MAGAzixas. — Variety is the chief excellence of the University Magazine. Things
and persons, grave and gay, from "Primitive Buddhism " to " The Visitors' Book at an Inn," and from Adam Smith to Charles Lamb, find their place here. The best paper is a sketch of Professor Max :Miller, in the series of " Contemporary Portraits." An account of "An Easy Holiday " is spoiled by the comic-guidebook air which pervades it. A quaint paper, "The Monk's Nemesis," is readable, for its mixture of faith and antiquarianism. It is positively refreshing to be told, as if it were historical fact beyond dispute, that both Mary Queen of Scots, and hor grandson, Charles, were " murdered on tho scaffold." —Mr. Black's " Macleod of Dare " is still the most interesting of the contents of Good Words. He has never produced a better hero than the Celtic, perfervid lover of tho London actress. Otherwise, this is not a very remarkable number. There are too many articles, and many of them are too scrappy. As an example may be taken Principal Tulloch's, on Erasmus and More, under the title, "The New Learning." Tho Principal only says, in a loose and languid way, what hundreds of writers, including himself, have been saying during the last ton years, at least. Papers, however, by Mr. Waco, on " The Controversy of Athanasius with Arianism," by Professor Barrett, on "The Microphone," and by Dr. Fothorgill, on "Susan's Sundays In "—full of good, practical suggestions—will repay perusal. The poetry, except some pleasing sonnets by Mr. Japp, is exceptionally poor. What was the editor about, when he allowed an admirable picture of Duntroon Castle to be accom- panied by such lines as?—
"Trees blown about Do sing and shout Of bloody Campbell's might ? "
—There is nothing strong in this month's Belgravia, except the fiction. The minor stories, including oven one by Mr. Payn, are weak almost to silliness. The narrative of the experiences of an Indiana tourist on the way to the Paris Exhibition, by Bret Harte, is not un- marked by humour, but the humour reminds us more of Mark Twain than of the author. Mr. Hardy, in this month's portion of " The Return of the Native," introduces a scone which the regular reader of the story must have anticipated between the capricious Eustacia and her husband. Although Eustacia's defence is characteristic, the husband's passion seems to us torn to tatters.—Scribner is exceptionally rich, indeed, where contents or illustrations are concerned, it furnishes material enough for two or throe of our ordinary and lighter magazines. Wo have only space to mention Robert Dale Owen's second instalment of his "Recallings from a Public Life," and a lively description of a "Trip with Lincoln, Chase, and Stanton," as from the ordinary point of view very readable ; while fiction is admirably represented by the author of " Rosy," and others. The most noticeable of the poems is one by Brot Harte, " Miss Edith becomes Neighbourly." It is one of the most piquant things that this somewhat overworked humourist has produced for some time. There is, perhaps, only one weak article in the number, that on " Socialism." Tho author knows what he is about, but he is painfully common-place.—The present is an excellent number of The Theatre. The portraits of Miss Litton and Mr. Byron, and the accompanying biographies, are better and more modest than most productions of the kind. Most of the smaller paragraphs and criticisms require no more observation than that they are superior to the ordinary ruck of. such work ; but " The Story of a Waltz," by Offenbach, is almost as readable as an act from "The Grand Duchess." There is a certain amount of feebleness in the minor articles, such as those under the title of "The Watch-Tower" and " Echoes from the Green-Room," and some of the provincial notes have an antiquated appearance, but the general character of the magazine shows a decided improvement upon its predecessors. The moral and isathetic tone throughout is all that could be desired.— There is nothing remarkable in the Sunday Magazine. The best papers are those on " William Tyndale " and " The Handwriting on the Wall ;" the latter, by Dr. Hugh Macmillan. Dr. Blaikie gives us a well- told account of " George Moore " and " The Monthly Survey " is more than usually liberal in tone.—London Society has several tolerable papers, but only one really good one, that bearing the title "The Curious Adventures of a Field-Cricket." Even the fiction in this case is behind the mark.—The Month has some exceptionally good articles, from its own point of view. Its controversy with the Tablet on the question of the difficulties between Jesuits and Bishops in regard to Catholic education is well sustained and moderate in tone. And a paper on "Librarians," although not very strong, is appropriate at present.— Golden Hours deserves notice, specially for the papers in it on " Modern French Protestantism " and " Americans at Home." The latter contains a few ana we have not noticed elsewhere.— Chanibers's Journal, Cassell's Family Magazine, and All the Year Round present no new feature. With the exception of the first, they are not so varied as usual. It seems to us that the articles in All the Year Round are becoming too long. A series of amusing papers," Personally Conducted," is worthy of the old reputation of the magazine.—We regret to say that, with the exception of a short and rather common- place story of a deserter, there is nothing in the Victoria Magazine of which we can take any notice.—The Quarterly Journal of Inebriety is chiefly interesting for the space it gives to the literature of opium in- toxication, which is increasing rapidly in America. There is rather too much padding in this magazine.—The fifth part of Saul Weir shows the author strongly under the influence of Dickens. Otherwise it ex- hibits the same merits and vices as its predecessor in the " Cheveley " series.—St. Nicholas, the excellent illustrated magazine published by Scribner in America for girls and boys, is fully up to the average this month. The principal contents are "The Violin Village," "A Tale of Many Tails," and "How Teddy Cut the Pie."
Previous page
