CURRENT LITERATURE.
THE laNOIL MAGAZINES.
Besides a fresh instalment of the delightful " Etchingbam Letters," and the first chapters of a new story by Mr. S. R.
Crockett, "Little Anna Mark," which threatens to be very sensa- tional—presenting already an exceptionally brutal parricide— there are several excellent short stories and miscellaneous articles in the January number of the Carnhiil. Mr. Henry Martley's " The Diplomacy of Ellis Minor" is a very clever and drily humorous story of school life and a schoolmaster's love. Miss Edith Sichel discourses pleasantly of " Women as Letter writers"; Lady Broome, skilfully utilising one of Isaac Watts's most famous lines, dwells at not too great length on "The Humours of Bird- life " ; and there is more of tender mercy than iron justice in Mr. W. B. Duffield's study of Daniel O'Connell. Mr. Robert Bridges sings, in almost too severely simple verse, the praises of Giovanni Dupre, sculptor and writer, who was "number'd with the saints, not among them who painted saints."
The January number of the Gentleman's Magazine contains a considerable number of informing articles, such as " The Romance of Whaling," "The Names of the Stars," and "The Poets' Heaven." " The Ghostly Adventure of Peter Nicholas" is well written, though almost aimless. The most notable of the contents of this number is "The Last Voyage of Boat-steerer Nicholson," a story of adventure, privation, and heroic repent- ance, told with both simplicity and force by Mr. Harold Bindloss.
The January number of the Argosy suggests, above all things, the desirability of its conductors putting fresh blood into it. The new serial, "The Tower Gardens," indeed, opens well, but the short stories are hardly even of average excellence. Mrs. Henry Wood's " The Scapegoat," in particular, is hardly worthy of her reputation. Of the contents of the familiar "padding " nature, "Ghosts and Healing Waters" alone calls for any notice; it contains much interesting information well condensed.
The Home Counties Magazine is a new well-printed and well- illustrated antiquarian magazine (price 1s. lid.), which has been launched under the competent editorship of Mr. W. J. Hardy, and whose title indicates the constituency which it specially intends to cultivate. The contents are sufficiently varied ; the danger which the editor has specially to guard against is scrappiness. "The Church and Parish of Warfield" and "Great Marlow Bridge" are admirable papers of their kind.
Good Words for 1899 makes a bright beginning. Mr. Neil Munro. the romancist of the West Highlands, begins a new story, "The Paymaster's Boy," which in a far-off sort of way recalls Mr. Hardy's "Trumpet-Major. Gilian, a curious Highland boy, loses his grandmother, and is in effect, thrown upon the mercy of a hard-drinking Waterloo'-NAV vitO goes by the name of the Paymaster. At the present moment it would be rash to say more than that Mr. Munro's new story—which may or may not turn out to be a romance—opens pleasantly. There are some excellent " miscellaneous " papers, such as an account of a visit to Whittier, by Mr. Edmund Gone; "Lord Leighton, Painter of the Gods," by Sir Wyke Bayliss ; and " The Gaiety of Martin Luther," by Mr. William Cowan.
The Navy occupies a much more important position in the United Service Magazine- than the Army, as was perhaps to be expected. We have articles on " Flotilla Craft," " The Union of the Flags"—from the pen of the late Dean of Nassau, and more of a sentimental aspiration than of an argument —and " Wei hai- wei as it is." The last is almost disappointingly cautious. The writer, who styles himself "A. M. C.," lets it be clearly understood, however, that in his opinion Wei - hal wei, if adequately fortified, would be of great value to this country in the event of war in the Far East. Of several interesting historical articles, " Flodden " and " Turenne " may be mentioned as specially readable.
Apart from " The Queen's Wish" (for peace), which has obtained notoriety from the official contradiction given to statements in it, there is nothing specially noteworthy in the January number of the Quiver, although its contents are sufficiently varied. Dean Farrar's " As Chaplain to the Speaker " has disappointingly little in it; the illustrations, however, are good. Of the New Year addresses in the number, " Prospect and Retrospect," by the Rev. Dr. Matheson, of Edinburgh, is the best. The two chief serial stories, "Pledged," by Katharine Tynan, and "The Minor Canon's Daughter," by E. S. Curry, promise very well.
The Bookman for January is a good and varied number. In addition to the literary criticisms, which form the bulk of its contents, and a " literary causerie "—rather thin, it must be allowed—by Mr. Clement Shorter, it contains an excellent article by Professor Dowden on Mr. Sidney Lee and Shakespeare's Sonnets, a pleasant sketch of the late William Black, and a con- troversy on the question, " Is Journalism a Career for Men over Forty ? " This last is, however, not very profitable, as so much depends in journalism on the "personal equation," in which mere age is a secondary consideration.
In the Boy's Own Paper the doctrine of " continuity " in periodicals is better maintained than in any other magazine, except perhaps Chambers's Journal. The January number is one of average excellence. Mr. Henty's story of "Barton and Son" will be enjoyed by boys ; but Mr. David Ker's "Hunted through the Frozen Ocean" threatens to become rather tedious. Among the miscellaneous papers, " The Tail End of a Hurricane," With the Red Cross at Kassala," and a paper illustrating conjuring and sleight-of-hand will be found specially readable.
The Engineering Times is a promising addition to the now formidable list of periodicals devoted to engineering. It is, too soon to venture on a prediction as to the future of the new ven- ture; but if one may judge from the first number, its contents will be varied, and its conductors will stick to their cue of " Popular and Practical." Professor Vivian Lewes shows much special knowledge in his paper on " The Future of Acetylene." The Engineering Times is well printed and well illustrated as well as crisply written.
The Entr'acte Annual for 1899, like its predecessor, contains much bright letterpress vivified by the broad humour of Mr. Alfred Bryan's illustrations, which embrace the world at large —and of financial adventure—as well as the stage. Mr. W. H. Combes's leading contribution to the Annual is an amusing story of a rather cruel practical joke played, in connection with a ventriloquial entertainment, on a dogmatically John Bullish old gentleman.
The Windsor Magazine opens the year with the second instal- ment of the new serial by Mr. Crockett. But in most people's opinion probably the most interesting paper in the magazine will be Mr. Kipling's second adventure of his inimitable school- boy trio, " Stalk,y and Co." Vengeance is wreaked by these young gentlemen on the next " house " in their school, the members whereof had calumniated " Stalky and Co. " by calling them "stinkers." The instrument of vengeance is a deceased cat and the tables are most effectively turned. The three other most interesting articles are respectively on " Vesuvius," " Some Animal Oddities," and the "Ice Palaces of Canada." It is almost impossible to believe that the great mediaeval-looking fortresses, pictures of which illustrate the last-named article, are really built of ice and are destined to vanish from the face of the earth in the springtime.
Previous page
