of the Nineteenth Century (Low, 16s. net.), edited membered, and the evidence of an eye-witness of such by Mr. James Samuelson. Divided into four sectionsscenes as those that stand out as the turning points of “ The Utilization of Natural Products," “ Social and the Franco-German war are often worth far more than Economic Progress,". “ Educational Progress,” and the considered facts of the arm-chair historian. Mr. “Intellectual and Religious Progress"--it is the work Stanley Roamer's “Cardinal Manning as presented in entirely of “ experts," including Sir Hugh Gilzean-Reid, his Own Letters and Notes” (Stock, 5s.) is an endeavour who writes on “The Press," Dr. Richard Garnett on to belittle the great Cardinal by use of the material “ Free Libraries and Museums," and Professor Max thrust before the public by Mr. Purcell's indiscretion. Müller on “ The Dawn of Reason in Religion." Mrs. And then there is “ The Lives of the Brethren of the Mona Caird's “ Beyond the Pale: an Appeal on Behalf of Order of Preachers, 1206–1259” (Mawson, Newcastle-on- the Victims of Vivisection” (W. Reeves, 6d.) is almost a Tyne), done into English from the original thirteenth pamphlet. century manuscripts by Father John Placid Conway, In art, Mr. Ford M. Hueffer's “Ford Madox Brown: which I send you more as a naïve literary and religious a Record of His Life and Work” (Longmans, 42s.) comes curiosity than anything else. These old legends and at a time when all the world is going to see the Arts narratives of the miracles of St. Dominic and his first and Crafts Exhibition, and paying particular attention followers are interesting and entertaining to a very high to the room almost entirely devoted to Madox Brown's degree.

pictures and cartoons. It is a very fine volume, beautiNot perhaps to you personally, but to many readers fully illustrated both with process pictures and photowho take special interest in literary matters, Mr. Clement gravure plates, and it is, of course, of historical interest K. Shorter's “ Charlotte Brontë and her Circle” (Hodder, in adding still more to our knowledge of the foundation 78. 6d.) will be the most welcome book of the month. and early progress of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. In the first place it clears up once and for all the con- Such a book is worthy of its subject, and both combine troversy which has gathered round the story of the to make it well worth the apparently somewhat high marriage of the authoress of “ Jane Eyre," and puts an price asked for it. But, of course, the reproducend to much of that "gossip about Harriet ” so tions of Madox Brown's best known paintings could distasteful to all those to whom the name and fame of not be executed on such a scale and with such excelCharlotte Brontë are dear. And then it reveals clearly and lence, in a cheaper volume. “A Text-Book of the finally the personality of this most gifted of three gifted History of Sculpture" (Longmans, 6s.) is the joint work of sisters. Mr. Shorter has done his work with admirable Dr. Alan Marquand and Dr. Arthur L. Frotheringham, discretion, and fortune has enabled him to offer to the Jr., perhaps the greatest authorities on their subject. admirers of Charlotte Brontë a very large number of A book like this would be of little use without illusnew letters, almost all of which are of the very first trations, and here they are both numerous and excellent, importance. The interest of Mr. Charles Whibley's “ A really illustrating the authors' argument. Book of Scoundrels” (Heinemaun, 7s. 6d.) is literary The peculiar interest of the translation from the too, in spite of the fact that it deals entirely with the German of Dr. William Hirsch's “Genius and Degeneralives and achievements of certain more or less famous tion” (Heinemann, 17s. net) lies in the fact that the housebreakers and highwaymen of the past. “There are author has gone over practically the same ground as other manifestations of greatness than to relieve suffering Dr. Nordau in “ Degeneration," and comes to an almost or to wreck an empire," says Mr. Whibley in his intro- diametrically opposite conclusion. Rather more scientific duction, and forthwith falls to chronicling, in precious in his method of treatment than the alarmist author of language, curiously suited to the subject, the exploits of “ Conventional Lies of Our Civilisation," it is encouraging sach perverted "great men as Jonathan Wild and Jack to find Dr. Hirsch, after going thoroughly into the Shepherd, Cartouche and Deacon Brodie,“ Gentleman questions of art and insanity, and the psychology of Harry” and Charles Peace. The book is something of a genius, declaring that in bis opinion" mankind is literary curiosity.

not in a black plague of degeneration.” One of the Of political books Mr. G. W. Steevens's “ Naval Policy, Bodley Head series, the Arcady Library, has just with Some Accounts of the Warships of the Principal had a notable addition in the shape of Mr. John Powers” (Metliuen, 6s.) is both the most valuable and Buchan's “Scholar Gipsies” (Lane, 53. net.), a book the most important. Mr. Steevens is no mere book- very much after the heart of the lover of literature, such maker; he writes with authority: in the first place, he a collection of essays, in fact, as one may put side by is the fellow of an Oxford college; he was, to use an side with the productions of Robert Louis Stevenson in Irishism, one of Mr. Cust's right hands on the Pall Jall, the same genre. “The baggage of a vagrant in life and and he is now in America as the special correspondent of letters," Mr. Buchan calls his volume,—"a few pictures

of character and nature, pieces of sentiment torn from (Longmans, 6s.) is Mr. Anthony Hope's latest contributheir setting, a fragment of criticism, some,moralisings tion-a collection of romantic tales, with Osra, a Princess of little worth.” Mr. James L. Ford's “The Literary of Zenda, as their central figure. Mr. Basil Thomson in Shopand Other Tales” (Lane, 3s. 6d. net) is made up of one his “A Court Intrigue” (Heinemann, 6s.) has caught long essay on certain light subjects of American literary something of Mr. Hope's early manner, and he can write interest, and some short tales well worth reading. well—so well and convincingly that the “sell” of the Particularly this is a book that will help the English- end was not welcome to this reader. Mr. Thomson places man to an appreciation of the American's outlook on his fantastic court in Brittany-a rare place for strange letters, and to the difference that in this respect happenings, as other writers, Mr. R. W. Chambers among lies between the States and England. “Vignettes : the number, could testify. Mr. H. Rider Haggard has a Miniature Journal of Whim and Sentiment” (Lane, produced Arrowsmith's Christmas Annual this year-25. 6d. net), is a fresh indication of Mr. Hubert Cracken- South African story entitled “The Wizard" (Arrowthorpe's remarkable talent.

Not of any absolute smith, Bristol, ls.); and another sensational work importance in itself, it should be read by the novice is Mr. Guy Boothby's “ Dr. Nikola ” (Ward and in letters, for in Mr. Crackenthorpe's experiments one Lock, 5s.), the true story of the lurid gentleman can learn something of the difficulties of the artist in who has gazed at us from every hoarding. The words.

Rev. W. J. Dawson's “ The Story of Hannah" (Hodder, Half a dozen important new editions help to swell 6s.) is another long essay in fiction by a writer whom your parcel, and of these the second volume of Professor you will know better as a preacher and popular critic J. B. Bury's reprint of Gibbon’s “ Decline and Fall of than as a novelist; while « Ugly Idol” (Lane, 3s. 60, the Roman Empire” (Methuen, 6s) will perhaps be net), by Mr. Claud Nicholson, is the latest volume of the the most welcome. No better edition can be looked Keynotes Series -and a very characteristic volume too. for: Professor Bury's learning is prodigious, and Mr. Marion Crawford has produced another long novel outwardly and" inwardly the volume is one of the under the title of “Taquisara" (Macmillan, 2 vols., 12s.); most creditable pieces of bookmaking that we have while another and even more important Anghicised produced. Another very handsome new edition is that American novelist, Mr. Henry James, has given us in of Boswell's “Life of Johnson” (Constable, 12s. net), “ The Other House” (Heinemann, 2 vols. 10s. net) one edited in six small volumes, beautifully printed and of his longest and at the same time most successful neatly bound, by Mr. Augustine Birrell, who, in his notes studies in psychological narrative. “Simplicity” (Lane, and introduction, says everything that the ordinary 2s. net), by Mr. A. T. G. Price, is a curious little story, reader will find it useful to know. It is a reprint very more or less with the same motive as “ The Heavenly much after the book-lover's heart, and will long remain Twins.” It forms the latest volume of Pierrot's Library. the best both for the general reader and the scholar. Mr. You remember “ Tales of Mean Streets ?" The author Birrell, too, is the editor of the new and popular edition, of that volume, Mr. Arthur Morrison, has just issued a in two volumes, of “The Poetical Works of Robert long story, “ A Child of the Jago” (Methuen, 6s.), dealBrowning, of which the first volume (Smith and Elder, ing with an even lower stratum than he discovered before 7s.6d.) has just appeared.' He adds a few brief to an astonished public. Never, I should think, was notes and gives a short introduction to every poem. An there a book dealing with so thoroughly brutalised Edinburgh edition has just started of "The Life and a set of characters, and never certainly a book, with Works of Lord Macaulay." The first volume-a demy

such a scene,

on which so much artistic care has 8r0.--begins "The History of England” (Longmans, 6s.), been lavished. The place of the story is a network and the whole of his works are to appear in ten similar of alleys, at the back of Shoreditch High Street; its monthly volumes. A slighter reprint is that of " Aucas- people a set of ruffians, male and female, who never sin and Nicolete” (Nutt, 1s.) “done into English ” by think of making a penny except by means which would Mr. Andrew Lang, a little book long out of print and place them within the reach of the law-if ever its valuable. Two new editions addressed not so much to representatives cared to penetrate to the recesses of the the fastidious lover of books as to the multitude are those Jago. One can only hope that the whole place is a figure of Dumas's “The Count of Monte Cristo” (Warne, of Mr. Morrison's imagination; but he has presented his 2s.), and the Victoria edition of " The Works of Shake- story with such skill and art that the reader has no speare” (Warne, 2s. 6d.)—both volumes of surprising choice but to be convinced. Maggie: a Child of the excellence and cheapness.

Streets" (Heinemann, 23.), is a story, only one degree The fiction I have to send you this month is varied less brutal than “A Child of the Jago,” of a New York in kind, but of unusually excellent quality. William slum, by Mr. Stephen Crane, the youthful author of Morris's last book, published but a few days before his “ The Red Badge of Courage.”

.” “Man" (Dent, ls. 6d. net), death,“ The Well at the World's End: a Tale” (Long- by Miss Lilian Quiller-Couch, is a clever collection of mans, 2 vols., 24s.), will certainly take rank among short stories, each of which deals with a distinct mood of a the very finest prose works from his pen, or from the man's life. And two collections of short stories that you pen of any writer at the end of this century. It has the must by no means miss reading are “ Below the Salt” true spirit of the old romances—that delicate but very (Heinemann, 6s.), by Mr. C. E. Raimond, who wrote real charm that Morris alone perhaps knew how to “George Mandeville's Husband;” and “Some Whims of recapture. Mr. J. M. Barrie's Sentimental Tommy: Fate” (Lane, 2s. 6d. net), by Miss Ménie Muriel Dowie the Story of his Boyhood” (Cassell, 6s.), deserves all the (Mrs. Henry Norman), the “Girl in the Carpathians," success of his last book, “ The Little Minister"; and one of the pioneers of the new feminine moreand yet it is one of Mr. Barrie's misfortunes that ment. Her “Gallia" you read, and didn't like, I believe. it is so long since that story appeared that the These stories are reprinted from the pages of the Yellow public may have found other and less worthy) Book. gods. His rivals have shown a less scrupulous regard The publication of Mr. John Davidson's " New Ballads" for their art, and book has succeeded book with the (Lane, 4s. 6d. net) has been the poetical event of the seasons' regularity. " The Heart of Princess Osra” month. One poem, "A New Ballad of Tannhäuser," is an attempt at “laying the ghost of an unwholesome idea belief may have been shaken. Miss Winifred Lucas's that still haunts the world—the idea of the inherent “ Units” (Lane, 3s. 6d. net), dedicated to Mrs. Meynell, impurity of nature,” by sending Tannhäuser back from shows plentiful signs of that poet's influence. It is Rome, with the assent of the Deity, to the mountain of a beautiful little volume, not so much musical as the Queen of Love:

thoughtful—almost too packed with thought to be casy

to read. Miss Lucas is hardly likely to be allowed to “ No; here,' she said, "we stay, until The Golden Age shall come again.”

remain in that deep obscurity which is the fate of most

minor poets. “English Epithalamies” (Lane, 3s. 6d. This is hardly an emendation that will find favour with net) is the first volume of the new series of Bodley Head “the general," but still there is nothing in the volume Anthologies. It is a delightful collection of nuptial likely to shock his readers as did “ A Ballad of a Nun.” song from all our literature. The finest poem is " A Woman and Her Son," which, Amd finally, two or three miscellaneous books. Mr. whether the author agree or not, can be taken, I think, Stanley de Brath's “ The Foundations of Success: a Plea as putting, as clearly as the limits of its form will for Rational Education ” (Philip, 2s. 6d.), is addressed permit, Mr. Davidson's own sturdy pessimistic outlook. particularly to those who are dissatisfied with the present That his outlook is pessimistic almost every page system. Mr. E. A. Brayley Hodgetts's “ Round about bears witness-unwillingly pessimistic, perhaps, for Mr. Armenia: the Record of a Journey across the Balkans, Davidson writes as a man who has had the futility, what through Turkey, the Caucasus, and Persia in 1895” he calls “ this farce of fate,” irresistibly borne in upon him. (Low, 6s.), is the work of a man thoroughly at one with But his conviction leaves him no less vigorous and the Armenian committees. The volume contains a convinced of the duty of humanity. In other words, good map of Armenia and the surrounding country. Mr. Davidson is both poet and thinker; each quality fits “Premature Burial and How it May be Prevented the other as a glove, we have in him a poet who is (Sonnenschein, 5s.), by Mr. William Tebb and Col. E. in touch with the age, however much, and sadly, his Perry Vollum, M.D., describes itself sufficiently.

THE BABY EXCHANGE.

JHE babies offered for adoption now much exceed

2

99

99

BOYS. -Place and date of birth.
1. Born April, 1895. Bradford.
2.

June, 1895. Near London.
3.

1893. Near London.
4. November, 1894. Scotland.
5. January, 1896. Near London.
6. September, 1895. Near London.
7. Aged thirteen. Derby.
8. five. Worcestershire.
9.* five. Bath. Mother a widow.
10.* Born December, 1895. Glasgow. Father a widower.
11. January, 1896. Banbury. Twins.
12. June, 1895. London.
13.*

February, 1896. Manchester.
14. January, 1895. Essex.
15. February, 1896. London.
16.*

June, 1894. London.
17. April, 1896. Burton-on-Trent.
18. December, 1895. London, E.
19.

1893. Sheffield.
20.

1888. Cheltenham.
21. April, 1896. London, N.
22. December, 1895. London, W.
23. October, 1895. London, N.W.

July, 1894. Lancashire.
25.

1892. Essex.
26. December, 1894. London, W.
27.

1894. Surrey.
28. February, 1896. Isle of Wight
29.

December, 1895. London.
30. April, 1896. London, W.
31. June, 189o. Worcester.
32. July, 1895. London, S.W.
33.* July, 1896. Cheshire.
34. April, 1896. Near London.
35. April, 1896. Cheshire.
36. July, 1896. Surrey.
37. December, 1893. London, W.
38.* June, 1895. London, N.
39. June, 1893. London, N.
40. August, 1896. London, S.W.
41. August, 1894. London, S.W.
42 * Two boys, four and seven. Mother a widow.
43.* Born April, 1895. Mother a widow.

sequently the babies have to wait their turn, and must be on our list longer than at first, when the balance was on the other side.

The following is the usual monthly list of babies offered for adoption :

GIRLS.—Place and date of birth. (All illegitimate except those markel with an asterisk.) 1.* Born May, 1894. Hampshire. Mother alive, will give

up all claims. Father deserted his family. 2. November, 1894. Sheflield, 3.

December, 1895. Glasgow. 1.

December, 1895. Kent. 5. Early in 1893. Liverpool. 6.

June, 1895. London. 7. December, 1895. Manchester. 8. January, 1896. London. 9.

1896. Monmouthshire. 10.

November, 1895. London. 11.

„ April, 1896. Sunderland. 12.

„ September, 1895. Hull. 13. September, 1895. London. 14. April, 1896. Brighton. 15. April, 1896. Yeovil. 16. May, 1896. London. 17.

June, 1896. London. 18.* Four little girls from ten to four. Father met with

reverses in business. 19. Born December, 1895. Ireland. 20. September, 1895. London. 21. July, 1896. Berks. 22. July, 1896. London. 23. March, 1896. London, S.E. 24.*

March, 1896. Father suffering from reverse in

business. 25. November, 1895. London, S.E. 26. September, 1895. Birmingham. 27. July, 1896. Scotland. 28.* August, 1895. London, W. Father a widower.

September, 1896. London. Father a widower.

24. *

9

99

99

99

9

[For Complete Index to the Contents of November Magazines, see the “Monthly Index to Periodicals." Price 1d.)

Abbreviations of Magazine Titles used in this Index, which is limited to the following periodicals. A. C. Q. American Catholic Quarterly Review. F. R. Fortnigbtiy Review.

W. Sc. Natural Science.
A. A. P. S. Annals of the American Academy of F. Forum.

Naut. M. Nautical Magazine.
Political and Social Science.
Fr. L. Freck Leslie's Popular Monthly.

V. E. M. New England Magazine.
Ant. Antiquary.
Free R. Free Review,

N. I. R. New Ireland Revier.
Arch. R. Architectural Record.
G M. Gentlemau's Magazine.

New R. New Review.
A.
Arena.
G. J. Geaphical Journal.

New W. New World
Arg. Argosy
G. 0. P. Girl's Own Paper.

V. C. Nineteenth Century.
Ata. Atalanta.
G. W. Good Words.

V. A. R. North Arnerican Review.
A. M. Atlantic Monthly.
G. T. Great Thoughts.

0.

Outing.
Bad M. Bailminton Magazine.

Osborne.
Bank. Kankers' Magazine
Hom. R. Homiletic Review.