Books Of The Day.

BOOKS OF THE DAY .

Books , Music , & c . intended for review , should be addressed to the Editor of the Freemason ' s Chronicle , at Fleet Works , New Barnet . — : o : — The X Rays in Freemasonry . By A . Cowan . —Effingham Wilson . THE writer of this extraordinary production , who correctly and appropriately enough styles himself A Cowan , does not advance

one single argument that has not been previously worn threadbare in his attempt to vilify our Ancient and Honourable Institution , though it is but fair to add that his efforts are directed principally against continental Freemasons . The trail of the serpent of Roman Catholicism runs through the entire booklet , the chief contention of this intruder being that because the name of Jesus

Christ is omitted from the ritual all its members must be past redemption . Freemasonry unites under its banner all shades of religion , but to assert that Protestant Freemasons are anti-Christian or have a strong anti-Christian bias is absurd . Freemasonry does not profess to be a religion , but we have no hesitation in saying that any man , no matter what be the creed he

professes , who obeys the sublime precepts of the Order must of necessity be a good man . The derivation of the word religion means a principle which acts as a restraint on the conduct of man , and in this sense Freemasonry is undoubtedly religious ; and the Charity it teaches will enable its members to regard with pity the ignorance and bigotry of the writer .

Paul Ferroll . By Mrs . Archer Clive . A new edition ( 3 s 6 d ) . — Chatto and Windus . Why Paul Ferroll killed his wife . By Mrs . Archer Clive . A new edition ( 3 s 6 d ) . —Chatto and Windus . LITERARY sequels are said to be seldom happy , though why this should be the case we cannot say . If a writer has conceived

two or three characters sufficiently clearly to describe their loves and hatreds , their fortunes and misfortunes during a certain period , there can be no reason why he should not pursue their story a little farther . In the present instance we think the second volume at least equal to the first , and Messrs Chatto and Windus were certainly justified in printing a new edition of . a work which

made many friends when it first appeared . Reviewers have usually bracketted the volumes together when noticing their merits or shortcomings , for the tie of unity between the two is , as we have printed , unusually close . Readers have often noticed a singular characteristic in this story . Whilst appearing to be told in an easy and graceful manner , and to be devoid of any pretentions to profundity , it will nevertheless be found , by those who read "Paul

1- errol and its sequel a second time , that they are not lacking in that psychological quality which is usually present in the greater French novelists and which we recently commented upon when reviewing " The Disciple , " by M . Paul Bourget . It is hardly necessary to summarise the events narrated in the two volumes before us ; but we do most heartily recommend those who have not read them to do so now . As Mr . Kipling says in a very different connection , " It will do them a world of good . "

Captain Ravenshaw or the Maid of Cheapside . A romance of Elizabethan London . By Robert Neilson Stephens . Illustrated by Howard Pile and others ( 6 s ) . —Ward , Lock and Co ., Limited . MR . STEPHENS , who is a student and a lover of history , is one of the few living writers who really succeeds in making the dry

bones live . There are , of course , many authors who have a knack of doing this fairly well , if only their canvas is small and their attention confined to the reproduction of the lineaments of one individual ; of this class perhaps the greatest example ' was R . L . Stevenson when he wrote his study of Villon , entitled "A Lodging for the Night . " In "Captain Ravenshaw" Mr . Stephens has wisely

set himself to draw but comparatively few characters , and by so doing those characters have , we think , gained strength . He has certainlv constructed , with admirable skill , a most entertaining romance of the days of good Queen Bess , and as our readers will discover for themselves , it loses nothing by being concerned with the story of a maid of Cheapside . From that evening when

Captain Ravenshaw drank at his friends' expense at the Windmill Tavern , in Old Jewry , to the moment of his betrothal to Millicent die author keeps his subject skilfully in hand , and it never runs away with him , as is so often the case now-a-days . The fact is Mr . Stephens has carefully studied the theory as well as the practice of novel writing—a fact which may be gathered from his

preface , if from nothing else . There are some fencing scenes which seem to us exceedingly well conceived and described ; and the Captain , whose tongue is on occasion as keen as his rapier , is one whose failings will be readily pardoned in face of his many sterling qualities . This , as critics often say , is decidedly a book to read , and we can promise all who peruse its pages a deal of pleasure .

New Century Library ( 2 s net per vol . ) . —T . Nelson and Sons The Works of SIR WALTER SCOTT , Bart . Vol . xiv .. The Fortunes of Nig-el . . UNMITIGATED scoundrels are sometimes welcome enough in fiction , if only as contrasts to serve as foils to the excellencies of

their contemporaries . For this reason , if for no other , " The Fortunes of Nigel" can be recommended to the " youth of the age , " and if any of them can name a much greater scoundrel than Dalgorno—who , by the bye , died within an hour's stroll from where we write—we should like them to do so . This much , however , is by the way , and we are more concerned to remember once again

Books Of The Day.

the wonderful narrative here so tastefully reprinted . What a narrative that is ! The fopperies and fooleries of the court of James I ., the law-defying thieves and cut-throats dwelling in "Alsatia , " the crowded streets of Jacobean London , the adventurous apprentices and the scheming , unscrupulous courtiers , whose tongues were indeed sharp as any two-edged sword—all these things

crowd the pages of the little volume before us ; have been the delight of a million readers , and they are likely to afford delight to a million more ; for even since we last commented upon this excellent reprint which Messrs . Nelson are issuing , other editions of Scott have been placed upon the market , and what is more , they seem to be selling . We hope the '' New Century " Scott will enjoy a long continued success , for it certainly merits it .

BOOKS RECEIVED . Scientific Research . A view from within . B y Stephen Smith , member of the Royal College of Surgeons , England . First Edition- ( 2 s ) . —Elliot Stock . New Century Library ( 2 s net per vol . ) . —T . Nelson and Sons . The Works of SIR WALTER SCOTT , Bart . Vol . xvii ., St . Ronan ' s Well .

One of the aptest epithets ever bestowed on a litterateur by the " Manchester Examiner" was that of " The Laureate of Freemasonry , " conferred on the well known man of letters Dr . Chas . F . Forshaw , whose recent illness caused such distress among his many admirers . Dr . Forshaw , as we note from a contemporary ,

is actively engaged on his new book , in which , it is stated , he deals with some aspects of Welsh poetry . One of the most learned of men—he has everv degree from M . A .. LL . D ., M . D ., to D . C . L ., Lit . D ., and D . Sc , and is a Fellow of all the learned societiesthe worthy Midland poet and critic is amiable , unassuming , and popular to the highest degree . Not a few of the younger men in

the literary world owe their success to his inspiring and influential encouragement . Many excellent books have come from his pen , as we note from " People of the Period , " and many more are likely to be penned by this brilliant litterateur . Dr . Forshaw is only thirty-eight years of age . and his work in Freemasonry alone

would be sufficient to win him national fame . Few more versatile men write for the British public to-day , and it is hoped that with his wide sympathies and knowledge he will yet give us some characteristic work on Welsh Literature . — "South Wales Daily News . "

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