Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Beview should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C . MAGAZINES OF THE MONTH .

"TrtE WOMAN-HATER" in BIcicfciuoooE , bids fair to prove a worthy successor to "Tho Dilemma . " The introductory chapters aro well written , aud wo fancy we shall liko the acquaintance of tho characters we havo thus far beeu introduced to , especially of Ina Kloskmg and Zoo Vizard . This is followed by a paper on " Calderon's Moorish Plays , " and tho conclusion of " 1895 , " in which tho female candidate

does not succeed in carrying tho election . She is chosen , however , to a position which becomes her far better . " Devious Rambles with a definite object , " aud " Winter in a Northumbrian Watering-place , " will bo read with a great deal of pleasure . Last of all , wo havo an art-paper on tho " Royal Academy , " and a political article , in which

tho writer comments at somo length on tho recent action and future prospects of " Her Majesty ' s Opposition . " The picture he sets before us ii by no means a flattering one , though as to its truth tho reader must judge for himself . But whatever his opinion may bo about this particular contribution , we do not doubt his verdict a 3 to the general excellence of tho number will be a favourable ono .

Messrs . Chatto and Windns seem determined that Belgravia under their auspices shall exhibit no falling oil' . Tho contents of the present number wo may almost say aro uniformly excellent . Mr . Charles Eeado opens the ball with the first of a series of stories of Man and Other Animals . His " Knight ' s Secret" is capitally told , and we may look upon it as a good omen that tho series begins so well . " Juliet "

prospers under tho guidance of Mrs . Lovett Cameron , and as her story is moro developed , our interest in ifc will have become more intense . Mrs . Lynn Linton is very successful in her article on " Old Maids ; " aud there is somethiug essentially dramatic in the concluding part of Mr . MacKenna's short story of " Scotching a snake . " Mr . John Ingram ' s paper on " Tho Unknown Poetry of Edgar Poe " will

be very welcomo to admirers of that poet , while as to " Current Coins Somewhat Defaced , " we should gladly see a few more such " correctives " - —if we may use the word—administered . " Joshua Haggard ' s Daughter " i 3 still in progress , and there is a new tale commenced , bearing the title of " The New Republic . " A Mr . Otho Lawrence invites a select circle of friends to his villa by the sea . Each has strong views of his or her own , and we aro hardly out of tho chapter ,

—have hardly , in fact , taken our seat at the dinner-table—when what wo suppose is the first of a series of discussions commences , in which each of tho guests g ives utterance to his or her peculiar notions . It seems as if we have in store for us something after the manner of Friends in Council . Whether ifc will approach that charming book remains to be seen . There are four illustrations , but tho only ono that strikes our fancy is Mr . Mahoney ' s " Thank God , 1 thought I must lose , " accompanying Mr . MacKenna's tale .

Few of tho magazines aro more entertaining than the Gentleman ' s . It does not , liko too many of its rivals , givo too great prominence to fiction , yet what thero is—and wo may tako " Tho Shadow and the Sword , " and Mr . Francillon's now completed story of " A Dog and his Shadow , " as admirable cases in point—is excellent of its kind . Then the gossip we meet with in Mr . and Mrs . Cowden Clarke ' s

Reminiscences of writers they have known in their youthful days is quite a pleasure to read , and " tho Table-talk , " by Sylvanus Urban himself , is a real model of what snch short , chatty notes should be . Nor aro these the only features to be commended . One of the most agreeable contributions is by "Red-Spinner , " whoso "Ocean Log from Newcastle to Brisbane " is perfect in its way . And in the present nnmber we

may mention two other papei' 3 which should find a host of readers . Ono is by " Fin Bee , " and is entitled " Under Foreign Mahogany . " There are few more competent to write about hotel comforts and discomforts than Fin Bee , and his account , now before us , of a Swiss Pension , is in excellent vein . Tho other is on " Yachting , Past and Present . " The writer is Mr . Andrew Thomson , whose "Yachting Annual" has met with so many and such well-merited encomiums ,

and from the pleasnro this sketch of his has afforded us , we trust wo may soon again havo the opportunity of meeting him . Thoso who have read any of Dr . Taylor ' s " Half-Hours" in country lanes , by the sea-side , or elsewhere , will be in a position to appreciate that gentleman ' s guidance " Over an Old-Land Surface , " and there are not a fow will set down Mr . Hepworth Dixon ' s speech on " Literature and the Drama " with a feeling akin to little Oliver Twist ' s when ho asked for more .

Wc have more than once remarked that the strength of Tinsleys ' lies in its fiction , nor will this surprise onr readers it they remember that Mr . Farjeon , who is a host in himself , is among its writers . Mr . Jame 3 Grant , too , is a writer of well-established fame , whose circle of admirers is ever-extending . But Tinsleys' has other merits likewise . Its poetry is invariably worth reading , not the least worthy specimen of this clas 3 of contribution beinfj Dr . Davies ' s " Love

Songs of all Sonjjs . " We wish we could speak in the same terms of his " Social Status Quo , " the first half of which is always dull aud uninteresting , wheu he will insist on writing about Church matters . In addition we have noted this month somo excellent occasional papers , such being Mr . Henty ' s paper on " Sir Sala Jung and the Berars , " " Fashionable Follies , " and " Force of Character , " and a short tale by Lynn Wood , entitled " Abel Rees . "

We have introduced to us iu Qassell ' s Family Magazine a new serial story , entitled " A Hard Case , " with illustrations by Mr . W . Small . Wo do not liko committing ourselves to any decided opinion as yet , but we fancy we discern all the elements of a well-built story even in the few chapters thus far vouchsafed to us . In the way of short tales , there aro a love story by Mr . G . Manville Fenn , entitled , r Waiting for w Answer , " and " Proud Urg , Brandietb " by tho

Reviews.

author of " Bibbs . Both theso we like much , but particularly the former . As regards practical papers , we especially invito attention to tho article on " Gardening in June , " which is far above tho averago ; and there is a pleasant " Peep at Billingsgate , " the peep being through a very agreeable medium at a highly interesting

picture . The ladies will find plenty to attract their notice in "A practical Woman ' s " directions as to " Washing at Home , " in " Chitchat on Dress , " and "Inexpensive Home Millinery . " " Pure Water " is far too important a consideration to be overlooked , especially when a Family Doctor ' s advice about it is within our reach ; and just now

the knowledge " How to Prepare Spring and Early Summor Dishes " will bo useful to the young or unskilful housewife . Thoso who know nothing of the innor life of Christ's Hospital , will find some interesting

details respecting it in Mr . E . Walford ' s paper , and Dr . Taylor ' s " Social Flowers" are worth studying . The lines on "Tho Chainod Eagle " are not remarkable , but Ernest Griset ' s conception of the idea forms an admirable frontispioco .

Thero is lifctlo to be said of the Leisure Horn : Most of its contents are continued from tho previous number , and wo have no reason to alter tho very favourable opinion wo have already expressed of their merits . Thero is a . -well-written account of " Scindiah and tho Mahrattas , " aud if tho discomforts of "Tho Spring Cleaning-up" are not

particularly endurable , thoy are amusing enough to read about . As the question of weather is always an interesting ono , ifc is well to know that

" Calm weather in June Sets corn in tune ;" and that " Mists in May , aud heat in June ,

Make a harvest come right soon . " Let ns hope , however , it will not rain on tho 20 th or 27 th of tho month . As regards tho former , it seems" If on the eighth ( 20 th ) of June ifc rain , Ifc foretells a wet harvest , men sain . "

Whilo as to the latter , which is St . Vitns ' s Day , — " If St . Vifcus ' s Day be rainy weather , It will rain for thirty days together . "

Our neighbours over tho " Silver streak" will fare worso , it seems , if it rain on either day . The 8 th or 20 th is St . Mcdarcl ' s day , and " S'il pleut lo jour do Saint Medard , ' II pleut quarante jours plus tard . "

As to tho 27 th , which with them is patronised both by St . Gervais and St . Protais ,

" S'il pleut lo jour de Saint Gervais efc Saint Protais , II pleut quarante jours apres . " Mrs . Finn's account of " Agriculture in Palestine , " and Dr . Stoughton ' s paper on " Westminster Abbey , " with his " Reminiscences of the Last Coronation , " are the most noteworthy contributions to the Sunday at Home . Both this and the Leisure Hour are well illustrated .

St . James's offers an excellent programme . The series of papers describing " Napoleon afc St . Helena , " and written by one of his attendants , must now be complete . Iu tho present are particulars of the great man's death and burial . Tho Editor-, Mr . Mayer , commences in this number a series of sketches of " Onr Noblo Houses . " He

opens with " The Lindsays" nor do we think ho could have selected a nobler to head the list . Tho sketch has been carefully compiled , and if those which are to follow are bnt equal to this , the St . James ' s for some months to come will offer one powerful attraction tho more . " Vivisection " is tho subject of an essay by Roger Quiddam , whose

object is to confine the practice within the narrowest limits . This is not tho first time we have read in these pages an article on a military subject . Mr . T . Carlisle , if we remember lightly , somo mouths since wrote very ably on the organization—or we ought perhaps to say rather the disorganization , of our Indian army . Mr . Paget , in his

remarks on " Army Mobilization , grapples with the subject nearer home . He points out that , considering the wonderful changes that have occurred during the last ten years , it is imperative we should be better prepared for all eventualities . He urges that whatever the strength of our military forces , the question really lies between

costliness and efficiency and costliness and inefficiency . Whether we have a hundred or a hundred and fifty thousand troops we are sure to have the piper to pay , and the least we can do is to havo money ' s worth . Mr . Adolphus Rosenberg contributes a well-written and just

paper respecting tho " Jews of the Present Day , " and Mr . G . Lawrence Goinmo a description of the island of " Tristan d'Acnuha . " AU theso , with the " Grange Garden " aud " Sir Hubert ' s Marriage , " bear out our statement that the programme this month is an oxcellenfc ono .

Of tho contents of Chambers ' s thore are several which are eminentl y readable . Mr . W . Chambers very properly objects to tbo now too common practice of " Name-lending . " There are , too , a good description of "Club Life , " a paper on "Blind Fishes , " a sketch of " A Highland Parish in the Last Century , " as drawn by the lato Dr .

Norman MacLeod , some very acute remarks on the " Physiognomy of Houses , " and a brief notice of sundry of " Our Feathered Neighbours , " namely , the cuckoo , tho night-jar , aud the corncrake . Mr .

Payne's serial story of " Fallen Fortunes , " and two short tales , "An Adventure on tho Clyde , " aud " Au Election Stovy , " with papers on "Great Guns and Armour . Plating , " and "Happy Accidents , " are among the most attractive of tho other contributions .

CLUB HOUSU PLAYIKG CAHDS . —Mogul Quality , picked Is 3 d per pack , 14 s > er dozen packs . Do . seconds Is per pack , lis per dozen packs . If by > ost lid per pack extra , Cards for Piquet , Bozique , Ecarte , < £ c , Mogul Quality lod per pack , 9 a per dozes packs . —London ; W . W . Morgan , C / liarbican , E , 0 ,