CURRENT LITERATURE.
The Magazine of Art ; June. (Cassell and Co.)—The first article is on "Handel and his Portraits." Mr. R. A. M. Stephenson brings together six likenesses of the great musician, including the Vauxhall statue, by Roubillac, and draws some very interesting comparisons between them. A fine engraving gives the burial scene from Chateaubriand's romance of "Atala," after a picture by Gustave Courtois. The " Diadumene," after Mr. Poynter, does not, we must confess, please us in any way ; the "Majorcan Swineherd," after a picture by Mr. W. E. Lockhart in the Scottish Academy, is vigorous. Antiquarian Art is represented by two interesting articles, one on " Medimval Female Head-gear," the other on " Cinque.Cento Picture Windows." We must not forget to give a few words of praise to the "Buried Mother." Miss Meynelrs verses are especially pleasing. Miss Helen Zimmern gives us an account, with five illustrations, of "A Painter of Children," Ludwig Kraus, a native of Wiesbaden, now settled in Berlin.—From the same publishers we also get the Quiver, of which the most noticeable article is the Dean of Canterbury's quasi-authoritative description of the objects,. methods of working, 63., of the Company of Old Testament Revisers.. Among many interesting particulars we note his statement that theCompany was "restricted to the revision of the translation of exactly the same text as that which lay before the Revisers in the days of King James." There are other materials, but they have not yet been subjected to the criticism which alone can make them available. The number contains its useful variety of readable articles.—In Ca.ssell's Family Magazine the most important item is the continuation of Dr. Karl Blind's account of " Schliemann's Discoveries at Tiryus." Might we suggest to the artist who gives us, by way of frontispiece, a pretty picture of "A Racquet Poised Aloft," that, if for example's sake only, the young lady should hold her tennis-racket by the end ? Many, it is true, do not so hold it, but all ought to.
Labour, Leisure, and Luxury. By Alexander Wylie. (Longmans.) —There is some good.sense in Mr. Wylie's "Contributions to Present Practical Political Economy," and various statistical facts are presented in a forcible way, and with judicious comment; bat the book is barren of suggestion. We are all disposed to agree to the general principle that "to one great end should all conquest over the material world be applied,—the freer development of the moral, intellectual, and physical life." Nor does any one object to this particular appli cation of it. "Let this huge material force, so nicely controlled and applied, do away with the long, protracted hours of children's labour, and give them time to grow up unharassed, unbent, healthy, and educated." But is it not true that the very fact of ingenious applications of this "material force" has made elaborate safeguards against
the overworking of children necessary ? Then, again, there is a distinction, very true, between right and wrong luxury—(Mr. Wylie quotes as one of his mottoes a sentence from Mr. Ruskin about "innocent and exquisite lincury")—but after reading the chapter in which it is set forth and illustrated, we do not feel practically advanced. "What can the community do to make its citizens happy and virtuous ?" Or, "Can it do nothing at all, and be content with the action of the great laws of Supply and Demand and the Survival of the Fittest ?" These are the questions that arc dividing thinkers on social topics now-a-days. These must be answered before we can move on ; and we should have been obliged to Mr. Wylie if he had given as a little more help towards doing so.
A Dog with a Bad Name : a Novel. By Florence Warden. (Bentley.)—It would seem from the title-page that this novel was written after the author's tale called "The House on the Marsh." We have doubts, though, if it was, and hope for Miss Warden's sake that they are well-founded. If they are not, this writer has began a
• downward course with startling rapidity. The tale was not without merits of a kind, and bore signs of promise. The novel is nonsense rim to seed. " 'Impossible !' Never name to me that blockhead of a word," roared Mirabean once to his secretary. Miss Warden's view is consciously or unconsciously at one with Mirabeau's. Her 'novel reeks with impossibilities. The hero, for example, is packed off on one occasion in a train for Liverpool, by the friend who intends -that he should reach that seaport as a corpse. He really ought to -have done so. He was brought very low by long indulgence in morphine and alcohol. He had sandwiches poisoned with digitalin in his pocket, and an extra dose of morphine to wash them down with. He eats of the sandwiches, but only sparingly ; leaves the -train at Willesden ; swallows the morphine, and rushes across country to his home. He is pretty well done up when he reaches it. But the murderer is on his trail ; and the hero is hauled up to some garret, whence he calmly descends, as fresh as paint, soon afterwards, and resumes his cantrips. He poses soon afterwards as a corpse, and the man who arranges his limbs is shot through the body before -doing so ; and then this man, feigning that nothing more is .the matter with him than a sprained ankle, survives to shoot the 'villain of the story, and die immediately afterwards of a broken bandage. Talk of constitutions after that ! But we beg the reader's pardon for quoting so much of this trash. The only question of interest which a book like this raises is,—What are the causes which make people read it ? For read it they do ; and with all its gross absurdities, it is typical of a class of novels which are at present much in vogue. We can only say, with Uncle Toby, that we are sorry for it.
Violin-making: as it was, and is. By E. Heron-Allen. (Ward, Lock, and Co.)—The greater part of this volume, as the author informs us, has already appeared in serial form. But these chapters have been recast and supplemented by an introduction, historical essays, and in general by a great deal of what may be best described in the author's own words as literary embellishment.' What this • embellishment is like may be gathered from the following extract :— "Some years ago, in a weak and evil moment, I joined the ranks of a small Amateur Orchestral Society. Ye gods and little fishes ! what an exquisite pandemonium it was. Within an hour of the time appointed most of the members had assembled, and the interim was filled up with tuning, an operation which used to make me repeat 'over and over again to myself Beaumont's lines : They say 'Lis present death for these fiddlers to tune their rebecks before the Great Turk's Grace,' wishing that I could hire a 'Great Turk' by the -evening, or have him laid on like the gas ! Then those members who had tuned commenced to play (with more or less accuracy) bravura passages and flourishes which they had crammed into their -curriculum for the sole object of astonishing the multitude,' and -this going on all round one was enough to bring one's grey hairs in sorrow to the hair-dresser's." Indeed, the whole introduction might eerve as a model of literary ineptitude, and abounds in glaring errors. There is a reference on p. 7 to Dryden's Dunciad ; Psalteriunt is called a Latin word instead of a Latin form -on p. 10; on p. 12 there are two mistakes in the spelling of Madame Norman-Neruda's name. The apology for violin-playing by pointed and incessant reference to the proficiency of one of the members of the Royal Family is in deplorable taste. Mr. Allen has a long note on p. 12 in defence of his constant use of the word 'fiddle' instead of 'violin.', This is all very well; but why does he call a clergyman a clerico,' employ the word lathier ' and not 'fiddle-maker,' and foist in Gallicisms at every turn in the text ? 'There is a very remarkable Latin poem by "S. C. G." on p.28, in which apparently bovium stands for the genitive plural of boa, and queas for the second person singular of the present indicative of queo. It is a great pity that Mr. Allen's enthusiasm is not equalled by his -discretion. The value of his work, which bears evidence of great practical knowledge of the processes of violin-making, and is farther enhanced by an abundance of excellent diagrams, is seriously impaired by the exasperating affectation of the style. The Cardics. By William George Waters. 3 vols. (Hurst and Blackett.)—The Cardbas, whom Mr. Waters describes, are four in number, not to mention some daughters of the house whose fortunes have not much to do with the development of the story. There is Sir Peter, a spendthrift turned miser; his successor, Sir Wilfrid, a worse edition of his father ; the Reverend Laurence, incumbent of the family living ; and Clifford Cardic, the hope of the race. All are well drawn in their way ; we have been espeokilly struck with the skill with which we are made to see something of good even in the reprobate Wilfrid. Low-lived and mean as he is, we still part with him with a feeling of regret. Parson Laurence, too, is made to develop very well. He grows upon the reader, without there being any feeling of inconsistency. But the hero of the story is, of course, the admirable Clifford. Here Mr. Waters is a little more ambitious than successful. Clifford fails to interest us, and his love affairs excite no sympathy. He conceives, almost against his will, a great passion for a young woman of unknown antecedents, whom we are made to regard as a kind of Lamia, but who is really, as far as we can see, not very different from others of her kind. Anyhow, she is the Circe of the story, though a perfectly well-behaved Circe ; and the Penelope, a most respectable girl, with a good property and excellent expectations, is not more romantic than her prototype. We must own to thinking that all the mysterious glamour of Nina Baesaley, and the strange previsions of trouble which come to Clifford Cardio as he felt drawn to her against his will, seem overfanciful. That part of the tale which concerns the relation between Sir Wilfrid and Mr. Beckhardt is more happily imagined. We might object that men do not commit forgery with another looking on in the way that Sir Wilfrid does. The biggest fool would hardly put a rope round his neck in such a fashion. But this granted, the result is worked up into an interesting tale. The book is written throughout with much vigour and liveliness, and may be generally commended, though scarcely virgini bus puerisque. We may suggest to Mr. Waters that " coute qui coat()" is scarcely correct.
Gleanings of the Natural History of the Ancients. By the Rev. M. G. Watkins, M.A. (Elliot Stook).—This is an agreeable book, with an ample sufficiency of learning, but not overweighted with it. The first chapter is an excellent rdsunii of the animal world pictured in the Homeric poems, a world in which the lion, long since banished from the scene of the poems, is the most prominent figure. Then come two chapters on dogs, the first dealing with the animal of Greek and Roman literature, the second giving some very interesting facts about English breeds. This island always was famous for them. Strabo says that the Britons had good hunting-dogs, and Appian mentions a kind which Mr. Watkins is inclined to identify with the Scotch terrier, "round in shape, with very little flesh on their bones." Our Saxon ancestors had dogs of several kinds, greyhounds, e.g., which by the forest-laws, none but freemen could keep, and "little dogges called Velteres and such as are called Ram-hundt (all which dogges are to sit in one's lap)," to which the forest.lawa graciously gave permission to exist. The cat is, of course, the subject of a chapter. But is it true, as Mr. Watkins seems to think, that the oat of the Romans was the same as that of the Egyptians, the latter being unquestionably the same as the animal with which we are familiar ? " Cats " are followed by "Owls," and these again by "Pygmies," a subject on which recent geographical discoveries supply some very curious illustrations of ancient beliefs. The chapter on the " Horse " is particularly good. A variety of facts are collected about the sacrifice of horses ; we do not, however, quite understand what Mr. Watkins means when he says,—" Grecian and Trojan civilisation as well were just escaping, in the ten years' war before Troy, from those sacrifices of horses which, as we have seen, were wide-spread in the ancient world." The Trojans certainly sacrificed horses to the river Xanthus, for Achilles taunts them with it when he is about to slay Lycaon. "Ancient Fish-lore" is another fertile subject, touched upon in the Homeric chapter, but also separately treated. Surely Mr. Watkins is not exercising his usual acumen when he gives in to the critics who see a proof that the Odyssey was later than the Iliad in the fact that the fisherman in the latter is described as sitting upon a projecting rock, and drawing a mighty fish to laud with line and shining hook of bronze, while in the Odyssey he has also a "very long fishing-rod." A hand-line is not a convenient thing to fish with, except from a boat ; the fisherman "sitting on the projecting rock" had, therefore, in all probability, a rod. It is not mentioned, because the simile occurs in the rapid action of a battle-piece, where the details would have been out of place. In the Odyssey they are more appropriate, because Ulysses is describing with harrowing minuteness the terrible adventure with Scylla. This book is one to he read by the student, whether or no he is specially interested in the classics.
The Bere and Yellow Leaf. By Frances M. Wilbraham. (Macmillan and Co.)—These "Thoughts and Recollections for Old and Young" thoroughly deserve the commendation which the Bishop of Bedford bestows upon them. Good sense and good feeling are con. spienone throughout the volume. There are first the touches of
humour and pathos that are wanted, neither more nor less, and there is a very happy gift of illustration by anecdote and analogy. "Old Age" is the subject ; how to grow old, not with resignation only, but with cheerfulness ; how to fulfil the functions that more particularly belong to the declining years of life ; how to bear oneself to those that are to take one's place in the world—the hardest and most necessary of all the lessons that old age has to learn—are some of the topics which are treated of. Miss Wilbraham has a word of reproof in season for those that need it—for the fashionable devote, for instance, who made it a point, after her late gaieties of Saturday, to communicate early on the Sunday ; and had to be dressed by her maid, both then and when she rose for the day about noon, of course keeping the maid from communicating either early or late. This is a little specimen of the practical way in which the subject is dealt with.
Stories of Great Men, taken from Plutarch. By Mary Cross and Anne J. Davidson. (W. Swan Sonnenschein and Co.)—This is a pleasant little volume, attractive within and without. The anthers have taken twelve of the heroes of Plutarch's Biographies, and given, in a simple, unaffected style, the stories of their lives. Till the time comes for reading Plutarch himself—and this, for various reasons, cannot be very early—this little volume may very properly be used as, at least, a partial substitute.
Food for the Million. By Captain M. P. Wolff. (Sampson Low and Co.)—Mr. Haweia recommends, and very properly too, this book as a genuine contribution to the happiness of the people. The author's plan, even if we allow a largo discount on his expectations, seems to promise much. Each kitchen is to have a capital of 25,400. The expenditure on each (it is supposed that there are to be ten, which share among them the cost of the general staff) is to be E1,918 7s. 44. The gross profits will be 23,818 7s. 44, leaving a net profit of E1,900. From this sum the shareholders are to receive twelve per cent. (their interest being limited to this amount), and the balance is to be disposed of in a number of excellent ways which our readers should find out for themselves. The work itself we cannot attempt to describe ; let it suffice to say that it is calculated that 624,000 portions of meat will be issued at each kitchen during the year, on each of which portions a profit of .375d. will be realised. Vegetables (very little used by the poor) will give more than double the profit on meat, and there will be a demand stimulating to agriculture as well. Altogether this is a book to be noted.
Sporting Fire-Arms for Bush and Jungle. By Captain F. F. B. Bargees. (W. H. Allen and Co.)—The writer, who has Indian, and doubtless other, experience to draw from, has written, he says, his book, not for experts, but for "intending grills and colonists." To such he gives hints as to the "Purchase, Care, and Use," of fire-arms. One point may be taken at random to show how: much importance there is in some of these hints,—the difference in the action of the two barrels of a double-barrelled rifle. Captain Burgess tells us that he found one barrel in a rifle—bought, too, of a good maker, and at a fair price—throw one foot higher than the other at 100 yards. ID these days, when thousands are thinking of leaving this crowded country for a freer career elsewhere—and almost every one of the thousands is a sportsman either in fact or in expectation—this book should be very useful.
Jelly-Fish, Star-Fish, and Sea-Urchins. By G. J. Romance, M.A. (Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co.)—This volume of the "International Scientific Series" comes sufficiently recommended by the name of its author. It is described as a research on "primitive nervous systems," a name which, of course, assumes a good deal. Naturally it is so technical in its character that we content ourselves with little more than mentioning it, but we may notice the lucidity of its explanations.
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