THE MAGAZINES.

Mn. KNOWLES has been very successful this month, and has

filled the Nineteenth Century with good papers. Two of them, Mr. E. Dicey's on "The Lesson of Birmingham," and Mr. Gladstone's on Italy, we are compelled to notice elsewhere ; and

there are nine more, five at least of which deserve attentive reading. We class among these the Countess of Jersey's "The Hindoo at Home," for though a trip has not taught the authoress all that she thinks it has, or enabled her to under- stand a problem like the progress or decadence of Hindoo- ism—she thinks that strange faith is spreading, but draws

her illustrations from the wrong region—she has in a high degree the faculty of describing a,ll that her eyes have seen. The description of a native city, pp. 655 to 657, the generic native city, be it understood, not any parti- cular one, is the best we can recall in English, and is in its way, the way of the verbal photographer, quite admirable, as is the criticism only just suggested in this paragragh on the Taj :— " It is needless to dwell on the marble dreams of Delhi and Agra. Every curve of every flower, the pomegranates dropping from the arches, the gossamer tracery of the screens, the jewelled glory of the mosaics will never pass from the memory of those who have seen them, and cannot be shown by pen or pencil to those who have not. The Taj, that fairy palace of a love stronger than death, sprung from sunset clouds and silvered by the moon, has but one fault—it is too perfect. Nothing is left to the imagination. There are no mysterious arches, no un- finished columns, nothing is there that seems to speak of human longing and unfulfilled aspiration ; you feel that a conqueror has made Art his slave, and the work is complete; you can demand nothing more exquisite in this world. Nevertheless something is lacking to the original design. The lady of the Taj had desired that Shah Jehan should be buried in another and identical mausoleum, only of black marble, on the opposite side of the Jumna, united with hers by a golden bridge. Aurengzebe, however, said, My parents are not like those birds which must sleep the male on this side of the river, the female on that,' and he showed his respect of their conjugal affection, as also his economy, by burying Shah Jehan by Arjumund."

We have read, we believe, scores of criticisms on the Taj, but do not remember a hint of that explanation of its single weakness, which nevertheless every spectator, even while entranced with admiration, somehow feels. By-the- way, what does Lady Jersey mean by saying a Hindoo priest is "usually a Brahmin"? Is there any exception which the general body either of Brahmins or Hindoos

would allow to be one ?--Miss Black's report of "A Working Woman's Speech" is valuable, because it records the success- ful formation of a woman's Trade-Union,—that of the Notting- ham and Leicester Cigar-Makers. Mrs. Briant tells the story of her long fight for decent wages excellently well, and certainly shows that women can conduct a Trade-Union to success if they are so minded, and if the trade is one requiring a little skill.— Most valuable, too, on a kindred subject, is Mr. Frederic Green- wood's paper on "Misery in Great Cities." Mr. Greenwood writes like a philanthropist who recognises hard facts, but does not despair nevertheless. He begins by admitting that there are and will remain slums in London which cannot be got rid of or improved. In every twelve families there is one black sheep, who remains black, and is, in fact, incapable of true civilisation ; and if you multiply the unit by the popu- lation of London, you have fifty thousand men and women whose homes, call them what you like, will be savage huts. Moreover, it is quite possible that the problem of housing the people properly is insoluble on any principle which would not upset society. Nevertheless, Mr. Greenwood declares that such housing is the condition of advance, and suggests, as the quickest route to it, such a reduction in other expenditures as will allow the workman to house himself properly. He will do it if he can, and he could if, by careful combination, expenses such as firing and cooking were reduced to a minimum. This is a sensible suggestion, realised in Florence as far as the men are concerned, though not realised for their families ; but we are not so sure as he is that a rigid application of supervision will not improve tenement dwellings till the problem is partly solved. His

statement of the difficulties in the way of dispersing work . men is disheartening ; but the electric omnibus may rid us of most of them. They are all economic, for if the work- men who need not live in London will go out of it, there will be plenty of room left for those who must stay by their work. Is he right in laying such emphasis on hot food, a grand difficulty in the problem. Cold meat, if properly cooked, is as nourishing as hot, and most other things are eaten cold, bread, to begin with.—Dr. Geffolten's "Church and State in Germany" is a valuable record of facts, ending in a prayer that the State will leave the Protestant Churches alone, as its control now favours only the sceptical party. Dr. Geffcken, however, insists not only that the

Church must be independent, but that it must have a " suffi- cient endowment" from the State, a view which seems to Englishmen unjust. It is, however, largely accepted on the Continent, and is carried out in the Established Church of Scotland, whose position very nearly realises Dr. Geffcken's ideal.—Mr. Clifford's account of "Father Damien and his Lepers" confirms all the stories hitherto current of the priest's labours among the lepers of Molokai, and his visitation at last

by the dreadful disease. Mr. Clifford, however, has more hope than most visitors, believing that a specific for leprosy has been

discovered. This is gurjun oil,— " The produce of a fir-tree which grows plentifully in the Andaman Islands. Its efficacy was first discovered by Dr. Dougall, and I am assured by Sir Donald Stewart, who was then governor of the islands, and who has sent me the official medical report, that every single case in the place was cured by it. The lepers were convicts, and it was therefore possible to enforce four hours a day of rubbing the ointment all over their bodies, and the taking of two small doses internally. In some of the cases the disease was of many years' standing, and the state to which it had reduced its victims was indescribably dreadful, yet after eight months the sufferers were able to run and to use a heavy pickaxe, and every symptom of leprosy had disappeared."

Father Damien tried the oil, though he disbelieved in it, and in a fortnight it had improved both his face and his health.

The only difficulty in the way of its use is that the disease itself destroys the energy necessary to its persistent appli- cation for months at a time.—Dr. Wace continues his controversy on Agnosticism with Professor Huxley, dis- playing excellent temper and self-control, and on one point—viz., his own assertion, that in rejecting the ele- mentary truths of religion, the Professor rejects the autho- rity of Christ—he clearly gets the better of his antagonist.

Mr. Huxley's view, as Dr. Wace shows, is that Jesus of Nazareth was an orthodox Jew; and of all men, an orthodox Jew must have held the existence of God to be a certainty. One wonders sometimes, with a good deal of doubt, whether the modern ways of conducting controversy through articles like these, inevitable as we fully admit it to be, advances the faith much? Do the readers who hardly read, but only glance at the arguments put before them, get the full benefit of the learning and thought expended? We heard a lady say the other day that Professor Huxley had pulverised Dr. Wace,—not, the intelligence of the speaker being considered, a possible result of careful study of the two sets of papers.—Mr. F. Marshall, in his thoughtful paper on "Society and Democracy in France," occupies him- self mainly with the effect of democracy on the position of Frenchwomen, which he finds wholly " saddening." He thinks that Frenchwomen gained their high position in France through their influence on "society," and that democracy is shunting society out of its way. That is true more or less; but can any Government exist without in the end forming an in- fluential "society "P And if formed in France, .wamen will exercise over it a great influence. It is, however, true that women are less conspicuous in this Republic than in any other previous experiment in government.

Macmillan's Magazine, in which Mr. W. Clark Russell con- tinues his admirable sea-novel, "Marooned," much his best

piece of work of late years, contains an article on swearing by Mr. Arthur Gaye, called by the quaint title "By —P" He makes one definite, though, of course, half-ironical suggestion, and one blunder. Recognising that an oath is with many men not really an imprecation, but only a verbal explosion which actually relieves the inner wrath, he suggests that "surely the ingenuity of some master of language could devise for us a table of imprecations which, on the one hand, should be abundantly ' mouth-filling ' and satisfy the keenest critic of point and pungency, while, on the other, they shot( d not offend against decency or religions scruples. Almost anything would be better than the current profanities and ineptitudes which constitute the vain and rash swearing' of the average 'Christian man.' If we must swear, let the operation be con- ducted, like so many others nowadays, elegantly yet effectively, on true South Kensington lines." That has been done in New England, but without much success, human nature under ex- citement preferring the old "damn." Mr. Gaye doubts the origin of the unpleasant word "bloody," so much used by the uneducated as an intensive. We thought it bad been conclusively shown in Dr. Murray's Dictionary that the word is old, that it always has been used as an intensive, and that the educated use it now in its proper sense when they speak of a "bit of blood," or a person of blood, the old phrase for a man of degree. The word means nothing but "of rank," and "bloody bad" is bad among bads. Its sudden adoption is due to the wish to give to adjectives an adventitious strength, which marks everybody to-day, from the orator to the bargee.

The best paper in Blackwood, or at least the most interesting, is "Conversations in a Studio," by Mr. W. W. Story. Here is the sculptor's opinion of his own art as compared with

painting :—

"In one sense, sculpture is the higher art, in my estimation— for the reason that, while its means are far more limited, its requisitions are greater and higher. It is at once more positive and more ideal. It has the highest requirements and the poorest means. Its ends are more difficult, its beginnings far more easy. To mould the pliant clay into some sort of material resemblance to any form is not difficult—it is in the grasp of almost every one. But to conceive a great statue and embody a noble idea—not simply by imitation of the model, but by a grand treatment of form, and a noble character of design and expression,—this is doubtless as difficult a task as can be set to an artist. There is every grade, from a mud-pie of a child to the work of Phidias. But, on the other hand, painting has the great requirements of tone and harmonious colouring which are avoided in sculpture, so that these difficulties nearly balance each other. Again, painting is more illusory, more imitative, more literal in its aims. It may please and enchant by literal reproductions of actual facts in nature. The whole field of genre, the facts and incidents of daily life, and the wide range of landscape, are open to it; while in sculpture a higher and more restricted class of subjects is demanded, and a nobler treatment of forms. It cannot stoop to genre without losing its true characteristics. It has only form to deal with, it is true, but that form must be ideal in its character, and while in nature, must also be above nature. If it content itself with copying the model, it degenerates into common-place, and abdicates its highest functions. The pure imitation which pleases in painting by creating a partial illusion, is denied to sculpture. Besides, a statue must be right, harmonious, and effective from every point of view and in every light and shade. And, last, sculpture is restricted for the most part to a single figure, or at most to two or three, and into this everything must be put. In a word, it is the most material and the most ideal art. Each, however, has its great difficulties, and it is idle to put one above the other."

—There is a paper on the Riviera, dealing necessarily with old subjects, but noticeable for a sly humour most pleasant in

a day when humour is becoming as scarce in the Magazines as in the House of Commons or in Ireland.

The majority of papers in the Fortnightly Review are a little dry, though Colonel Maurice's article on the influence which

soldiership may exercise on modern thought is full of sugges- tion; and we want space for the best thing in the magazine, an account of a scene at the Court of Napoleon III. We have before said that M. Arsene Houssaye's account of Alfred de Musset leaves on our minds an unfavourable opinion of his friend ; but that does not prevent our recognising the admirable comedy of this historic scene. De Musset, who, it seems, habitually acted like a spoiled child, and, besides, drank to give himself spirit for a scene, had, after a hundred refusals, quarrels, and reconciliations, agreed to read a play to the Emperor and Empress. He appeared at the Tuileries, dressed to the nth, and began to read :— " But presently he made both Emperor and Empress feel very

uneasy, because a third royalty, his Majesty King Gold, came into the drawing-room unannounced. I had never seen such a thing happen at the Tuileries, but so it was. Baron James de Roth- schild crossed the threshold without drum or trumpet. Although he was a recognised royal personage, still the folding doors had not been ceremoniously thrown open to him. No doubt he owed his position to the fact that his relations at the Court were almost those of sovereign with sovereign ; but he also owed it to his skill in telling anecdotes and amusing the Empress. Story-tellers have always made their fortune at Court, where there are too many rhetoricians and too many dumb persons. M. de Rothschild had been told that de Musset was reading a comedy. He did not come to listen to the play, but he supposed that a spectator like himself could do no harm. So in he walked (Sensation in the room). The Baron nodded, as if to say no one need be disturbed on his account. He spread out his arms as though to calm the troubled waves. Who is that person ?' said de Musset, suddenly starting up. He looked at me. I said, A royal personage. Don't you recognise M. de Rothschild ?' Then he turned to the Empress. 'Well, I shall not go on reading my play to your Majesty, for I did not invite M. de Rothschild to hear it.' The situation was becoming dramatic. M. de Rothschild, who was leaning against the mantel- piece, said aloud, Monsieur Alfred de Musset, you can go on.' The poet misunderstood him ; he thought the Baron spoke in a patronising manner. He turned to me, But he has not paid for his seat. What right has he to hear my play?' He rolled up his manuscript. Whatever does it matter to you ?' I said to him. And the Empress actually condescended to rise in order to calm his feelings. But like a man of breeding who has drawn his sword, he would not sheathe it. Madame, you are as gracious as you are lovely. I raised no objections to reading to your Majesty, but no power on earth will compel me to read to M. de Rothschild.' = But you forget that he is a man of taste.' The Emperor saw that nothing could disarm Alfred de Musset. He too had risen from his chair. He went straight up to M. de Rothschild, who on his side would not give way to the poet. I regret to cause an in- terruption,' said he, but M. Alfred de Musset is mistaken if he fears that he will bore me with his play. Why, I saw one of his plays yesterday, and liked it exceedingly. It was It fait gu'une porte soit ouverte ou terraCe.' The Emperor smiled. Yes, Monsieur de Rothschild,' said he, 'a door must be either open or shut.' The Baron saw what was meant, but he was not the man to submit easily. If I was not afraid,' he said in plain tones, of being discourteous to M. de Musset, I should not wait here until he had finished reading his play. I should be satisfied with applauding him at the Theatre Francais.' The Baron spoke in a loud voice. De Musset, grinding his teeth as usual, murmured, That is a right which you buy and pay for at the door.' Every one pretended not to hear him. M. de Rothschild heard it plainly enough, but he wished at least to retire gracefully. He went straight up to the Empress and kissed her hand ; after doing so he bowed low to de Musset with mock respect- fulness. Then he said to me, When will you produce this

masterpiece Never,' I replied.—' Never ?'—` It was written for the Tuileries Theatre.' My Lord Million fancied he could take

his revenge. said be, so much the better ; we shall not have to pay for our seats.' He was on the point of turning the laugh in his favour, but by ill-luck be asked the name of the play. De Musset replied with a superfine irony, L'Ane et le Ruisseau.'— ‘ Ah, I see,' said the Baron, the donkey does not cross the Rubi- con; he is a philosopher.' Thereupon he bowed himself out. The Empress said to de Musset, You see that every one here submits to your orders, and that you make every one witty.' The poet bowed and opened his manuscript again."

It is curious that it is the Emperor, who is so often accused of want of readiness, who on this occasion showed himself the gentleman.

Dr. Dale's account of Mr. Bright, in the Contemporary Review, is an addition to our knowledge of the deceased statesman. Dr. Dale brings out not only the deep religious faith of his friend, but a certain austerity of mind in him which separated him by miles from most of our modern philanthropists. He held that as men sow, so shall they reap, and though capable of violent indignation against injustice to any class, he thought that the State should do little or even nothing to help any one :—" The State—this, I think, was Mr. Bright's judgment—should be inflexibly just. It exists for the punishment of evil-doers, and the praise of them that do well. It has fulfilled its duty when it has instituted such laws, and so administered them, that it can say to all its citizens, What a man soweth, that shall he also reap.'" Dr. Dale confirms the popular belief as to Mr. Bright's habitual reading of the English poets, and tells us the extremely odd fact that he read through Paradise Regained every Sunday evening. Happily, however, for Mr. Bright's reputation as a critic, he adds that his attraction to that poem was not its poetry, but its moral wisdom. Mr. Bright knew even the minor poets of the last century, and had read Whittier and admired The Epic of Hades. One day, when waiting in Scotland with Mr. Fawcett for the weather to clear up, Mr. Bright, "to pass the time, recited to him, for several hours, single verses and long passages from poets of every rank, famous and obscure, interspersing the quotations with comments. It must have been his habit for many years to commit to memory the lines which impressed him."—The essay on "Imitation as a Factor in Haman Progress," by Lord Justice Fry, is a mine of curious facts, not always, how- ever, at first sight correlated. We do not remember to have seen before, what, of course, must be true, that the faculty of attention differs exceedingly in animals of the same genus, and is the key to the differences in their power of learning. A showman who bought monkeys from the Zoological Gardens, offered twice their usual price if he might keep them a few days before selecting. A monkey, he said, who, while being trained, would look at a fly on the wall, was hopeless. The Lord Justice's theory is that the cause of conscious imitation as well as unconscious, is the desire for economy of labour, it being easier to do what we have seen done. He thinks that imitation has played an immense part in the education of the human race, and is inclined to explain the dominance of habit as a continuous imitation of ourselves. He even carries his belief in the influence of the desire to imitate into the domain of religion, and holds that the desire to imitate Christ is a great operative force in society. There is some confusion here between imitation, and "doing like unto," which are not precisely equivalent ideas ; but the whole paper is full of curious thoughts, one or two of them very original.— Mr. Burt, in "Labour in Parliament," argues strongly in favour of leaving workmen self-reliant, and minimising the action of the State ; but he betrays occasionally a Socialistic leaning on particular points. He calls a royalty rent, for instance, an oppression. Why is it an oppression any more than the rent for a loan called interest ? Because the mine-owners have a monopoly? So have the owners of capital.—We do not see much that is original in Mr. T. V. Tymms's answer to the agnostic theory, but he puts his case frequently with unusual force and terseness. It would be difficult to sum up the ultimate difference between Christian and sceptic in fewer words than these :—" We walk by faith, not by sight,' is the Christian motto. We walk by sight, and not by faith,' is a true summary of the Agnostic creed."—Mr. Grant Allen, in "Individualism," is worth reading to show how far some of our modern Radicals really go towards confiscation. He only wants the "nationalisation of raw material," which includes, as he explains, all agricultural land, "rock, coal, metal, waterways, natural scenery, and the actual emplacement of our cities, towns, and villages." He does not ask for the nationalisation of the sky, and has by some over- sight forgotten the forest trees, and electric force, which, if all natural things belong to the whole people, must be included in their property.—Lord Hartington sends an introduction to a series of statements in favour of tech- nical education, intended to counterbalance the depressing effect of Lord Armstrong's recent narrative of the experience of his firm. The sum and substance of all the statements is that our competitors abroad beat us by the superior training they give the young before they become apprentices to the practical work. In regard to agriculture, Sir T. Dyke Acland's opinion is, however, unfavourable. He would train the mind of a young farmer as much as possible, but "I must say, without hesitation, that to attempt to master the many sciences which bear on agriculture, as some persons appear to propose, is to attempt an impossibility." The statements strike us as far from conclusive, except as to the superior workman- ship of journeyman upholsterers who have passed through the schools of art.