Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Review should be addressed to th Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C .

MAGAZINES OF THE MONTH .

THERE is a certain heaviness in Blackwood this month , which oven tho two or threo admirable papers wo have found in it aro hardly capable of redeeming . Tho paper on " Swift , " for example , is written with very great judgment . We feel tho writer has managed to grasp his subject firmly , and that he enacts the part of historian with skill and fairness . But then follow two articles , of which the first is

dreary albeit we recognise the truths which it enumerates ; while tho second—a continuation of " 1895 "—is a flimsy attempt to describe female candidature at a Parliamentary election . " A Wanderer ' s Letter , " in which Leipzig , its fairs , its battles , its old historical buildings , and the manners and customs of its people aro described , offers somo very agreeable reading . " Whittlobridgo , " with the doings of the gallant " Chasers , " Lieut .-Colonel Bottlotop , C . B ., so

accomplished in blasphemy as to be honoured with the soubriquet of " the Cursing Cockatoo , " Captain Brookes and bis love-making , Lady Scorpy , and tho rest of the company , is highly amusing , but the revels in Whittlebury are just a leetle too violent . The notice of " Macaulay , " or , rather , of his nephew ' s biography of him , is well written ; and tho "Spring Songs" are pretty . "Politics before Easter " will please tho Conservative reader no doubt , but politics in a Masonic journal have no proper place .

There is little to note in tho seriais which form the bulk of Tinsleys . Mr . Farjeon ' s " Duchess , " on whoso christening tho scene falls for the present , progresses admirably . Mr . Barrett ' s "Maggie" is somewhat confused , as though tho author had hardly yet made up his mind about tho details of his plot . In Mr . Grant's " Did she love him ? " Stanley is in the dolefuls , and Tom Seymour gets into hot

water with Mrs . Brooke , but Mabel aud he have a plan in view , which , if successfully carried out , will sorely trouble tho hospitable , if somewhat cantankerous , old lady . The supercargo of the ship in which Stanley sails to join his regiment in the Bermudas tolls an effective , or , rather , as it is not complete , part of a very effective story , for no other object , apparently , than to fill up a chapter . However , we

shall seo in time . "La Festa delle Palme" is an agreeable bit of descriptive writing , and Mr . Vandam reappears with another of his " Famous Bohemians . " Tho " Thespian Cartes " are continued , and the Gaiety Theatre , with its brave list of stars , tho enterprise of its manager , and the successes it has achieved in its yet brief career , are there all faithfully and justlv chronicled . Dr . Davies offers a more

varied , and therefore a mure acceptable programme in his bocial Status Quo ; " whilo No . V . of his " Love Songs of all Nations" is equal in point of merit to its four predecessors . We should like to quote it in full , bnt we havo space for the latter half only . The title , we may state , is " Love and Absence , " and after an invocation to the former , and a pretty sentiment or two , we read thus : —

Bnt , from his mistress banished far , Si'ent is he , E'en in whose soul the voices are Of melody . When from the withered garden-beds The roses fail , No longer thero her sweet song sheds The nightingale .

Thus while she lingers far away , Silent I pine , Because upon my lonely way No love-lights shine . He who sees not the ono loved maid , Nor hears her word , Must in that silence droop and fade , Like prisoned bird .

Belgravia includes tho opening chapters of two new stories . One , entitled '' Juliet , " is by Mrs . H . Lovett-Cumeron , with a not very striking illustration by Valentine Bromley ; the other , by Mr . Mackenna , is called " Scotching a Snake . " Tho theme , in each case , seems a familiar one , bnt no doubt as the plots proceed we shall find mnch to interest us . The career of " Joshna Haggard ' s Daughter "—

we are speaking of the novel , not of its heroine—is still a pleasant one , nor see wo indeed how it conld well bo otherwise under tho conduct of so skilful a writer . " What has become of Lord Camelford ' s Body ? " is tho title of a contribution by Mr . Charles Reade . Bis narrative of that nobleman's strange eventful history is capitally put together . Lovers of tho drama will read with pleasure Cuthbert Bnlo ' s Eeminiscences of tho lato " Miss Cushuiati , " an actress whose

talents were generally appreciated , and deserve to bo recorded , for the benefit of present and future playgoers . Mrs . Lynn Linton ' s article on " Woman ' s Place in Nature and Society" is excellent in tone aud character , but would read better wore it comtensed more . Of the other contents , Mr . Escott ' s sketch of the late " Lord Macanlav " must bo noticed ; and a word of praise is due to Mr . J . Mahoney ' s illustration accompanying Mr . Mackeuua ' s story .

The chief attractions in Temple Bar include an ablo sketch of the great French actor " Talma , " some sensible advice , under the head of " T'other Side of the Water , " to intending visitors to the United States during the forthcoming Centennial Exhibition , a paper on

'the Gipsies and their l ' riends , " and a biography containing somo rare and interesting information of William ( Jpcott , "The Father of a Fashion . " A new tale is commenced , bearing the title of " The American Senator , " bnt tho progress mado is too slight for us to fovm any judgment yet . " Red Indiana , " with au account of " The

Chippowoy and his Copper Mine , " will serve capitally to while away an odd half-honr , and " Mannekcn " will amuse the youngsters . The following on " . Glamour" merits to be quoted in full . The breath of flowers was on tho breeze ,

And all the odours of the spring;—Amid the gently-budding trees We heard the throstle sing . We watched the tender leaflets cnrl'd ,

No green seemed half so gay before;—A hundred springs may deck tho world , But those green leaves no more ; No , never , never more !

Tho sun drank up tho tears of night , The happy tears of early dew , Each drop became a globe of light With golden-green shot through . We shook them off the primrose flowers ,

No dew seemed half so bright before ; Now winter rain may fall in showers , But those bright drops no more ; No , never , never moro !

Within the bine , unblemish'd skies The infant cloudlets cradled lay , Like new-born souls in Paradise , All clad in white array ; And in our happy eyes that met

Thero shone a light unknown before ; Now suns may rise , and suns may set , But that love-light no more ; No , never , never more !

What may justly be called tho practical part of Cassell s Family Magazine has by far the greatest attraction for us . The fiction is invariably good , and the two tales , ono of which is concluded this month , which havo graced its pages since Christmas , aro no exceptions . The short stories , too , are excellently woll-told . But we incline

rather to such papers as Mr . Payne ' s , on " Wedding Breakfasts . " Mr . Payne ' s advice is always worth having , even though somo may think it too common-sensible to be followed . His suggestions , the nature of which our readers must discover for themselves , aro in excellent taste , especially as regards wines in general , and champagne

in particular . "What is the best education for Girls ? " is , perhaps , a difficult question to answer . It ought not to be , but people ' s ideas about education aro of tho vaguest now-a-days , and a few showy accomplishments havo usurped tho place of systematic training . Hence tho helpless things tho present generation of young women

are growing into . If tho reader would know " How to preserve the Teeth , " let him consult a Family Doctor in these pages . If , and tho season has begun , ho is at a loss what to do in respect of "Potting and Planting , " let him gather a few wrinkles from " A Practical Man . ' If ho is a family man , aud his children are always ailing , let him , or hia wife rather , inquire of Mistress Phil is Browne , who will

forthwith satisfy her curiosity . Or perchance , if Paterfamilias has a limited purse , and his better half is somewhat vague in her ideas of millinery , let him search after the secrets how "Inexpensive Home Millinery " may he prepared . We might run , iu like manner , through woll uigh the whole list of contents , but our readers need no further exhortation from ns . They will , doubtless , go and inquire for themselves .

In the Leisure Hour , " The Tale of tbe American War of Independence" includes somo exciting episodes , not the least exciting among them being an account of tho Battle of Bunker ' s Hill . Then follow two admirable articles , tho first being No . V " . of Canon Kawlinson ' s Series on "Early Civilization , " the subject being "Asia Minor , " and

tho second from the pen of Professor Owen ; on the " Antiquity of Egyptian Civilization , " in which the writer comments ou certain differences of opinion between him aud the Egyptologists as to the Chronology of Egypt : differences which Canon Kawlinson had mado a subject of remark in one of his former papers . "Fiddles" is a

most interesting article , and so is the Rev . W . W . Gills ' s , on "The M immalia of the Pacific . " The " Border Lands " of Islam , the landa tinder notice being the disturbed provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina , offers special attraction at this moment , and there is a short account of the Royal Acadamy , appropriately coinciding with the exhibition

now open at Burlington House . Tho illustration of tho Academy in 1787 is well engraved . " Antiquarian Gossip on the Mouths , " and " Weather Proverbs , " are both noteworthy . Wo hope the two fol . lowing may bo realised . Tho rain we aro having ; may tho hay and the bread follow !

" A wet Mav Will fill a byre full of hay . " " Water in May is bread all tho year . " And yet a third proverb , wo hope , will bo realised ;—" A leaking May aud a warm June Bring on the Harvest vcrv soon . "

Tho following contributions to the Sunday at H ^ me cannot be too highly spciken of— " Vuuitus Vanitatum ! Omnia Valutas ! " and " Nurses for the Needy . " As to their character we need say nothing tho titles are a key to them . Nor must wo omit , to bestow inst words

of praise on the description of " The Albert Chapel at Windsor " or No . VI . of Dr . Stottghtou ' s series of articles . > n " Westminster Abbey . " The rest of the number contains the usual quantum of appropriate matter , and the illustrations , especiall y the illuminated frontispiece , are good .

CHINESE UAKVINC—For Sale , an elaborately carvo-1 Set of Ivory Chessmen . Tho Kings stand 8 i inches high , the other piuccs in proportion . ' Knig iM and Pawns on hirsebrick , all mounted on stand * , with concentric balls . Can bo seen , and full particulars obtained , on application to W . Xf . JIoRGAf , 87 Barbican . Advt ,