The Royal Naval Song - Book. Compiled and edited by the Rev.
W. Guise Tucker, MA., Chaplain of Greenwich Hospital. With music, arranged by C. H. Pnrday. (Routledge and Sons.)—This manual is pub- lished "cum permissa sisperiorum," that is to say, by authority of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. Mr. Tucker remarks, with a slight tinge of pedantry, "It is impossible to estimate too highly the power of vocal harmony. Let it float across our ships' decks, and the result will be that in most cases anger, gloom, and envy will give place to calmness, friendliness, and mirth." Still, the idea is a good one. Sailors are notoriously fond of singing; they do not always confine themselves to sea songs, but try their voices on longer and more artistic recitations, which are worthy of music halls, and were not disdained by Robson. Whether the present attempt to elevate the musical taste of our seamen will meet with full success we cannot presume to say. We think, however, that the selection is almost too miscellaneous. The true sea songs it contains are few in proportion ; the really comic ones are even fewer. But even if the book does not hit the taste of our men-of-war's men, who are not a little capricious, it is very likely to be received into favour among their families. The naval title, the occurrence of several stock naval songs, and the imprimatur of the Board of Admiralty, will give it this passport.
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