Good Wards. Edited by the Very Rev. Donald Macleod. (Isbister
and Co. 7s. 61)—South Africa naturally has its share in the contents of this 1900 volume. Ten out of the twenty-four "Travel and Descriptive" papers belong to it. Most of them, of course, as Sir Charles Warren's, belong to a past time. Even Mr. George Rallings's "The Cape in Time of War" deals largely with things that have been, though he has something very interesting to tell us about the present. Much English money must have been spent during the past twelve months at the Cape, but Mr. Railings speaks of a complete stagnation of busi- ness (the paper must have been written early in the year, shortly after the relief of Ladysmith). Curiously enough, crime has stagnated along with other things. The very burglars do not seem to care for their occupation. The biographical papers are as interesting as usual. Among them is one on Leo XIII., by Signor Giovanni Della Vecchia. The writer is convinced that the Pope has been in favour of conciliation, and that he has been overborne by influences which it is needless to name. The next Council will have to proclaim the infalli- bility of the General of the Jesuits. The Czar, the Kaiser, Lord Roberts, and the King and Queen of Italy (written before the assassination) may be mentioned. In the "Science Pa era" we may mention Lord Lister, Lord Kelvin, and Pro- fessors Perkin and W. Ramsay. It, is a noticeable fact that in the consideration of Professor Ramsay's claims when he was a can- didate for the Chair of Chemistry at University College it was mooted whether he was not too much of a physicist. It was a happy thing for the College that this was not permitted to weigh against him, considering the reputation that he has since achieved. In the miscellaneous division we may mention "The Credit v. the Debit Side of Europe," by Mr. Harold Macfarlane. Great Britain comes first in wealth, with France second, and Germany third. In indebtedness Portugal holds the first place—the proportion between wealth and debt is considered—and the United Kingdom comes eighth. The three Scandinavian nations owe nothing but what ig represented by the State railways. From another point of view, that of population, in France the Debt is 231 per head, in the United Kingdom £16, while in Germany it is as low as 22 4e. The serial tale is "The Half-Hearted," by John Buchan.—. The Sunday Magazine. (Same publishers. is. 6d.)—Mr. H. Mac- farlane gives us two of his somewhat startling statistical papers. He uses various pictorial or material illustrations to set forth his contention. Here we must be content with using figures. We spend 210 on drink to the is. 94c1: that we spend on missions. The charity v. tobacco account is not so formidable. It is only 23 ha, for tobacco to 21 9s. for charity. It must be remembered, however, that out of the 22 3s. 3d, which every smoker (as distinguished from the general average of the population) spends on his tobacco, more than half goes to the Revenue. If smokers were unanimously to abandon the habit, there would have to be a 2s. Income-tax. Tobacco, too, has been greatly rehabilitated during the present year. It is a marvellous stay against hunger and fatigue. Perhaps the re- formers had better leave it alone. The "Religious Papers" are a large element in the magazine. One of them is from the pen of the late Harry Jones. Another that bears his name has a pathetic interest to all who knew him. "How Well You Look" is the title. In the letter to the editor which accom- panied it he wrote : "I have been ill, and, recovering, men have said : How well you look !' for, unluckily in my case, looks don't pity me." This paper must have been one of the last things he wrote. We are glad to see that the series of "Sunday Evenings with the Children," of which we have several times had occasion to speak with praise, is continued. We have noticed the serial tale, "The Heiress of the Forest," by Miss Eleanor C. Price, elsewhere, and can only mention the number of short stories with which the public taste has to be gratified. We must own to a certain weariness of these little snippets of fiction.
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