CURRENT LITERATURE.

Reminiscences and Essays. By James Montgomery Stuart.

(Sitopkin, Marshall, and Co.)—This volume contains a rather curious medley of subjects. Mr. Montgomery Stuart discourses on art, on the "Italian Malaria" (about which he might advantageously have given more complete information), on the "Italian Organ-boy," cum quibusdam aliis. Perhaps the most valuable essay is this last. Great pains have been taken with it, and a number of significant facts collected. It is in the United States, it would seem, that the trade in

Italian children is, or was a few years ago, most active. In the end, the evil must be attacked at its root,—the deplorable poverty which makes Italian parents sell their children into slavery. The " reminiscences " are of Lord Macaulay and M. Thiers. The latter Mr. Montgomery Stuart saw at Florence when he was on his mission to the European Courts in 1870. It is curious to find the French statesman declaring that the occupation of Rome by the Italian troops was "a danger to Italy." What a singular idea that it was better for Italy that the French should be there ! At the second interview 31. Thiers said nothing of political matters, which indeed were not then a promising subject. The recollections of Macaulay are chiefly literary ; but he had something interesting to say about the power of the Papacy.

Kate Valliant. By Annie Thomas (Mrs. Pender Cadlip). 3 vols. (F. V. White and Co.)—There is nothing very marked about this novel. In the first volume, indeed, we hear a good deal about a young woman who is exceptionally heartless, selfish, and disagreeable. Happily, the author seems to feel that to keep her prominent throughout the story would be more than her readers could bear. The real heroine of the story, that is, the lady after whom it is named, is accordingly brought to the front. Kate Valliant has somewhat masculine tastes and ways. She is passionately fond of bunting, and when she thinks of earning her own bread she turns to circus-riding. Still, she is a pleasing figure, perhaps the only really pleasing creation in the story. The men are mostly poor creatures ; and the women, though not so stupid, given to envy, intrigue, and gossip. No one, we venture to say, will be inclined to think better of the sex after reading Kate Valliant. And to say so much is certainly not to praise.

The Storehouses of the King. By Jane van Gelder. (W. H. Allen and Co.)—There has been much qnestioning throughout many generations about the purpose for which the Pyramids were built. That questioning is now at an end. "It is now," we read in Mrs. van Gelder's preface, "the pleasant task of the author to state that the vexed question may be set at rest, as the solution to the mystery has been found." The great discovery dawned upon her in October, 1880. The Pyramids were built by Joseph as granaries. She has found out other things. Moses had the Sphinx cut out of the rock ; it was the entrance by which he and his consort entered the Great Pyramid. Lest remote generations should not find out the door, he instructed the savages in King George's Sound to make an image with a door in its mouth to serve as a key to the mystery. Mrs. van Gelder may be able to understand this, but, as for ourselves, we must own that "this way madness lies." Moses also conquered Assyria, not dying, as is supposed, on the borders of the Promised Land. He colonised Kafiristan, and probably Afghanistan. He conquered Cashmere, and then entered Hindustan, assuming the name of Mann. Thence he went to Ceylon, Siam, China (to which he taught the arts), and Japan. Thence he went to America, built the Mexican Pyramids, founded the Empire of Peru, and finally was killed by savages in King George's Sound, whither we are thus unexpectedly brought back. We are sorry to say that they killed him for the sake of the copper canoe in which he came. Hence come this people's remarkable fondness for copper, and, we may add, for anything else that they can lay their hands on. Critics become hardened to this kind of thing; bnt should not something be done to protect the unfortunate compositors who have to set it up ?

A Millionaire's Cousin. By the Hon. Emily Lawless. (Macmillan and Co.)—There is nothing striking in this little book either in incident or portraiture of character ; but it is pleasantly written, the conversations are natural, the descriptions of scenery are good and sometimes really graphic, and it is altogether well put together. The millionaire's cousin, Adolphus Bell, is an artist who has adopted painting as a profession after a regular academy training ; at heart he is rather a Philistine, and he thinks a good deal of himself as an artist and a genius. He is at the opposite end of the monetary scale to his cousin, John Hargrave ; and although he is convinced that his cousin is distinctly the reverse of a genius, though a wellinformed man and far from ostentatious, he unfortunately often feels himself rather small in his presence, and, conscious of his own insignificance, and of the importance of his cousin's wealth. This feeling fills him with impatience and wrath. John Hargrave is forty-five; he had never married, nor had he ever apparently thought there was any necessity for doing so; he is not an idle man, but an active M.P., and a model landlord ; he owns one of the finest yachts going, and has made many adventurous voyages in her, which have gained him a certain prestige. Two years ago he had given up this active life and had wintered in Algeria, whence vague accounts of the beauty and luxury of his villa filtered into society papers, and so occasionally found their way into Bell's studio. Bell tells the story in his own person; and it is with no small satisfaction he receives one day an invitation to spend some weeks with his cousin in Algiers, with the condition that he should consider himself his cousin's guest from the moment he left England. This gives the opportunity for some good descriptions of Algerian society and scenery. Bell soon finds out the cause of Hargrave's prolonged stay in Algiers when he is introduced to a family called Benson, and many puzzling things become clear to him. The family consist of mother, son, and daughter; the son being a most objectionable young cub, who pervades Hargrave's château at all hours, drives his horses, eats his dinners, and takes every kindness as a right. And yet John puts up with him with perfect equanimity. Mrs. Benson is the same type of woman as Mrs. Gibson in Mrs. Gaskelrs charming "Wives and Daughters," with the same selfcontented gentility and sententious way of uttering platitudes, together with a considerable shrewdness in worldly affairs up to a certain point. Her hobby is Algerian art. Miss Bonson is a magnificent girl, — beautiful, reserved and proud. It is the painfully evident wish of her family that she should marry John. Both mother and son show their hands in such a vulgar manner, that the girl is driven into still greater coldness. It must be confessed that Bell's view of the whole situation is somewhat prejudiced and jaundiced, in consequence of his own heart being touched by Hildegard's beauty and grace. As we have said before, the story is quite simple, and consists chiefly of John's attempts to win the girl's heart, and the manceuvres of her family to help-on the hoped-for result. It brings in various pleasant accounts of Algerian social life and well-known places and people, ending with an expedition to the Atlas Mountains, in which Hildegard refuses the millionaire. John had entirely given away his heart to her, and with him this first love at forty-five is no joking matter, Then the scene shifts back again to fog and smoke in London, and Bell's studio, with its disorderly litter of painting materials, its walls bestrewn with artistic wrecks, with the slush and mud of Bayswater outside, and the smuts, the dust, and tobacco-smoke within, and the depressing sensation of painting pictures that won't sell. We will not tell how Miss Benson comes to England to study art, in order to try and support herself by her own work, and achieve independence ; nor how Bell unexpectedly meets her in the British Museum, with all that came of that meeting ; for though the plot is slight, it has the merit of being worked out in rather an unexpected, unconventional way, and it would be a pity to "spoil sport," and tell here what the cldnouement is.

We have received a second edition of Lawn Tennis : as a Game of Skill. By Lieutenant S. C. Peile. (Blackwood and Sons.)—It is reasonably brief, very much to the point, and as likely to be practically useful as any directions on paper for what is to be worked out in action are likely to be. It gives a hint for the construction of courts which might well be utilised. " Coir-matting " makes, he says, the best floor, as fast as cement and as pleasant as grass.

Consecrated Culture : Memorials of Benjamin Alfred Gregory. By Benjamin Gregory, D.D. (T. Woolmer.)—This is a remarkably interesting record of a life which was full of promise, and, indeed, short as it was, of performance. B. A. Gregory was a pupil at Manchester Grammar School. From there he won a scholarship at Brasenose. It is pleasing to read the hearty testimony to the excellence of the teaching and general training which the school (then under the rule of Mr. Walker) gave to its alumni. At Oxford be retained undiminished—indeed, increased, as it naturally would be if not diminished by the passage of time—his affection for Methodism. Dr. Gregory, who seems to have been subjected to some obloquy from some of his brethren of the Wesleyan ministry for sending his son to Oxford, was amply justified by the result. The young man might well have become a great power if his life had been prolonged. He learnt what Oxford had to teach, and he engrafted it on his hereditary attachment to his own communion. Both in moderations and in the final school in Literce Humaniores he obtained a first-class. Nothing in the volume is more interesting than the powerful letter in which he argues against the scheme of a Methodist College at Oxford. "Trust to Providence and yourselves to get Methodist Dons, and much more good will be done than by a feeble imitation of Keble College." And this letter was written when he was little more than eighteen. Indeed, the precocity of the young man was most remarkable. He died in his twenty-seventh year, and he had already done more work than many men even of active habits accomplish by forty. We hope that it will not give pain if we record our impression that his precocity was too much encouraged. In 1870 (when he was twenty) he began to preach ; and he was then reading hard, and not only this, but, as we gather from notices in this volume, sometimes at least taking pupils to increase his income. We do not speak of the effects on character (though we have a strong opinion on this point) of a lad taking upon himself such work, but of the physical strain. We do not deny the professional value of such early habituation to ministerial work, but we think it dearly bought.

Epping Forest. By Edward North Buxton, Verderer. (E. Stanford.) —This appears to be a second edition, though we do not remember to have seen the first. An excellent little book it is, of a quite convenient size for the pocket, and really supplying, in a moderate compass, all that the visitor wants. First comes a chapter on the " history " of the Forest. Mr. Buxton reminds us of some notable facts. The spoliation

of the Forest is a modern affair. "It was not till the middle of the present century that wholesale enclosures began to be effected." The "Office of Woods and Forests," he goes on to say, "was largely responsible for the mutilation which ensued." The office went on the miserable "best balance-sheet" principle. Acting on this, it destroyed Hainault Forest. It is hardly credible that little more than thirty years ago, "a contract was made with a manufacturer of steam ploughs, who, attaching his anchor to the soil, dragged up by the roots the old oaks, including the Fairlop Oak of ancient memory." Hainanit Forest belonged wholly to the Crown. In Epping, it had the manorial rights only. These they sold to various lords of manor at 25 per acre. Then the Commons Preservation Society intervened. Still enclosure went on. Then the famous Wellingale asserted his ancient right of "Epping." Wellingale was actually imprisoned for theft, but his case happily stopped the way. Still, the lords of the manor were so powerful that a Bill was introduced into Parliament which gave 600 acres to the public, with leave to buy 400 more, and handed over 5,000 to the lords. Then the Corporation of London, happily a commoner, as owning a cemetery at Wanstead, stepped in. Great litigation ensued. At the end of three years, Sir George Jessel pronounced against the enclosures. In the end, 5,530 acres were preserved to the public. We are reminded as we write that only last year the common on Shotover Hill, near Oxford, was preserved by a similar action on the part of the University of Oxford. The lord had purchased all the commoners' rights but one. At the nick of time the University stepped in. Mr. Raper, who suggested the act, should have his name preserved along with the immortal Wellingale, though he did not suffer martyrdom. Of the book itself, led away by the interest of this history, we have left ourselves small space to speak. It gives an excellently clear description and five maps, on the scale of three inches to the mile. It also devotes chapters to "Objects of Interest Within and Without the Forest," and to its fauna and flora, and, to be quite complete, even supplies a "Time-table of the Chingford and Longhton Railways."

At Any Cost. By Edward Garrett. (Oliphant, Anderson, and Ferrier.)—This tale should rank high among Mr. Garrett's stories. There is more action and plot, and more constant interest, than he always thinks fit to provide for his readers. The heroes of the story are two Shetland lads who go to seek their fortune in the South. They are both " industrious " apprentices in their way ; but one makes haste to be rich, will get wealth at any cost ; the other is content to wait till prosperity comes to him in an honourable way. We might object, perhaps, that Robert Sinclair becomes repent e tutyissimus. He does not, indeed, commit any act of villainy ; but he never shows a spark of good feeling from the very beginning of the story. This is a little inartistic, and, considering the honest stock of which he came, scarcely likely. On the other hand, Tom 011ison is a very fine fellow, whcse fortunes we follow with much sympathy. The treatment, too, of the old bookseller, with his scepticism and pessimism, born of disappointment and the ill-doing of others, is excellent. At Any Cost is a good story in more wdys than one.

Life in the Ranks of the British Army in India. By J. Brunless Patterson. (J. and R. Maxwell.)—This is a succession of pictures which we do not doubt are drawn from the life, though we could wish that the author had given us something of a preface, and introduced himself in a formal way. We should like to see the little volume extensively circulated. This sentence, in particular, cannot be read too widely : —" Any young man who enlists in the British Army with the firm determination of doing the best he can, will, in the course of a few years, be certain to obtain a lucrative position of some description or other either at home or abroad."

We have received the third volume of The Royal Shakespeare edited by F. J. Furnivall, from the text of Professor Delins. (Cassell and Co.)—This volume contains "King Lear," "Macbeth," " Timon of Athens," "Antony and Cleopatra," "Pericles," "Troilus and Cressida," "Coriolanus," "The Winter's Tale," " Cymbeline," "The Tempest," and "Henry VIII.," occupying, Professor Delius thinks, the order of composition, 1604-1613. To these are also added, "The Two Noble Kinsmen," and "Edward III.," which are as worthy, as far as internal evidence goes, to be ranked among the poet's genuine work as some of those named above. The frontispiece gives five specimens of Shakespeare's handwriting, and there are fifteen other illustrations. This volume worthily completes a very handsome edition.

Thoughts at Four-Score. By Thomas Cooper. (Hodder and Stoughton.)—Mr. Cooper has here put together a number of essays, and what we may perhaps call sermons, which he has published of late years. They are mostly addressed to working-men, and are as plain-spoken as they are sensible. There is no need, we may assure the veteran author, of any apology for their republication. They well deserve a more permanent form than the magazine or newspaper can give, and we sincerely wish for the volume in which they are gathered a wide circulation. No reader can fail to be the better for so much good-sense, so well expressed. We do not always agree

with Mr. Cooper. Though we hate war, for iustance, we cannot think that all the depression of trade is due to the wars of the past, or the preparation for wars in the future. Unwise production must surely have something to do with it. But we commonly find ourselves in sympathy with him—with his aim always, and generally with his opinion. There are some true words, e.g., in "More Changes" about the "turf," and a piece of advice to the Archbishop of Canterbury which his Grace might read with advantage.

Edgar Quinet Lettres d'Exil. Vol. II. (Calmann LtSvy, Paris.)— The eecond volume of Qninet's Lettres d'Exil covers the period from 1859 to 1864, and contains mach interesting matter. One of the most curious details in the personal life of the author is that of a fortune of two millions of francs (280,000) which had been bequeathed to him in 1850 by a friend named Letellier, who, four years after, was " interdicted " and found a lunatic, on the application of some collaterals. The interdiction was revoked in 1862, and in 1864, a few days before his death, apparently under priestly influence (Letellier was a devout Roman Catholic), he revoked also his will. Qainet was strongly advised to contest the validity of the revocation ; but he was busy correcting the proofs of his great work on. the French Revelation, and rather than be distracted from his task, let this fortune slip from him without making an effort to retain it.

Booss RECEIVED.—Academy Sketches, 1885, by 11. Blackburn. (Allen and Co.)—A second edition of St. George Mivart's Nature and Thought. (Barns and Oates.)—Grosrenor Notes, 1885, by H. Blackburn. (Chatto and Windus.)—The Swiss Family Robinson, edited for the use of schools by J. H. Stickney. (Gin, Heath, and Co., Boston, U.S.) —Harry Adair and his Blind Mother, by the Countess of Seaileld. (Hatchards.) —New editions of Dictionary of London, and Dictionary of the Thames. (Macmillan and Co.)—A new and enlarged edition of Marion's Practical Guide to Photography. (Marion and Co.)— Biographies of Celebrities. (J. and R. Maxwell.)—A. second edition of Major S. Churchill's Church Ordinances from the Layman's Standpoint. (Nisbet and Co )—Anew edition of The Laird's Secret, by Sane H. Jamieson. (Oliphant, Anderson, and Ferrier.)—A new edition, with corrected map, of Commander Cameron's Across Africa. (G. Philip and Son.)—A second edition of Geography Made Easy, by J. Gibson, M.A. (Reeves and Turner.)—The Gordon Birthday Book. (Remington and Co.)—The Connection between England and Scotland, by E. S. Armitage, an addition to the "Highways of History" series issued by Messrs. Rivingtons.—The Royal Academy, 1885, edited by H. Lassalle. (Sampson Low and Co.)—As You Like It, reprinted from the first folio edition. (Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.)—New editions of Meh alah, Rossmoyne, and Caritcl. (Smith, Elder, and Co.)—A cheap edition of Sikes's History of the Christian Church. (E. Stock.)—Quest, by T. Sinclair, M.A.; the eleventh issue of the Victorian Year-Book, edited by H. H. Hayter. (Triibner and Co.)—First and Second Standard Oriel Readers. (Marcus Ward and Co.) —Booties' Baby, by J. S. Winter, reprinted from the Graphic. (Warne and Co.)—A new edition of Rosa M. Kettle's Tenants of Beldornie. (J. Weir.)—Walks in Epping Forest, edited by Percy Lindley. (125 Fleet Street.)