Reviews.

and concisely set forth , so that we virtually have a history of the Steam Engine in all its stages . So in the chapters on " Light , " the experiments of Sir Isaac Newton , and other men of eminence are referred to , so that , here again , we gain some insight into the progress which the world had made in the science of optics previous to tho nineteenth century . Having said this much as to the manner in

which Mr . Routledge has accomplished his task , which , with the exception of the chapters on "Shells and explosive Bullets , " "the Suez Canal , " and " Sand Experiments , " by Mr . J . H . Pepper , embraces the whole volume , we shall best indicate the character of the book by noticing the subjects that are touched upon . These are firstly , " Steam Engines , " " the Locomotive , " " Portable Engines , "

" tbe Steam Hammer . " Then follows a long chapter on " Iron , " and then others on " Tools , " " Railways , " and " Steam Navigation . " We are next told about " Ships of War , " " Fire-arms , " and " Torpedoes . " Mr . Pepper's papers on that marvellous achievement of M . de Lesseps , " The Suez Canal , " and " Sand Experiments , " follow , after which come accounts of " Iron Bridges , " Printing Machines , "

" Rock-boring , " "Light , " "Electricity , " "the Electric-Telegraph , " "Lighthouses , " "Photography , " "Aquaria , " " Mineral Combustibles , " and finally "the greatest discovery of the age , " that force , like matter , is indestructible , and that it can no more be created than can matter . Having thus briefly indicated the principal contents of the volume , and having borne most willing testimony to tbe admirable

manner in which the author has done his work , the care that he has taken in its arrangement— a care that is noticeable throughout—and the amount of labour and research which he must have gone through before a single line was written , we must leave it to our readers to judge for themselves of tho matter it contains . The work is one of those without which a general library can hardly be desoribed as

complete , and will be found especially useful to the more advanced school boy , whose ideas are sufficiently developed for him to understand popular scientific works , and who is at the same time eager in his pursuits after scientific knowledge . We predict a large amount of popularity among this class of readers for Mr . Routledge ' s account

of the " discoveries and inventions " of this century , and as the season for tho giving of gifts is distaut only a few weeks , we should suggest this volume as a very choice specimen of the gift-book , containing as it doe 3 the merits of a handsome exterior , a great array of well chosen and effective illustrations , and a well nigh inexhaustible store of valuable information .

Magazines Of The Month.

MAGAZINES OF THE MONTH .

Blackwood has an excellent programme , one or two of the articles being specially interesting . The opening contribution , on "The French War Preparations for 1870 , " discloses to us a state of things for which we should never have given credit to our gallant neighbours , and which shows how woefully deceived the late Emperor must have boen by his war office authorities . No wonder the Germans found

themselves before Paris in less than two mouths time from the outbreak of hostilities , having in tho meantime defeated MacMahou and Frossard , captured the Emperor and the remnant of his gallant army at Sedan , and shut up Bazaine iu and around Metz , after a series of most desperate battles . We hope our military authorities will listen to the warning and be prompt in taking measures for tho better

organisation of our small but costly army . In Part v II . of " The Dilemma , " we are brought near to the end of the Mutiny . Lucknow has fallen , aud only a few scattered bands remain to be stamped out . We see but little of Mrs . Falkland , who , on the death of her husband , retired to the Hills for the sake of security , but Yorko takes a

prominent part ana greatly distinguishes himself . " lhe Dutch and their Dead . Cities , " as well as the "Legends and Folk-lore of North Wales , " are most interesting , but the article we like best of all is the closing one , on weather . After marking certain differences as to the climate and weather , the writer pursues the subject thus : —

" All sorts of rales are applicable to climate , but none are applicable to weather . Climate is monarchy , weather is anarchy . Climate is a constitutional government , whose organisation we see and understand ; latitude and altitude are its king and queen ; dryness and dampness are its two houses of parliament ; animal and vegetable products are its subjects ; and the isothermal lines are its newspapers ;

but weather is a red hot radical republic , all excitements and uncertainties , a despise ? of old rnles , a hater of proprieties and order . Climate is a great stately soverign , whoso will determines the whole character of the lives and habits of his retainers , but whose rule is regular , and is therefore so little felt that it seems like liberty ; but weather is a capricious cruel tyrant , who changes his decrees

every day , and who forces us , by his ever varying whims , to remember that we are slaves . Climate is local ; weather is universal . Wo are indifferent to climate because we are accustomed to it , but wo are dependent on weather bocause wo never know what form it will take to-morrow . Climate is the rule ; weather is the exception . Climate is dignity ; weather is impudence . "

A neater style of writing , which , by tho way , is followed up throughout the wholo article , we have rarely seen . We should greatly prefer , however , that our English climate had fewer of the characteristics which the writer ascribes to weather . We fear that , as regards this country , weather is the rule , and climate tho

exception , unless we regard the latter as being regular by reason of its irregularities . But , trifling objections apart , we feel sure our readers will be delighted with the article , and as it purports to be one of a series on " Various Subjects , " wo may confidently look forward to a like pleasure for some months to come .

Part I . of a short story by Mary Cecil May , entitled "Under Life ' s Key , " heads the list of contents in this month's Belyravia . It is effectivel y written , and contains one or two mysterious incidents , for the explanation of which we must wait patiently till next month . Mr . Escott ' s paper on " English Journalism in 1832 and 1874 , " which is described as " A Criticism and a Contrast , " does Wm very great credit . He

Magazines Of The Month.

marks tho contrast between these two epochs iu English journalism with admirable jndgmont , while the tribute of respect he pays to the late Mr . Albany de Fonblanque will be accepted as just by all people who have studied the history of journalism . Among the " People whom we Miss , " Mr . Percy Boyd brings beforo us this month one Statesman , whose name will always be spoken of lovingly as well as

respectfully , we mean the late Lord Palmerston , who , while possessing great abilities , great force of character , and unrivalled powers of work , was perhaps appreciated rather for his kindliness and geniality than for the great qualities he undoubtedly possessed . Among the other contributions we have noted a favourable criticism of Mr .

Henry Irving ' s " Macbeth , at tbe Lyceum , " " My Uncle , " by Edward Sala , and "Peeps at Domestic Life in India . " The illustrations are capitally drawn . The Belgravia Annual is announced to appear on the 10 th instant , and we are promised , next mouth , the opening chapters of a new novel by Miss Braddon .

We have , in Temple Bar , the third and last chapter of " Basil ' s Faith , " a story full of incident , and showing great constructive power on the part of the author ; an admirable sketch of the great "Richelieu , " a sensible paper on "The Pleasures and Drawbacks of Travelling , " and a well written account of one of the most

important of " The Campaigns of Napoleon I ., " namely , the one which terminated with his hard fought victory of Wagram , and in the course of which he experienced his first serious cheok—at Aspern , by the Arch Duke Charles . There is further , a pleasant description of " A Spanish Hill Town . "

Both the serials which have been so long current in Oassells Family Magazine are concluded this month . We are sorry Mrs . Banks has , to use a somewhat vulgar expression , so " piled up the agony" in the closing chapters . They seem to smack somewhat of the last scene in some desperate tragedy , when a good half of the personages get killed or seriously maltreated . Aspinall junior was

brute enough already , without beiug made to slash his wife ' s -houldors with his sabre , and horsewhip her times out of number , while poor Clegg had suffered already by losing Angusta's hand without its being necesssary he should marry , and so soon after lose his wife and children . However , Jabez and Augusta are at length united , aud after that event , of course , all goes merrily enough , especially as

the former , the once despised Blnecoat , has attained a position of eminence as " A Manchester Man . " Mr . Mauville Fenn contributes " A Sketch with" a Moral , " entitled " In an Empty House . " Thore is a domestic article or two , one on " Little Children : How to feed them , " another containing the usual " Chit-Chat on Dress , " while the Gatherer furnishes some capital notes on such topics as "New

Houses for the Working Classes , " "Cattle on a Sea Voyage , " and " Storing Fruit for the Winter . " The word " Winter , " by tho way , reminds ns that we have omitted to note the very useful , homely suggestions contained in the article on "Winter Evenings : How shall we spend them ? " Any of our readers who may be at a loss how to pass the long winter eveniugs will do well to consult this number of Cassell ' s Family Magazine

Tho Westminster Papers contains , besides a careful review of " Tho Chess World" during the past mouth , and some excellent dramatic criticism , some verses , sigued Z ., and entitled " My Gonquoror . " Chess , like Masonry , is hardly adapted to poetry , but Z . has achieved a great success . His verses are capital , and we hope , if this is his first essay , it will , at all events not be Iii 3 last .

We give the last stanza : — Yonr Queen thinks her foes too enraptured To harm her wherever she moves ; And coolly declines to be captured ,

When daring unfortunate proves . With triumph and victory laden , , Their efforts she treats with disdain ; Ah , say is she not like the maiden My heart has been suing in vain ?

There are three leaders — if we may so describe them — in the Canadian Masonic News , which will meet , as they certainly deserve to meet , with the approval of our readers . These are severally entitled , " The Principles of Freemasonry—Their Origin , " " The Claim of Masonry to be a Moral and Social Institntian , " and " The Mason ' s Voyage after Truth . "' If our spaco permits , we hope to reproduce one , if not the whole three . We trust wo

shall find room for all , for it would certainly puzzle us to make a selection , so equal are their merits . Of the other contents , we can speak in the warmest praise of the address delivered by Grand Z . at the annual convocation of the Grand Chapter of Canada on 12 th August last , and Bro . Jacob Norton contributes one of a series of papers on " The Successive Aims of the Masonic Fraternity , " containing much valuable information .

On two previous occasions we quoted an acrostic by M . A . Baiucs , one from Tinsleys' and the other from Colburn ' s New Monthly . A third from the same pen , and exhibitiug equal skill aud ability , appeared in the latter magazine for October , but the pressure on our space has been far heavier than usual theso last few weeks , and , moreover , the number did not reach us in time for our usual notice at the beginning of the month . Hence tho delay this week in

reproducing the following lines on October : — 0 ' er hill and dale , now Autumn wends her way , C areful to blend the tints with painter ' s skill , T o give the landscape still a richer hue ; 0 r like dissolving views , which , as we gaze , B lend each with each , till one is lost to sight : E ach month thus follows mouth , and leads us on , R egardless of our loss : in that we gain .

CLUB HOUSE PIATJNO CAMS . —Mogul Quality , picked Is 3 d per pack , 14 a per dozen packs . Do . seconds Is per pack , lis per dozen packs . If by post l 4 d per pack extra . Cards for Piquet , Bezique , Ecavte " , & c , Mogul Quality lOd pei pack , 9 s por dozen packs , —London : W . W . Morgan , 67 Barbican , E . C