The Beer of the Bible. By James Death. (Triibner and
Co.)— Briefly stated, Mr. Death's argument is that what is rendered in the Passover ordinance as "that which is leavened" is in reality a fermented and eatable paste, known now as "Boom," and that, this being a purely Egyptian product, its use is carried back to a period long before that to which modern criticism is inclined to assign the Mosaic ritual ; in fact, to the times of the actual Exodus. This is an interesting speculation which we mast be content with stating.
The ends of the world are ransacked to please the young people. Here we have Japanese Fairy-Tale Series, told to children by Mrs. T. H. James (published by the Kobansha, 2 Minami Saegicho, Tokyo) ; and from the same publishers, Nedzumi no Yome.iri, which is, by interpretation, The Mouse's Wedding, together with other tales. One of them, "The Battle of the Monkey and the Crab," bears a certain resemblance to the so-called Homeric "Battle of the Frogs and Mice." The pictures are quaint and amusing, some of them we should call really good ; the stories are scarcely equal. But the whole makes a curious and entertaining novelty.
May's British and Irish Press Guide (Fred. L. May and Co.), is described on its title-page as "a classified, concise, and comprehensive index to the Press of the United Kingdom." All newspapers, magazines, reviews, annuals, almanacs, transactions of societies, &c., are enumerated, with particulars of publication, price, year of foundation, &c. There are, it seems, 2,538 newspapers published in the United Kingdom, 680 of which are published in London. Of these, 165 are monthly, or it might be said, trade journals, and 433 weekly. The Liberal newspapers number 608 ; the Conservative, 418. It is noticeable that there are 40 Conservative newspapers in Ireland to 33 Liberal, this being the only part of the United Kingdom where the proportion is not the other way. Six newspapers appear in French, 2 in German, and 15 in Welsh. Spanish and Hebrew claim one each. Of periodical publications not newspapers, there are 1,119, of which 823 are published in London. We have also a liat of Colonial newspapers, and the principal American and foreign newspapers.
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