THE MAGAZINES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 27, 1 February 1908, Page 13

THE MAGAZINES.

Space Avill not permit of any adequate account of the lino Christmas* double number of the Windsor Magazine (Gordon and Gotch), which begins the 27th volume, a,nd contains 320 pages of text and pictures, 112 of which are occupied by Mr. Ambrose Pratt's novel, complete, "The Remittance Man." As usual with Cliiistmas annuals, there is a. literal showing of colouved plates. The artist chosen this month for illustration nnd criticism is Mr. Frank Dickcoe, R.A., tho third of one gifted family who has appeared in Uiis department, of th,e Windsor. Mr. Austin Chester writeii' the appreciation, and the works for reproduction iv colours are "Tho Two Clowns," '"The Foolish Virgins," "A reverie," "Kottiec and Juliet," 'and "Liv Be.llo Dame sans Merci," besides many full-page and smaller subjects in black-nnd-wb^fce. 'J'wo coloured plates also form the chiSf illustrations to an inteicstin'j; and valuable paper by Arnold Hamley, "Joan of Arc in Portrait and Picture. '' "British Sporting Dogs," by fcf. 'L. Bensusan^ is remarkable for' the many lifelike do? portraits from paintings by Maud Earl. Four of these are full-page repioductious in colour. Interspersed" through the number arc lull-page copies of other paintings — "The Lights of Home.' 1 by ALarcella. Walker; "Tho King's Daughter," by George W. Joy; "Devotions," by ]?. Blair Lcighton; "Tho White Lady,", by J. M'-Whhter, K.A. ; nnd "Nearipg th 6 Needles," by Henry ilcoie, R.A. — the last two in the original colouiv-. As an art magazine alone, the book is well worth its ftrice. The fiction includes short stories "By Gilbert Parker, Horace A. Vachell, Ka'thcrine C. Thurston, H. B. Maiiiott Watson, PLoberfc Barr, Charles G. D. Roberts, Mary Choimondeley, Kcblc Howard, Barry Pain, E. Phillips Oppenheim ? JEden' Phillpotts, .and Justin Miles J?orman. l^ic statistical Mr. Schooling contributes to the I'uletide fea&t an article on the Investment of Capital, and Mr. Furniss is for once also statistical, his "Statistic^ of a. Caricaturist" being further enlivened by capita) sketches of his own. We havo noroom to do 111010 thaai mention the little geraa of verse and touches of humour which make up tho list. The Pall Mall Magazine for January begins a new volume with a striking serial by Mr. H. O. Wells, "Tho War in the Air," -which, if it continues as well as ifc has opened, may well be tho stor,y of the year. In the matter of scientific imagination, Mr. Wells excels the late Jules Verne, an dKipling does not surpass him in realistic presentment of incident or ill that rare art of narrating imagine devonts of the future with all the minute circumstantial touches that characterise reminiscence. The progress of aeronautics an the early twentieth century is outlined, its discouragements and disillusionments as one invention after another fail to realise anticipations, a decline in popular interest — and, then the widespread excitement when a stranger suddenly appears with tho perfected invention, a kind of mechanical wasp whose vanes, rotating at immense velocity, gave tho illusion of gauzy wings, and buzzed like ths insect prototype magnified many millionfold. Butteridge, the man who invented the concern — or, as the author seemn to hint, stole the invention— is a new typo, and bids fair to stand out as a very original figure. He is a wholly disreputable megalomaniac, who strives to blackmail tho British Government into fabulous outlay for his secret, in which he declares is involved the empire of the world. The unprofitable Byron business is revived owing to the discovery by the Duke of Argylo of some old verses in manuscript, headed "Lady Byron to her Lord," which he thinks have never been published, and which he has sent to be printed, "as they have force, and seam to bo a curiosity." There are thirteen stanzas, in the artificial style of the period an ddestitute of inspiration. Curiously enough, the editor seems to asume that they are the actual work of Lady Byron, which is, to say the laast, in the highest degree improbable. We refer more in detail to this subject elsewhere. "The Academy's Now Associate," by P. O. Konody, is an interesting account or Mr. F. Cadogan Cowper, A.R.A., and his works, some characteristic examples of which are reproduced. In "A Handmade Village," Mary E. Wilkins contiasts the almost imperishable work of the villagers and artizans of old, in buildings, furniture, and fabrics, with the more comfortable but comparatively flimsy and ephemeral machine-made products of our own day. But thero is another side to tho question, Interesting as tlieso strong and massive products are to antiquaries and such as study are evolution, they are poorly adapted to present-day needs, and their very durability is a drawback. Surely the quilted petticoat or counterpane that hes seen three centuries and promises to last for one or two more, to which tho author refers with admiration, is scarcely hygienic. Among the storytellers we note an Australian, Albert Dorring'ton, who contributed tho first of a series of South Sea buccaneering epLsodes. There is as usuad n variety of graceful \ei'S'i, and tho excellent full-page portrait'of Mr. H. G. Wells will pleaso his many, admirers.