AMONG THE BOOKS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXII, Issue 147, 30 June 1898, Page 2

AMONG THE BOOKS.

Maximilian and Co, Ld, have presented to the world a work of supreme interest, to Australasian readers and writers especially "Auatral-English : a Dictionary o£ Australasian Words, Phrases, and Usages," by Professor Edward Morris, M.A, Oxon, of the Melbourne University. It will be remembered that some time ago Professor Morris appealed to all colonists to aid him in his task, and he seems to have succeeded, for the book he has published is a substantial quarto volume vory comprehensive in its range of 'subjeota. A pathetic inoident of the work in that Mrs Morris died while it was Hearing completion, and the book is dedicated to her memory by her husband, '; AustralEnglish " is more than a mere record of words and phrases whioh }&>ve passed from being in a measure " slang " into, the colonial vocabulary, and thence into the language. It is a history of the struggles of the pioneers, of the development of colonisation, and of the progress of Aus tralasia towards national life. Professor Morris' labour of love wjll take its plno? in every library whioh aims at completeness, though the price of the book is 16s, To the student of colonial history it will teach much and elualdate more, while to the colonial writer and to the writer on colonial subjects— often two vory different persons— it will bo a valuable auxiliary, oorreoting inaoouraoies, and preventing the fatal defect of so muoh colonial literature, the jumping to conclusions, and tho taking of many statements for granted. The chief merit of the nork is the care with which Professor Morris has traced the origin and root of eaph word or phrase in common use iu Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. He has also placed the ijaty-mark of literary reoogni- ■ !«83bfi!!! ny a Ptat.uresque expression, I jlffiilpfreluptantjy ayo, jd.p4 by writers 0 ■B^iJ' flavoured pf mere slqng. f l^mgßtetbury College Review " for IgjESffiHp 118 some interesting articles, 0 jSHBsj jr. Sallmon, who was reoently n|K " Seoret Societies in AmerJbojlhhßhK*' Another is, evidently by ansSGHHraß* Johansen is tffa editor of blt^MJH^i And is the Chairman of CJomtßHw the Chrisiohurph Senate. Mr^TOJßublvey is the Yioe-Preeident of iho^Kf^Kßfi.Union and Secretary to the renß^^^Tof whioh Mr j. Glasguwia me 8 he made an eloquent i

.appeal to justice and humanity regarding the Cubans. . ' , \ New Zealand's contribution to the " Story of the Empire " aeries, which is being published by Messrs Horace Mar-: shall and Son, is written by Mr W, P, Keeves, Agent-General for-s.the colony; Mr Reeves' brochure sliowb signs' of haste in preparation,' However, he tells the story of New Zealand luoidly and well in his small volume of barely 200 pages. He sustains the reader's interest more than successfully ; incidents are describ- j ed with rare epigrammatic force ; and an, excellent idea is given of the vioissitudee of the colony, of the Maori wars, of the' golden era, and of the country's emergl ence from provincialism to centralisation. There are but' two dull chapters in the book, namely, those on " Land Settlement and Local Industries " and " The Stafo and its Functions," in which the ex-Far-liamontarian has dragged before the publio the pet hobbies of his political party. Those who have read Marion Crawford's " Saraoinesca " will , regard " Corleone.". a tale of Sicily, almost as a seqael,-thoiigh the story has to do with another generation. Unlike the majority of Marion Crawford'^ works, which are' apt to weary the reader by the preponderance of] analysis over incident, "Corleone " is thrilling and exciting throughout. It gives a vivid picture of social conditions in Sicily, the narrative of brigandage .and the Mafia being full, of the most absorbing interest. There is hardly a dulj page in " Corleone," and the vivid contrasts between the almost; effete cosmopolitan modernity of Borne and the savagery of the Sicilian highlands are finely drawn. " Corleone " is a welcome addition to Macmillan's Colonial Library. " The Man of the Family, a story of Fortunatus and the Barbarians,' 1 is a light sketch by Emily Phillips, author of "The Education of Antonia,' and " The Knight's Tale." It is published by Maomillan and Co, Ed, and while no special merit can be claimed for it, it will help to while away an hour or two pleasantly enough. '• The Windsor Magazine " for May (Ward, Look and Co, Ld, London and Melbourne, forwarded by Mr Eounsell), is an eminently readable number, handsomely illustrated. Max Pemberton's fine story " Kronstadt," wliioh has been looked forward to and read with absorbing interest, is concluded, and the other serial tales, " The Emperor's Detective," and " Jennie Baxter, Journalist," are continued, Grant Allan and J. A. Barry contribute exoiting short' stories, "The Pirate of Cliveden Reach," and " A British Resident,' and Mrs Murray Hickson has a pathetic sketch! " The Story of Mary Baintree." Critics will read/gjfch pleasure the illustrated article ylm||»& ffade on . " County Crioket G!wjsjjl|i§« and Owen Con way's " Lord H||H||f§g Home," while Harry Fnrniss wrfßejjlHJU abundant pictures, on " KaeingJm*Agߧ tralia. Preliminary to more ext&italxfi chapters in serial form relating to Lieut Johansen's expedition in the Polar Begions with Nansen, Archibald Cromwell publishes the report of a chat with the lieutenant. Mr Ernest Williams, the writer on economics, contributes " The Imperial Heritage," describing the indus* tries and resources of Canada and British Columbia. Among other artioles in the number there is one by James Ramsay on " American Authors of To-Day, " with portraits of Mark Twain, T. B,*Aldrich, W. D. Howells, F. H. Stockton, &o, while a description of th« famous violinist Joachim and his school in Berlin, by Mrs E. Cawood, will be read wilfh interest by all musicians. Mr John Berwick, the author of "The Secret of Saint Florel," has written another interesting story, " A Philososopher's Eomance," ( Maximilian's Colonial Library), The scene of the tale is Soloporto, apparently on the north-eastern borderland between Austria and Italy, where " Occident and Orient " meet. The " Philosopher " is not a University professor, bnt one of mixed English and Italian birth, who, reduced from wealth to poverty, has " had philosophy thrust upon him." He nurseß anunphilosophio revenge against a Jew who had rained him, however, and at the olose of the story misses becoming a murderer only because he is anticipated by an hour by a woman whom the Jew had alno ruined. The love-plot of the tale is finely worked out, the philosopher 'assisting to achieve the marriage of the Jew's daughter with an Englishman who, unknown to himself, is kin to Pepe fiomagne, the aforesaid philosopher, and the successor to his fortune and estates. Those who desire to read a fine romance of the middle age3— in' whioh, to quote tho author, " blood will be spilt, virgins suffer distresses; the horn will sound thsough woodland glades j 'dogs, wolves, deer and men, Beauty and the Beasts, will tumble each other seeking life or death with their proper tools. . . mad work not devoid of entertainment "— should take up '\ The Forest Lovers " by Maurice Hewlett (Macmillan and Co.) But they will find it difficult to lay down the book again, and though bulky it is of the most aosorbingland thrilling interest. The scene of thef ,tale is in Morgrauut Forest, in England, in the days of armourclad knights and chivalry, and the adventures and loves of Prosper le Gai are sung in a prose epic. ') The Forest Lovers," though not intended for children, is one of the best books published this year.