CURRENT LITERATURE.
Although the illustrations in the English Illustrated Magazine continue to maintain their very high standard of excellence, the letterpress has become drill in the extreme. This is due, to some extent, to the editor's weakness for " continued " articles. Thus, Hr. Outram Tristram's earlier papers on "Coaching Days and Coaching Ways" were enjoyable ; but in his July number, when he finds himself on the York Road and on the track of Dick Turpin, he flags like Black Bess' herself. Then it tasks even the skill and knowledge, great though these undoubtedly are, of Miss Gordon- Cumming to give a vivid interest to a second instalment of "Pagodas, Aurioles, and Umbrellas." Dr. Birkbeek Hill's paper on William Hutton, who laved Birmingham, and money, and antiquities so wisely and well, is pleasant reading ; and the illus- trations of "A Hampshire Hamlet" are delightfully realistic. But was there ever such a dull, dragging, historical novel as "The Mediation of Ralph Hardelot," by Professor Minto ? And what purpose does "Et Ctetera " serve, except to prove that although Mr. H. D. Traill would have written an excellent monthly roundabout paper in the days of Addison, he is far too good for the sort of thing that is wanted nowadays P Could there be a more puerile experiment in the way of punning than that contained in in these two sentences, which close a not very brilliant paragraph about the Great Auk P—" There is a class of ornithologists who continually revive it in speaking of a certain species of the Falconi&e. In fact, as long as 'Airy remains with us, its survival is assured."
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