Books Of The Day.

Books of the Day .

Booki , Music , Sc . intended far review , should be addressed to the Editor of the Freemason ' s Chronicle , at Fleet Works , New Barnet . In the Palace of the King-, A love story of old Madrid . By Francis Marion Crawford . With illustrations by Fred Roe ( 6 s ) . —Macmillan and Co ., Limited .

SUSTAINED effort , despite the strictures of Edgar Allan Poe , counts for much in the world of letters . Masters of prose fiction are often as remarkable for the quantity as for the quality of their writings . The truth of . this will be recognised by all who know Fielding , Defoe , Scott , Dickens , Thackeray , Trollope , Melville , Dumas , Balzac , Black , or Stevenson , to whom we may add the names of

Brother Sir Walter Besant and Mr . Marion Crawford . " In the Palace of the King" is the latest of a long series of literary triumphs achieved by one whose writings form a library of fiction in themselves . Candid critics will temper their praises of this book with discrimination , for while it bears the impress of its author's genius on every page , it differs in many resnects from his

customary methods . The story runs its entire course in a few hours , and is enacted wholly within the precincts of the palace of Madrid . Perhaps it has hardly the breadth and power of '" Saracinesca , " hardly the grace and charm of " Corleone , ' hardly the rare literary skill of "Mr . Isaacs "; but it is nevertheless an excellent love story . It takes us back to the stately

etiquette , the courtly intrigue , the passionate love and hatred of Spain in the days of Don John of Austria . Dolores de Mendoza , the daughter of King Philip's Captain of the Guard , was beloved bv Don John , but the course of their true love by no means ran smoothly—in fact , when the story opens , its happy consummation seems very far off indeed . Mr . Marion Crawford ,

though never diffuse and certainly never dull , contrives to fill 3 60 pages in telling how , by the play of wholly unlooked for circumstances , the love of Don John was rewarded bv success , the craftiness of the king baffled , and the intrigues of the courtier once again set at rest . We are not sure whether description or dialogue is best handled in this book—certainly the scene between King

Philip and Mendoza , after the supposed death of Don John , is of surpassing excellence . The character of Dolores is drawn in a manner worthy of the best traditions of historic romance ; she is eminently a lady of her age , but only as Tegards its virtues . More frail a personality , but equally well sketched , Inez is an

example of those who , in spite , of physical blindness , take the initiative in much that goes on around them , and whose inner vision is but the clearer for the darkness without . The illustrations to this charming story are well conceived , and the printing all that could be wished .

"As a Watch in the Nigfht . " A drama of waking and dream in five acts . By Mrs . Campbell Praed ( 6 s ) . —Chatto and Windus . MRS . CAMPBELL PRAED has written what is in some respects the most remarkable novel we have reviewed in these columns . The canons of her art are here interpreted and exemplified pretty

much at the writer ' s own sweet will , as a glance at the " contents pag-e shows clearly enough . We ought perhaps to premise that " Dorothea Queste" is a lady of mystical as well as mythical character , who is represented as having enjoyed a dual existence and as being strongly impressed at intervals with memories of her life under different skies in other lands than ours . This in part

accounts for the extraordinary arrangement of the subject matter in the volume , which is divided into chapters of waking and dreaming , of scenes and interludes , of memory and present sensation . Brilliantly as Mrs . Campbell Praed can write , her method is , we think , somewhat unhappy . We venture to believe that only unusually careful and acute readers will readily grasp

the purport of this long and singular story ; it is like a fabric into which several designs are woven so closely as to render it difficult to trace any one of them . We certainly cannot attempt to lay before our readers the gist of the story . But we should fail to do justice to a laclv of very eminent and rare gifts if we omitted to point out the merits of many passages of impassioned prose which

form the finest portions of "As a watch in the night . " We hardly know to what we can liken some of these visions of past splendour , unless we go back to Thomas De Quincey , and remind readers of the beautiful conceptions of "A Daughter of Lebanon , " " De Profundis" and the more pleasing portions of the immortal

" Confessions of an English Opium Eater . " We doubt greatly whether this novel , at once so clever and so peculiar , will be largely asked for at the libraries ; but we have no doubt whatever that all who bestow upon it the attention which it deserves will feel rewarded for their pains .

Shadows from the Thames . By Edward Noble ( 6 s ) . — C . Arthur Pearson , Limited . MR . EDWARD NOBLE was , if we remember rightly , a former contributor to the " English Illustrated Magazine , " for the pages of which he wrote some clever stories . He has now tried his hand upon a class of subject very much in vogue just now—the delineation of the characteristic traits of those men whose calling in

life leads them to spend their days upon the bosom of the Thames or among the purlieus of the river-side . Mr . Noble has succeeded in writing a volume sufficiently entertaining to preserve it from critical damnation : but we must say that those among our contemporaries who have likened his stories to those of Mr . W . W . Jacobs have , in our estimation , erred on the side of generosity . We trust , however , that Mr . Noble will persevere in the cultivation pf his gifts : fpr feeble efforts never yet produced a gopd story ,

Books Of The Day.

any more than faint hearts have won fair ladies . Messrs . Pearson have lavished their customary care on the printing and cover of this volume . MESSRS . MACMILLAN announce a volume of metaphysics , entitled " The Foundation of Knowledge , " by Mr . A . T . Ormond ; "The Elements of Rhetoric and English Composition , " by G . R . Carpenter ; "Spanish Highways and Bye-ways , " by Katherine L . Bates ; and " Selections from Plato , '' edited by L . L . Fodman .

MR . FISHER UNWIN is publishing " Eben Holding" by Mr . Irving Bacheller . Mr . Bacheller is an American , and a former edition of this book , published " across the streak , " was so successful that 125 , 000 copies were sold in three months . ON the 1 st January the " Cornhill Magazine" commenced its

41 st year . Owing to the increase of magazines more consonant with '' popular" and " up to date" ideas , some of the grand old issues have of late seemed more or less under a cloud . This is not very creditable to readers generally . The " Cornhill" has always been " literature "— -which can hardly be said of some magazines we could name .

BOOKS RECEIVED . New Century Library ( 2 s net per vol . ) . —T . Nelson and Sons . THE WORKS OF SIR WALTER SCOTT , BART . —Vol . 1—Waverley .

A SILVER WEDDING . ON Christmas Day the Master of the Edmonton House and Infirmaries , Bro . James Graham , celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of his wedding day , and the occasion was taken advantage of by a number of his intimate Brother Masons to present him and his wife a suitable token in commemoration of the happy event .

As Bro . Graham was one of the active Founders of the Waltham Abbey Lodge , No . 2750 , and is at the present time its Worshipful Master , it naturally followed that the Brethren connected therewith took the initiative in the celebration , and it is saying much

for the popularity of Bro . Graham when we have to place on record that the matter was enthusiastically taken up and the memento subscribed to by the Officers and members of the St . James , Enfield , Eleanor , High Cross , and Holme Valley Lodges , as well as the James Terry Chapter .

Naturally with such a representation the fund was handsomely supported , and enabled the Committee to purchase a beautiful and artistic solid silver salver , solid'silver bowl , claret jug , and tea service , suitably inscribed .

Unfortunately the day ( Christmas ) was one of the most inconvenient for a function of the kind , as every subscriber desired to be at home with his family . The presentation had therefore to be made by a small deputation , with Past Master Dr . Benjafielcl as spokesman .

Bro . Dr . Benjaneld , in making the presentation , spoke in eulogistic terms of Bro . Graham and , pointing to the large array of silver , remarked that that was a proof of the popularity , respect , and esteem in whicli Bro . Graham was held . These remarks were equally applicable to Mrs . Graham , who always supported her husband in all his endeavours , and in all his acts of kindness and

charity . He had known Bro . Graham since he came from Huddersfield , about ten years since , and during that time he had found him to be a worthy Mason in every sense of the word , both as to the ritual , and its grand principles of Benevolence and Charity . He had served the Office of Steward to the Charities on ten occasions , and had qualified himself as Vice President of the Boys and Old Peoples Institutions , and as Life Governor of the Girls . He was

also Charity Representative of the Waltham Abbey Lodge , for the 1 'rovince of Essex . He wished the recipients many more years of happiness together . Twentv-five years was a good long period , but he trusted that the Great Architect of the Universe would spare them to enjoy in health and prosperity their Golden Wedding ; nothing would please him more than to be spared also , and have the honour to make a similar presentation , only in gold next time , that day 1925 .

Bro . Graham said that in the Great Light in Freemasonry there was a quotation that , " out of the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh . " There were , however , exceptions , when the heart was - » o charged with fulness of gratitude and thankfulness that it was almost impossible for the mouth to utter a syllable , and as such he felt on the present occasion . He was sure it rarely fell to the lot

of any Brother to receive a presentation of such beauty and value . Valuable as to their sterling worth , but far more valuable as a perpetual reminder of the affection and good-will of his Brother Masons , and as such they would be treasured and , he hoped , handed clown from generation to generation . He was sorry the day was so inconvenient for the subscribers . Had he known twenty-five years

ago that he was going to receive such an elnborate and expensive Silver Wedding present , he would have made different arrangements , but a quarter of a century was a long time to look ahead , although a short one to look back upon , especially when the pathway had been strewn with the roses of happiness , and travelled in company with such a good and faithful partner . The handsome and costly presentation was befitting a grander reception , and he could dearly

have liked all the subscribers to have been rtresent , so that he could have publicly and personally thanked them on , behalf of Mrs . Graham and himself . He trusted , however , that that deputation would convey to the respective Lodges , Chapters and Brethren who had subscribed , his wife ' s , and his own most sincere thanks and gratitude for their very kind , handsome , costly , and magnificent present .

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E XPERIENCED Reviewer is open to supply a column of criticisms weekly , to Provincial or London newspapers . Will submit specimen notices . T ., care of FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , New Barnet ,