Good Words. (Isbister & Co.)—The three serial stories by W.
Ray- mond, F. F. Montresor, and P. de Nanteuil, have a well-sustained interest, and in subject are great contrasts. " Under the Tricolour," by P. de Nanteuil, introduces us to the renowned privateer Surcouf,' and " False Coin or True ? " takes us into the con- fidence of a conjurer and his assistant. The biographical papers include Lord Kelvin, Sir John Millais, and 'a forgotten Sicilian composer, Astorga, who lived in the latter part of the seventeenth century. From the historical papers we may select the most interesting account of Ely Cathedral, by Canon Dickson, and the historical sketch of the Janissaries, by the Rev. Hugh Macmillan. As Ambassadors are an interesting subject just now, we ought also to mention the two articles on " The Lost Ambassador," which relate the extraordinary disappearance of the special envoy, Mr. Bathurst, at Perleberg in 1809. Two very readable social papers are those by P. E. Moulder on " Factory Life ; " nor must we forget the charming account of the "Old Soldiers " at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, by K. T. Hinkson. Science is represented by such various sections as " Niagara Falls and Water-Power," " Voice Figures "—i.e., figures produced by vibration of certain notes—and a thoughtful paper on the symbolical meaning of patterns, entitled "The Lost Soul of Patterns." " The Use of Science to Christians," a series of six articles, is a very careful and reverent study of the subject by E. M. Cailliard. The other articles on religious subjects are all single. The descriptive papers are always fascinating, and include the usual variety, "A Visit to the `Adwin Tribe," by D. G. A. Smith, illustrated by G. Montbard, and articles on "Old Glasgow," " Levada-Walking in Madeira," "A Visit to Nicaragua," and " Life in the Tuscan Mareinma." "With the Destroyers " is an amusing account of some naval manoeuvres. Under the head of "Literature" are grouped some subjects of wide interest ; but we can only mention Mr. Gladstone's four articles on Bishop Butler, "Old Maids' Letters," by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould, and "Bits about Books," by William Canton. "Gold Ornaments and Gems in the British Museum," by A. W. Jarvis, hardly comes under the head of " Literature," but is an interesting paper. Good Words is quite up to the mark, and the illustrations to some of the papers are excellent, and on the whole maintain a very fair average. We may specially admire Mr. Railton's illustrations to Dr. Bridge's Westminster Abbey Organ Loft experiences, and Mr. Ansted's Ely drawings ; also Mr. Montbard's work.
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