Reviews.

REVIEWS .

; u . All Books intended for Eeview should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C . — : o . — MAGAZINES OP THE MONTH .

THE opening of Parliament naturally furnishes Blackwood with an opportunity for discussing the relations between Her Majesty ' s Government and Her Majesty ' s Opposition . A hopeful view of tho prospects of the former is almost a matter of conrse , Maga having a firm and abiding faith in Conservatism . Tho measures already proposed , or which may be introduced in the courso of this Session , are

glanced at with an approving oye , aud if Maga prove a true prophet , the Session will result in the passing of several useful measures . Being of necessity neutral iu matters political , wo shall applaud the passing of any measure that may in any way advance the public good . In " The Dilemma " Yorke , who is still in England , enjoying himself to the best of his ability , is still a guest of the Peevors , and not with .

out good reason . There is an attraction powerful enough to account for this . Bat towards the end of this Part XL , a new aud exciting element of interest is aroused in us . Two of tho personages who figured so prominently both before aud during tho siege of tho Mustaphabad Residency re-appear on the scene . Of these one has been given out as dead , and the writer of the tale is to be

congratulated on the rare skill he has exhibited in so interweaving the details ns to induce this belief in the minds of most of his readers . Only those who havo followed every incident of the story can have been prepared for such an event . We shall watch tho further progress of " The Dilemma " —a most appropriate title as matters now standwith an ever increasing interest . " Some Gentlemen in tho City" is

Well written . Few will experience any difficulty in recognising the Guldensterns , the Conad Lloyd , and tho Gresbams of this fiction as being drawn from tlie life . In another paper , " Some aspects of Friendship" are very ably discussed , while the other contributions are equally meritorious , though hardly needing any special com . ment .

" Joshua Haggard ' s Daughter " is still the most attractive feature in Belgravia , the author of " Lady Audley ' s Secret , " showing iu every page of the story the skill and ennning of so practised a writer . There aro some writers , of whom the author of " 'Twist Green aud Red , " is apparently one , who think tho introduction into a tale of fiction of one or moro vulgar characters is a matter of course . We

admit that such characters when well drawn may offer an effective picture . But there are some people too conspicuously offensive to bo thrust npon our notice , and of theso two at least figure in this serial . We shall be heartily glad when it no longer appears in the contents table ot Belgravia . " How I fought my First Duel" describes to us how they mauago these things in Germany . We admit the writer has shown no small amount of descriptive power , but we think Germac

student life would bo vastly improved if duelling were forbidden by the authorities . Mr . Percy Boyd describes the career , thus far , of " Lord Chancellor Cairns , " and Dr . Maurice Davies contributes a paper on " Cnrates , " while " Tho Strange Adventures of a Crown aud Sceptre , " by Mr . Robert Kemp , are in the highest degree interesting . The illustrations are generally good , Mr . George Kirby ' s " A Quaint Bit of Scandal , "—in which the grouping aud pose of the several figures are admirably managed , —especially so .

Amoug the illustrations in Cassell s larawj Magazine , that which accompanies a neat little poem , by Isabella-Fyzie Mayo , entitled " Sailed to-day , " is one of the best we have seen for some time in this magazine . As regards the literary contents there is quite an embarras desrichesses , and it is somewhat difficult to make a selection when all the contributions aro so well written . The serials are

good , and the same may be said of tho short papers . Not the least interesting among these latter are a papor by Professor Andrew Wilson , "About Sea-Cucumbers , " A Family Doctor ' s directions as to Beautiful Hair : How to Get aud Retain it , " "The Game of Stool-Ball : an old pastime revived , " " Howe Dress Making , " " Education iu Merchant Taylors' School , " and " How to qualify for the Medical Profession . " There is also a paper entitled " A New Way to

Pay Old Debts , in which the writer offers " A few Words on Tontines . " Mr . A . G . Payne is instructive , as usual , in his " Little Extravagancies of the Table , " and there is a highly amusing story about " Our Night Alarm on the Pacific Railway , " " Chit-Chat on Dress " will interest the ladies of course , and " Tho Gatherer " furnishes sundry notes , among which , perhaps , an explanation , " What is a Bee ? " and a brief description of a new tramway car , invented by Mr . Scott-Moncrieir , of Glasgow , are the most noteworthy . We have ranch pleasure in quoting from Colburn ' s Neiv Monthly the following acrostic by Mrs . Baines .

MARCH . . M arch dnsfc , they say , is worth its weight in gold , A peck will pay the ransom of a king . K , eleutless winds now blight tho early buds , — C ruel yet kind , as when the young die soon ; H eaven spares those yet who have their work to do .

Of the other contributions , " Scattered Arrows , " by Sariette Norman , will be found to contain some amusing writing . " East Indian Life , ' by Lieutenant-Colonel Copinger , from what we have read elsewhere of ye manners and customs of Anglo-Indian society , we should jutlgt

to be a true and effective picture . Thoso interested in the Natural History and Resources of " Turkey , " will find the agriculture of thai country very fully described by the Editor . There are , likewise , sundry other contribntions of considerable merit . We have noted , ia the Si , James ' s , a fery able paper , by Mr . Thomas

Reviews.

Carlisle , on " Tho Paralysis of tho Indian Army , " and a most agreeable " Olla Podrida , " by the Editor . Tho writer of tho former supports his case with a very formidale array of figures , and all we need say is , the sooner tho authorities take tho requisite steps to placo onr Indian military resources on a proper basis , the better it

will bo for tho future maintenance of our power . We have referred to tho " Grange Garden , " and Mrs . Townsliend Mayer ' s serial , " Sir Hubert ' s Marriage , " and their merits stand in need of no further praise . Wo must speak in commondation , however , of Mr . John

Morgan ' s sketch of " Robert Hall : tho great Baptist Preacher , " aa well as of Roger Quiddam ' s papor , entitled " Recruits for the Ranks of Crime . " Not the least attractive item in the number is a sonnet " To the Nile , " by the celebrated poet , Shelley , which , tho Editor tells ns , has never before been published .

In tho Leisure Hour the highly interesting "Tale of the American War of Independence " ia continued , aud some exciting scenes are introduced . Indeed , wo are , so to speak , getting into the thick of the story . The Rev . W . Wright also continues his account of " A Trip to Palmyra and the Desert , " and Dr . Rimbault contribntes another of his musical papers , headed " The Story of an Old

Concert Room . " " The Rocket Apparatus , and its Work , " is a very useful aud instructive paper , while other attractions will be found in " Natural History Training , " " Antiquarian Gossip on the Months , " and " Weather Proverbs . " We must not pass unnoticed " Schoolboy Training , " and tho Rev . Canon Rawlinson ' s "Early Civilisation—Babylon . " They avo very far from being the least valuable contents of a most excellent number .

Of Sunday at Home we can do little more than renew the praiso which it has been our duty to bestow on all previous numbers . There is the usual quantity of matter for the Invalid and for the Afflicted , of Poetry , and of Pages for tho Young . But besidos theso we havo

continuations of Dr . Stoughton ' s History of " Westminster Abbey , " and of" A Jew ' s First Impression of England and First Intercourse with Christians , " together with a description of " Prisons in Finland . " Tho number in short is excellent both as regards its literary and pictorial contents .

The present number of Tinslei / s is marked by the commencement of a new serial , bearing the title of " Maggie , " by Mr Frank Barrett . Tho two chapters forming the first instalment are written in a neat and flowing style , but it is early days yet to judge of " Maggie ' s " merits as a story . Of Messrs . Farjeon ' s and Grant's serials , suffice it

to say they evince the samo excellence as has distinguished tho previous chapters . Dr . Maurice Davies's " Social Status Quo " is again too prosy . It is very well for him to plead " it 1 * 3 his nature to " speak on clerical matters , but as regards tho readers they may plead with equal force " it is not their nature " to relish this kind of writing

in the pages of a non-clerical magazine . It is all tho greater pity that Dr . Davies should devote six out of eight pages to this single and , with all due respect , in this place uncongenial subject , for in the other two pages ho proves ho can deal right pleasantly with topics of general and genial interest . As for the third of his " Love Songs of All

Nations none , wo are sure , will read it withont a feeling of pleasure , The third of the " Thespian Cartes " is an admirable paper , in which the writer tells many a home truth as to the glaring absurdities which mark the dramatic criticism of the day . " The Gift of the Gab , " and the other contributions , without exception , are well worth reading .

We have received Part I . ot Picturesque Europe , a new serial publication by Messrs . Cassell , Petter and Galpin . The book , we are told in the accompanying prospectus , " has been several years in prepa . ration , " and its purpose is " to present a complete description and elaborate pictorial illustration of tho greater part of the Europeau Continent , by bringing together representations of tbe numberless

objects of Nature , and of that which makes Enropo so strikingly picturesque . " The illustrations will consist of both steel and wood engravings , all new and ori ginal , being executed "from recent sketches taken on tho spot by eminent artists , " and we are assured " that neither labour nor cost has been spared " to make them not only valuable from an artistic point of view , but also trustworthy .

The snbjects will include mountains , rivers , lakes , and valley scenery , as well as the temples and ruins of ancient Greece and Rome , cathedrals , churches , castles , quaint towns , palaces , & c , & c , and in order , as far as possible , the perfection of tho world . The letter-press will be from the pens of authors of high standing , " whose co-operation has been sought not merely for tbeir eminent literary ability , bat in

view of each one s peculiar fitness for tho portion of the work assigned to him . " Naturally enough , with England begins this survey of Picturesque Europe , and it is equally natural that Royal Windsor and its surroundings shonld take precedence of all other places of interest in picturesque England . Accordingly , we find that the steel engraving which serves as frontispiece to the work is of Windsor Castle by

A . Willmore , from a beautiful drawing by Birket Foster . The wood engravings are tho work of Mr . Whymper , from drawings by Messrs . P . Skeltou , Boot , and other artists . These , too , which portray different parts of the Castle , or the noble pile itself from different points of view , and such objects of interest iu its nei ghbourhood as " William the Conqueror ' s Oak , " " the Watch Oak , " " the Fishin"

-Temple , Virginia Water , " " In tho Cedar Walk , Virginia Water , " aro admirably executed . The engraving on the title page is an exquisite "it of scenery at Lynmoutb , and as regards tho letter-press , it fully bears out the promise in the prospectus already referred to . We shall watch the progress of the work with the greatest interest , and

we need only add that if succeeding parts confirm the promise of the jpeningoue , the work will bo one of the most valuable , inrespect both of its literary aud artistic contents , which has ever yet been published , even by the most enterprising firms . The parts are to appearmonthly , and the price of each is half-a-crown .