Books Of The Day.

Books of the Day .

Books , Music , & c . intended for review , should be addressed to the Editor of the Freemason ' s Chronicle , * at Fleet Works , New Barnet . — : o : — The Georgics of Virgil . Translated by R . D . Blackmora , M . A . ( Is )—Sampson Low , Marston , and Co ., Limited . THIS little volume makes a very eloquent appeal to our sympathies ; for it was the work of one of the most eminent of the many men of genius recently taken from us . That Mr . Richard Blackmore was truly a prose poet

was known to all readers of that exquisite romance " Lorna Doone , " and this admirable rendering o £ the Georgics of Virgil shows how happy a knack of versification he likewise possessed . Mr . Blackmore has more finish than strength ; he is an imitator of Pope and of Cowper rather than of Dryden or Churchill . Indeed , the distinctive qualities of these couplets , their strength and their weakness alike , are sufficiently obvious . They are almost as carefully finished as the Epistle to Arbuthnot , nor do they lack the

condensation of the Progress of Error ; but they have not the swing and energy of Absolom and Abitophel or The Conference . Perhaps the following lines , from the fourth hook , have more of Pope than any other lines in the volume : " Now ( an I were not in a wearied sort , Just furling sail , and running into port ) ,

Rich gardens might I still attempt to sing , And all the troubles whence the beauties spring ; The beds where twice the Paestan roses blow , The endives joy to drink the runnel's flow , Banks green with parsley , and waylost in grass What lordly paunch our encumbers amass . "

In fact , it may be safely said that Mr . Blackmore has here done everything that the nature of his task would permit . As our readers are aware no exact translation is possible from verse into verse . At hest such a rendering can be but a paraphrase , the sense of which approximates more or less nearly to the sense of the original . Young ladies who read French will readily understand our meaning—they have only to imagine a translation of the

Paradise Lost into French verse ! But as a paraphrastic rendering of the Georgics of Virgil in finished heroic couplets this little book is worthy of all praise . We hope other readers may enjoy its pages as heartily as we have done . The classics are , we fear , rather in the shade just at present ; but perhaps this book may kindle a fresh enthusiasm for the " dog-eared Virgil " of our youth .

Lord Roberts of Kandahar , V . C . The life story of a great soldier . By Walter Jerrold . With nine illustrations ( 2 s 6 d net ) . —S . W . Partridge and Co . MB . WALTER JEEROLD has written a good biography of Lord Roberts—the man of the hour . To do this was a somewhat difficult task , for Lord Roberts has written his own life story with conspicuous ability in his book entitled " Forty-oneyears in India , " which we reviewed in these columns a few weeks

back . This concise biography by Sir . Jerrold is to the larger work what the " Student's Gibbon" is be the monumental work of the great historian . Yet we will candidly acknowledge that this book is something mora than a mere epitome . The writer has that true sympathy with , and appreciation of his subject , without which biography is seldom well written . He has , moreover , no small literary skill , and can narrate a plain story with perspicuity . Readers will find in this book a trustworthy and very readable summary of

the chief events in the life of a great soldier—a man as familiar with the realities of regiments and battles as others are familiar with their written records . We congratulate Mr . Jerrold upon the fact that , while touching upon all the important episodes of Lord Roberts's career , he has avoided the common error of giving undue prominence and space to any one event to the detriment of the rest . This book is well printed and tastefully bound . May its success be commensurate with its deserts .

Black Jamaica . A study in evolution . By W . P . Livingstone . —Sampson Low , Marston , and Co ., Limited . WE are rapidly approaching an era in which everything will be reduced to a science . Purchasers of "Black Jamaica" will be disappointed if they look for an animated description of the beautiful island or an entertaining narrative of life and adventure in Kingston , or in the forests of the interior . Mr . Livingstone has rightly described his work as a study in evolution . It is

unquestionably a very able study indeed . There is here much matter for earnest and profitable reflection . The fortunes of the island of Jamaica are traced from the importation of African labour to the present day , from the standpoints of political and domestic economy , of missionary enterprise , of morality , and of religion . Some readers will find many of Mr . Livingstone ' s pages rather dry , but we can assure them that every word of " Black Jamaica " is well worth reading . The weakness and the strength of the negro ; the

obstinate folly of many of the early planters ; the ever varying fortunes of the sugar industry ; the moral and social evolution of the community in general ; the terrible uprising in the days of Governor Eyre and the present position and outlook , all these subjects are discussed in a manner at once judicious and impartial . Messrs . Sampson Low and Co . have put these pages in a very tasteful and attractive cover , and corning as it does in the thick of the " Imperial" fervour " Black Jamaica " should find many readers .

A Glimpse of the Tropics , or , four months cruising in the West Indies . By E . A . Hastings Jay , LL . B ., F . R . G . S . With illustrations . —Sampson Low , Marston , and Co ., Limited . SOME of the London daily papers have spoken very highly of this volume . We are not surprised , for it is delightful reading from the first page to the last . No iorm or composition lends itself more readily to artistic treatment than personal narrative , and the only serious rivals to the newest fiction

are the autobiographies of adventurers and voyagers . Mr . Hastings Jay has travelled and sojourned in sunny climes and among beautiful scenes which are pictures and poems in themselves ,, and it is therefore matter for small wonder that a writer of his ability should have so well succeeded in making a fascinating volume out of his experiences . We need hardly say that one thinsr strongly to the front in this volume is the rapid progress in general

civilisation which is evinced nmong these isles in tropic seas . Anyone who will take the trouble to read Hartley Coleridge ' s volume on the West Indies , Froude ' s Oceana , and Lord Brassey ' s article on the same subject some few year's back , will appreciate the vast strides in general progress so clearly marked lor all who follow Mr . Jay as Vie leads them from isle to isle . There are so many interesting passages that , in trying to make a selection , we feel troubled , like the French , by the embarrassment of riches . But we may

Books Of The Day.

mention the trip to the sulphur springs of St . Lucia ; the bronze-coloured nigger boys fishing and diving for coins in the bay of St . Pierre ; the visits to Ewarfcon and Moneague in Jamaica , among the orange groves and silk-cottons and mangoes , with the outlines of Kingston Harbour and the Blue Mountain Range away on the indistinct horizon . Any sample of this book can give but

a poor idea of the richness and variety of the whole . The illustrations are many of them beautifully printed ; and clear type and light , rough paper , make this volume easy to read and comfortable to handle . Wo almost fear that some youths , after reading " A glimpse of the Tropics " will be tempted to desert their homes for fresh fields and pastures new .

Just published , Crown 8 vo ., Cloth , 5 s . MILITARY LODGES . The Apron and the Sword , or Freemasonry under Arms ; being an account of Lodges in Regiments and Ships of War , and of famous soldiers and sailors ( of all countries ) , who have belonged to the Society , together with biographies of distinguished Military and Naval

Brethren , and anecdotes showing the influence of Masonry in warfaie . By Robert Freke Gould ( late 31 st Foot , barrister-at-law ) Past Senior Grand Deacon of England , P . M . Nos . 92 and 2076 London , 153 Gibraltar , 570 Shanghai , and 743 1 st Batt . East Surrey Regiment , & c . Author of " The History of Freemasonry , " and other Works . Gale and Polden , Ltd ., 2 Amen Corner , London ; and Aldershot .

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"THE GRAND SANHEDRIM " A Paper for reading- at Royal Arch Chapters , & c . BY OELTON COOPBK , M . E . Z . 483 , H . 1928 , Price thirteen pence , post free from BRO . ALFRED H . COOPER , PUBLISHER , 19 COLEMAN STREET , LONDON , E . C ., or from " Freemason ' s Chronicle Office , " New Barnet .

Book Received.

BOOK RECEIVED .

The Cathedral Church of Saint Paul , An account of the old and new building , with a short historical sketch . By the Rev . Arthur Dimock , M . A . ( Is 6 d ) . —George Bell and Sons . The Literary Year-book and Bookman ' s Directory for 1900 . Edited by HerbertMorrah , ( 8 s 6 d ) . —George Allen . Babes in the Bush . By Rolf Boldrewood ( 6 s ) . — Macmillan and Co ., Limited .

Life and Correspondence of Thomas Arnold , D . D . Sometime headmaster of Rugby School , and Regius Professor of Modern History' in the University of Oxford . By Arthur Penrhyn Stanley , D . D ., Dean of Westminster . With portrait and full-page illustrations ( 2 s ) . —Ward , Lock and Co ., Limited . Cinder-Path Tales . By William Lindsey ( 3 s 6 d ) . —Grant Richards .

From Sea to Sea and other sketches . Letters of Travel . By Rudyard Kipling . 2 vols ( 6 s each)—Macmillan and Co ., Limited . The Problem of South African Unity . By W . Basil Worsfold ( 6 d ) . — George Allen . The Money Sense . A Novel . By John Strange Winter ( 6 s ) . —Grant Richards .

Mr . Thomas Atkins . By E . J . Hardy , M . A ., Chaplain to the Forces ( 6 s ) . T . Fisher Unwin . From Capetown to Ladysmith . An unfinished record of the South African War . By G . W . Steevens , edited by Vernon Blackburn . Second impression ( 3 s 6 d ) . —William Blackwood and Sons .

To A Shamrock.

To A SHAMROCK .

IF it were days when glad religion's light Had not dispersed the darkness of the past ; When men were heathen and the king of night . Upon them all his gloomy blackness cast . I'd be content to have thee for my god—To kneel with clasped hands and pray to thee ,

To worship e'en thy birthplace—that dear clod Which gave thee life and sent such joy to me . But pilgrim-like I still may haunt thy Isle And kiss the emerald of thy glist'ning leaf While voices whisper—every bud's a smile And every stem a comforter of grief . Such is thy power to calm the heart ' s dull ache I'd almost be a Pagan for thy sake 1 CHAS . F . FOBSHAW , LL . D . Bradford .

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The Freemason ' s Chronicle . A Weekly Record of Masonic Intelligence . Published every Saturday , price 8 d . 13 s 6 d per annum , post free . THE FREEMASON'S CHRONICLE will be ioTwaruea direct irom the Office , Fleet Works , Bulwer Road , New Barnet , on receipt of remittance for the amount . — : o : — Scale of Charges for Advertisements . Page ... ... ... ... ... £ 10 10 0 Births , Marriages , and Deaths Is per line . General Advertisements , Trade Announcements , & c , narrow column , 5 s per inch . News column Advertisements Is per line . Special terras for a series of insertions or particular positions on application , BOOKBINDING in all its branches . Prices on application . Morgan , Freemason ' s Chronicle Office , New Barnet .