Prince Of Wales's Hospital Fund.

PRINCE OF WALES'S HOSPITAL FUND .

IN answer to the special appeal of the Organising Committee , the following amounts have been received at the Bank of England : Colonel Battyc , , £ 50 ; Anonymous , ^ 20 ; Messrs . Burroughs , Wellcome and Co ., ^ 10 10 s ; Mr . A . N . Watts , , £ 5 5 s ; Mr . and Mrs . John Scratton , , £ 3 3 s ; General Anderson , £ 2 ; Mr . H . C . Kay , £ 1 is ; Mr . E . F . Ashley , £ 1 ; Messrs . Bendit Bros ., 7 s 6 d ; H . E . G ., 2 s .

Orphan Working School.

ORPHAN WORKING SCHOOL .

THE Right Honorable the Lord Mayor , Brother Sir Joseph Dimsdale , M . P ., has kindly consented to preside at the 144 th Anniversary Festival of the Orphan Working School , on 4 th March

1902 . The Charity , which was founded in the City of London in 175 8 , maintains and educates some 500 orphan children , and depends for its support on voluntary help . •Bro . Sheriff Marshall P . G . Treas . is the Treasurer of the Institution , in the welfare of which he has for many years taken a deep interest .

Books Of The Day.

BOOKS OF THE DAY .

— : o : — Books , Music , & c . intended for review , should be addressed to the Editor of the Freemason ' s Chronicle , at Fleet Works , New Barnet . — : o : — Butterflies in Amber . By the late Francis Wyman ( 5 s ) . — Ward , ' Lock & Co ., Ltd .

IT was a very natural desire which prompted Mr . Wyman to issue his father's poems in a . collected form , and fortunately for readers many of the pieces are such as we would not willingly lose . We can hardly say we think the late Mr . Wyman is likely to be remembered by posterity as a great poet , but a poet he unquestionably was . The volume before us is one upon which it is not easy

to pronounce an opinion , for , unless we are mistaken , a very wide range of merit arid demerit is exemplified in its pages . Some of the pieces have reminded us forcibly of Praed and Moore , as , for instance , the song on page 49 , and the ballad on page 31 . Moreover , some of the lighter lyrics strike us as being ably conceived and expressed , and they certainly show that Mr . Wyman was not

ashamed to utter the dictates of his heart . But we cannot help adding that there are other pieces in the volume which certainly should never have appeared in the collected poems of any author . As Maeaulay wrote of Southey's jokes , we can quite understand their being written in the first instance , at times when the muse was unusually coy ; but that any man should copy them out ,

send them to the press , read them in proof , and then send them forth into the world passes our comprehension . There are at least twice too many verses in the " Slaver Captain's Doom "indeed , neither the central idea nor the method in which it is treated are of conspicuous merit . Still , the volume , after all

deductions , is much more valuable than many , and contains a few really excellent poems . Every man should love to see the name of his father held in honour , and if only for this reason we trust that "Butterflies in Amber" will be kindly 'received wherever it is found , and thus ' reward its editor for his exemplary labours .

Scientific Research . A view from within . By Stephen Smith , member of the Royal College of Surgeons , England . First Edition ( 2 s ) . —Elliot Stock . WE feel considerable diffidence in expressing anything like a dogmatic opinion upon this volume . It has often occurred to us that in one respect at least such topics resemble matters

ecclesiastical—it is not easy for the layman to interfere efficaciously . So far as we can see the whole question as to the justifiableness of vivisection turns upon two points ; and as both of those points are understood only by specialists in science it is somewhat idle and purposeless to ask others to adjudicate upon them . In the first place , it is necessary to enquire how far experiments which

shall lead to the alleviation of human suffering are possible if the animals experimented upon are dead at the time ; in the second place , it is necessary to enquire as to the nature and extent of animal sensibility to pain . For until the first enquiry is answered it is impossible to say whether vivisection is justifiable at all or not , and until the second is decided it is not easy to say how far we are

justified -in charging with cruelty those physiologists who are in the habit of dissecting living animals . On each of these questions the author of " Scientific Research" has something to say ; but , with all due deference to one who doubtless understands these matters better than we , he has not answered them in a way which

is likely to appeal very strongly to the mere layman who has a taste for dabbling in science . We wish , however , to express our desire that others , when writing upon this vexed question , would do so in that restrained and courteous manner which the author of this little volume has adopted . The illustrations are well prepared , and serve their purpose excellently .

New Century Library ( 2 s net per vol . ) . —T . Nelson and Sons . The Works of SIR WALTER SCOTT , Bart . Vol . xvi ., Quentin Durward . THOSE folk who find time to read much should take the present opportunity and re-read "Quentin Durward "—we do not like to surmise that they have never yet read it . Most men , especially

if not serious students of history , would learn more of the fifteenth century by twice reading this great romance than by many weeks spent upon so-called " histories . " As is usually the case with Scott ' s novels , the men and women in " Quentin Durward '' are real , living personages ; not abstract creations , but concrete realities . The young Scotsman setting out upon his perilous

Books Of The Day.

journey with two ladies of high degree is one of the most truly romantic narratives which we can call to mind , and the long story of his fortunes and misfortunes in the south is one which could hardly be re-wrtiten to advantage by any living writer . " Do not commence your first reading of 'Quentin Durward' at seven n you would sleep at ten" was wise advice .

Vol . xvii ., St . Ronan ' s Well . THE scene amid which this novel is partly enacted must always be sacred in the eves of those who love Scott even better than they love his works ; for it was the scene which witnessed the lovemaking of the Master Craftsman himself . Nor is the story of

" St . Ronan ' s Well " unworthy of its position as one of the novels " by the author of Waverley . " Our readers hardly need to be reminded that the book was not so successful as others from the same indefatigable pen ; but very little so good has been written since that pen was laid aside . Meg Dods , the famous landlady ;

Sir Bingo iand Lady Binks , are quite sufficient in themselves to furnish matter for a romance ; and it is no wonder that of this , as of Scott ' s other stories , edition after edition continues to issue from the press ; and , what is much more , continues to sell . We shall soon see the completion of this fine reprint which we owe to the enterprise of Messrs . Nelson .

BOOKS RECEIVED . New Century Library ( 2 s net per vol . ) . —T . Nelson and Sons . The Works of SIR WALTER SCOTT , Bart . Vol . xix ., The Betrothed , and Chronicles of the Canongate , & c , & c . Vol . xx ., The Taiisman , & c , & c . ******************

The North London Masonic Ball , in aid of the Masonic Charities , is being organised by the usual Committee , and will take place on 21 st January . This time the ball will be at the King ' s Hall of the Holborn Restaurant . The change

from the Freemasons' Tavern is made because at the Holborn it is possible to accommodate all the guests at supper in one room . This year ' s President will hz the sturdy J ohn Potter , of Highbury , one of the most energetic local-Masons , and a veteran supporter of these famous balls .

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