SOME OF THE MAGAZINES.

THE leading magazines this month are full of good matter. The contents of the Contemporary Review are, on the whole, the

most noteworthy. It opens with a good, but discursive and not particularly remarkable paper, by Professor Plumptre, on " The Fields of Conflict between Faith and Unbelief." This is followed by an article by Mr. W. Hale, in reply to Mr. Matthew Arnold's depreciation of Byron. Mr. Hale seems to make out his case on one point at least, namely, that Mr. Arnold has not accurately represented Goethe's opinion of Byron. Mr. Karl Blind con- tributes a charming article on the Water-tales of Scotland, Shetland, and Scandinavia ; " Old Nick," he derives, on good authority, from the Scandinavian water-sprite Nikor ; and he traces the name of the German river Neckar to the same origin. Dr. Fairbairn criticises, with courtesy and with great ability, Mr. Herbert Spencer's views on philosophy and the origin of religious beliefs ; but his paper is one of which it is impossible to give an adequate idea in a brief notice. It is due to Mr. Farrar's subject, more than to his treatment of it, that it is not likely to prove very attractive. " The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government " is too old an event to interest the present genera- tion, and not old enough to admit of any novelty in its treat- ment. The peg on which Mr. Farrar's article is hung is Mr. Jefferson Davis's recently-published volume, which, according to Mr. Farrar, is, in a literary point of view, a piece of indif- ferent workmanship. Mr. Bence Jones's "Answer to Oppo- nents" offers one more illustration of the difficulty of writing Irish history. Mr. Bence Jones flatly contradicts the statements of some of his opponents, those of Father O'Leary in particular. Here is an instance :-

" Edmond Lucey [one of the cases adduced by Father O'Leary] was ejected nearly twenty years ago, having been tenant of one of the best farms I have, 118 acres, at £84 per annum. I offered it to him at 20s. per acre. He refused it. I gave him time for considera- tion again and again. Ho still refused. He had a son a pricat, and thought I should not dare to go against the priest's father. Though nominally tenant, he had really divided his farm between two sons who lived with him. When they left, each son hired a good-sized farm of, I believe, more than fifty acres, a few miles away, where, I am told, they have done well. The first year I cleared, for rent

and interest from this farm, more than the rent I asked them Last year I cleared £285, instead of the £118 I asked Father O'Leary says the very neighbours are in dread of me. I was driving home from Lucey's farm one day, after he was gone, when a man ran out of a house by the road-side, and dropped on his knees, holding up his hands as if praying. I stopped to ask what ho wanted. He answered, he was praying to God for blessings upon me, for having turned out Ned Lucey, who had injured him."

In discoursing on " Egypt in its Comparative Relations," Mr. Stuart Poole is on ground on which he is entitled to speak with authority. This is his third article on the subject, and we presume that he intends to gather the series into a book. If the remaining articles are equal to those which have appeared, the volume will be both interesting and useful. Colonel Osborne has, for once, abandoned Indian politics, and contributed to the Contemporary a bright and pleasantly-written article on " Lawn-tennis and its Players."

The most curious article in the number is that which bears the signature of C. Tondini de Quarenghi. The writer, we believe, is a Roman Catholic priest, of Ultramontane opinions, and his subject is the " Social Panslavist Programme of the Russian Revolutionists." He is, we understand, an Italian who resided for some time in Poland, and who has the advantage of know- ing the Russian and Polish dialects of the Slav language. The paper is full of information, and is exceedingly well worth reading. The Russian Revolutionists, according to him, aim at binding, in the first place, all Slav peoples into one mighty confederation, and then, by means of this confederation, carrying their propaganda all over Europe. And the Russian masses, he thinks, have in such a crusade one enormous advantage in their land system.

They enjoy already what the Communists and Social Demo- crats of Western Europe aim at. They have, moreover, the enthusiasm and martyr spirit which shirks no sacrifice in the propagation of their creed. It is supposed by many that the Russian Empire stands in peril of disintegration from contact with the civilisation of the old States of Europe. The author cites evidence to show, on the contrary, that the danger is all the other way ; that the proletariat of the neighbouring States, when they come to know the communal system of Russia, will insist on owning the land which so many of them now till for a favoured few. 'In view of this danger, an intelligent German writer gives the following warning to the landowners of Germany :—

"Be on your guard, make sacrifices, you proprietors of Germany ; conciliate the workmen by such reforms as will render their native country dear to them ; else they will welcome the Russians as

' liberators.' Do you believe the German proletarian is likely to prefer remaining proletarian under a German lord, or a German, if not a Jew, land proprietor, rather than become collec- tive ' co-proprietor with the Tsars ? I do not believe so."

Yet our Parliamentary House of Landlords is alarmed at Mr. Gladstone's extremely moderate and really conservative Land Bill ! The article of the Abbe Tondini—to give him what, we believe, is his ordinary designation—is more valuable

for the information which it gives than for the writer's treat- ment of his theme. His feelings are naturally, but by no means offensively, anti-Russian, and this leads him into a few errors,

such as quoting Dr. Julius Eckardt's bitterly prejudiced " Before and after the War," as the production of a genuine Russian. The article, too, is slightly marred by the too apparent con- troversial turn which the writer gives to it on his last two pages. Nevertheless, it is an article which will richly repay a careful perusal.

Mr. Malcolm MacColrs answer to the question, "Are reforms possible under Mussulman rule ?" ought to be read together with Mr. Wilfrid Blunt's article in the Fortnightly on "The Future of Islam." Mr. Blunt's article, which is to be followed by a second, gives an interesting account of the different sects of Islam. But we will reserve our criticism of it till we have his complete view before us. Mr. MacColl's view is that, strictly speak- ing, there is only one lltfussulman Power in the world, just as there is only one Papal Church. The Churches of Spain, of France, of Austria, notwithstanding local customs and peculiarities, are only members of a vast ecclesiastical organisation, whose doctrines and principles inexorably bind all the parts. In the same way, Turkey and other Mnssulman States are members of a vast religious theocracy, or "militant papacy," which is bound by an absolutely unchangeable civil and religious code ; so that the Sultan can no more place his non-Mussul- man subjects on a footing of equality with the Moslems than the Pope could appoint an unbaptized person to a bishopric. As baptism is the only passport to citizenship in the Catholic Church, so initiation into Islam is the sine qua non of citizenship in any Mussulman State. No Mussul- man ruler, therefore, can without apostasy grant spontaneously such reforms as the European Powers press upon the Sultan.

But the same sacred and unchangeable law which forbids this, commands the submission of the Sultan to superior force. We thus see that the argument of coercion is the only argument which can have any influence on the Sultan. Mr. MacColl argues that the civilisation of the Moorish regime in Spain is

very slightly due to the Moors. He also replies to the Saturday Review's coarse attack on Dr. Liddon and himself for not joining "the general chorus of eulogy"—to quote the Satur- day's own words—which the death of Lord Beaconsfield evoked.

Mr. Matthew Arnold is always worth reading, whether we agree or

differ from him. His article on" Irish Grammar-Schools" points out a serious defect in the Irish system of education, and sug- gests, at the same time, practical remedies. On such a question

Mr. Arnold is, of course, a high authority. Another instructive article in the Fortnightly is Mr. Albert Dicey's, on the " Two Acts of Union." He shows that the contentment and loyalty of Scotland and the discontent and disloyalty of Ireland are due to difference of treatment. In the Act of Union between England and Scotland the feelings and even prejudices of the Scotch were scrupulously regarded. In the Irish Act of Union the feelings of the Irish people were not only neglected, but outraged. Each Act has borne its appropriate fruit. In point of style, Miss Bevington's article, on " The Moral Colour of Rationalism," is clumsy. In its special pleading it is smart but sophistical. In tone, it is in the worst possible taste. It is professedly a reply to some articles by Mr. Goldwin Smith, to whom Miss Bevington lectures down from a lofty pedestal of assumed intellectual superiority. The Founder of the Christian religion is described as a " large-hearted, heretical, Jewish artisan, who, but yesterday, was, by a section of humanity, declared a god, or a demi-god ; and but yesterday, in that character, imposed the notion of the unity of humanity, declaring that all the slight varieties of men he knew of should love one another, for his sake." Mr. Goldwin Smith appears to have attributed the outburst of Jingoism which distinguished Lord Beacons- field's Premiership to the obscuration of duty caused by the spread of Positivism and Agnosticism. Miss Bevington

retorts that Positivists and Agnostics were more conspicu- ous than Christians in protesting against the conduct of Governor Eyre, and against the Afghan and Zulu wars. Granting, for the sake of argument, that this was so,—we believe it was just the opposite,—we must remind Miss Bevington that she has omitted from her argument a still more crucial test. The inhumanities committed in Jamaica, and Afghanistan, and Zululand, detestable as we regard them, were in quantity and in kind but trifles, compared with the brutalities perpetrated, not once upon a time, but periodically, under Turkish rule. How did Miss Bevington--'s galaxy of Positivist and Agnostic witnesses acquit themselves on that question P With two or three splendid exceptions, were they not actively or apathetically on the side of Turkish brutality P

But this is not all. Mies Bevington will find in the Nineteenth Century a very eloquent demolition of her main thesis from one of her own chosen witnesses. Mr. Frederic Harrison scorches with withering scorn the notion that duty and humane dispositions can flow from Agnosticism. "Yon might as well tell a mother," he says, "to bring up her child on the binomial theorem Call on the Unknowable, and ask it to bestow on you a spirit of resignation to the dispensations of infinite differentiation." Whether Mr. Harrison's own devotion to an abstract Humanity is anything more substantial is another matter. Mr. Herbert Spencer, at all events, treats Comtism with as much disdain as Mr. Harrison does Agnosticism. On the whole, we think that Miss Bevington would be wise to reserve her contempt for Christ and Christians till such time as the professors of "science " leave off demolishing each other. By that time, she will also learn that the truly scientific mind is prone to cultivate humility and to eschew arrogance and flippancy. The other articles in the Nineteenth Century which are likely to attract most notice are Lord Sherbrooke's on the Bankruptcy Laws, Lord Blandford's on the House of Lords, Lord Dunraven's reply to the Quarterly article on "The Revolutionary Party," and Dr. Jessopp's " Return to Arcady." Mr. Romanes is, as usual, very interesting on the Habits of Ants, and the article on President Garfield will attract readers, from its opportuneness.

Fraser is well np to the mark this month. Mr. Burford Raw- lings' article on the Finance of Unendowed Hospitals, Mr. A. Lang's criticism of Professor Max Miiller's "Philosophy of Mythology," and Mr. Clarke's paper on the Great Southern Comet of 1880, are all interesting. But much the most amusing paper is Mr. MacColl's description of the attitude of the Bishops, thirty years' ago, towards the Tractarians of that day. We confess we had quite forgotten how violent they were, —how much more violent, indeed, than they have recently been towards Ritualism,—and all about such matters as the use of the surplice and the offertory ! Anglican Bishops are certainly not far-sighted mortals. The light literature is also well represented in Fraser.

Macmillan enjoys a great and melancholy privilege, which is best described in the words of Mr. Grove, prefixed to an article entitled, "The Westminster Confession of Faith." "The paper," says the friend of Dean Stanley throughout a quarter of a century, who is so deep a mourner, "to which these few words form a preface, was the last work of the Dean of West-. minster, indeed, the proofs were actually corrected by him during his fatal illness. It closes the long list of articles and poems with which he has honoured this magazine, since he first sent his description of "The Ammergan Mystery in 1860." Among other things characteristic of his genius, it contains his last plea for toleration, comprehensiveness, and liberty of con- science ; and his last attempt to defend one whom he thought. unjustly dealt with. It contains also his final allusions to the place which was the scene of his labours and his pleasures for eighteen years, with which his name will always be connected, and in regard to which nearly his last intelligible words were those of satisfaction that he had done his work at Westminster and was dying there. It wants only the touches and emendations which he would have given, if he had been able to see it again, and which he was never tired of adding to his articles." The Dean's last paper will be read with deep interest, and the fullest assent to Mr. Grove's estimate of it. Apart from this, which places Macmillan in front of all the Magazines, the August number is an ex- ceptionally good one. Mr. Henry James gives us a brilliant instalment of his " Portrait of a Lady ;" the Countess, who has so many views that she forgets what they were, is very amusing, and we begin to forgive Pansy for her silly name. " Sketches and Reminiscences by Ivan Tourgenieff," a translation from the Russian of two feuilletone which appeared this year in the uew daily paper Poriadok (Order), published at St. Petersburg, are well worthy of the author of "The King Lear of the Steppes." They are wonderfully forcible, graphic, and simple. Mr. Arthur

Tilley contributes an admirable paper, under the title of " Two Theories of Poetry," in which he compares and contrasts Mr. Matthew Arnold and Mr. Swinburne as critics of poetry. This essay abounds in good passages ; here is one of them

" Mentem mortalia tangunt. Yes, that is the grand secret of the power of poetry. The deeds, the sufferings, the aspirations of men like unto ourselves, these are the things that are supreme in interest. And, above all, it interests us to know what men, better, nobler, more deep-sighted than ourselves, think and feel about the manifold phases of the problem of human existence. Must we not, then, agree with Mr. Arnold that the best poet is the poet whose application of ideas to life is the noblest and the profoundest ? It is the mistiness, the incoherence of his ideas, that make it impossible for Shelley, perhaps the moat poetical spirit of all time, ever to be accepted as one of the world's greatest poets. It is his marvellous insight into human nature, his deep, probing, illuminating wisdom, that make Goethe the chief poetical figure that has appeared since Shakespeare. It is the helplessness of Victor Hugo in presence of the great questions of life that leaves him, the dawn of whose genius was of such supreme promise, irrevocably stranded on the shore of eternal childhood."

Mr. Alfred Austin's love-poem is pretty, but why is the lady asked in imagination to " lean and listen," on " a night in June,"—

" For the song of that sweet bird

That in April nights is heard ?"

The lines are rough, and as the the nightingale goes on singing well into June, the apparent blunder is unnecessary.

Blackwood has yielded with a plunge to the pressure of the taste of the day. Two serial novels and a short story

form a lavish allowance of fiction. " Uncle Z." begins, and "The Private Secretary" goes on well. There is not much to be said for " Florio ; a Little Tragedy ;" it is affected, cynical, and unpleasant, but ingenious. Gibbon, the

historian, figures both in Blackwood and Conahill this month. In the former, his autobiography forms the subject of one of those pleasant essays which agreeably temper the fierce wind of our political Blackwood to the shorn lamb, as represented by the reader of Liberal tendencies. This paper is admirably written ; the account of how the atheism of Gibbon's father drove the boy to Catholicism, and the successful tyranny of the treatment for that disease to which he was long and re- morselessly subjected, drove him to negation, and of how he was "mature and famous, amid the still surroundings which he loved, an example, far greater than he ever thought to offer, of

the imperfection of life," could not be better done. The one inevitable touch of romance in Gibbon's life has not been overlooked by the writer, and it is happily handled ; but

• for " Mr. Gibbon's Love-passage," we refer our readers to the Cornhin. There he will find a delightful history of the episode of which the lady who afterwards married Necker was the heroine. That Gibbon's conduct was in the " mean cuss " line, is not to be denied; the gentleman who

"sighed as a lover, but obeyed as a son," when his father ordered him to give up his love, as he had ordered him to give up his faith, cannot be invested with grandeur. But the story is made very interesting, and Necker comes out to the reader's view more clearly than he has been hitherto made to do,— to our knowledge, at least. A weird and powerful ballad, " The White Ox," embodies a popular Norwegian superstition. " The Pedi- gree of the Daisy " is one of those examples of the faculty of

making hard facts and learned theories fascinating, for which we have so frequently to thank the Cornlaill.

The Month is interesting and varied. An able article on F.

Bridgett's " History of the Holy Eucharist in Great Britain " (recently reviewed in our columns) ; an able defence of mar- riage dispensations in the Church of Rome, which includes an attack of Dr. Littledale, for quoting a Jansenist as a Catholic authority of unquestionable weight ; and a paper on the "Religion of the Aryans," are among its graver contents. Very pleasant essays upon the recently-published Memoirs of

Metternich, and Letters of Madame de Remusat, brighten up the Month. Mr. Dutton Cook discourses of the humours and the man- ners of" Sixty Years Since," after a pleasant fashion, in the pages of Time. This is altogether a good number, with a delightful paper in praise of donkeys—it ought to be printed as a

tract, and strewn all over everywhere—and a fine story, " Don Ramon," forming a part of the memoirs of Dr. Bernagius, one

of the pleasantest eccentrics in modern French literature.