BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11056, 6 May 1899, Page 6 (Supplement)

BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

Tire Pall Mall Magazine:' Publishing Offices, 18, Charing Cross Road, London, W.C.— April number of the above journal contains the second paper on " Sketches in Egypt," by C. Dana Gibson. It gives a capital account of the Nile and its mysteries. " A Haunted Island," by Algernon Blackwood, is an account of a small island on a Canadian lake, to whose cool waters the wealthy inhabitants of Montreal and Toronto flee for rest and recreation in the hot months. There is a chatty paper on " The Queen's Furniture at Windsor." C. J. Cutliffe Hyne deals with "Tho Consumptive," and refers to the benefit of a stay in the Canaries, or at least the Grand Canary, for consumptives. Karl Blind contributes a most interesting article, entitled " Prince Bismarck's Witches' Kitchen," which throws a lurid light upon the life and unscrupulousness of the great Chancellor. Bucher says, "Bismarck intentionally misrepresented even plain and well established matters of fact and occurrences." If Bucher is to be believed. Bismarck was the modern Ananias. W. Clark Russell gives "The Ship: Her Story." Sir Hugh Gough closes his "Old Memories of Afghanistan." The miscellaneous articles and stories are entertaining readirg.

Tiie West End.—The March number of this illustrated weekly is to hand. It gives all the theatrical London gossip, " The Talk of Society," etc. The section devoted to " The Way of the World" is especially interesting. Another entertaining section is " Our Amateur Photographers' Page," "Two Hours' Sketch Portraits: A Chat with Mr. Goldsbrough Anderson" is in the nature of a revelation. The story of "The Market Place," by the late Mr. Harold Frederic, is continued. Under the heading, " Ars Longa," is given a chatty article on Morot-, Airs. Forbes, tho London Sketch Club, the Goupil Gallery, Russian Forgeries, and Sculpture in Paris. "Dusting Two Miles of Books" is a sketch of the British Museum. " Woman's Realm" is a description of the fashions of the day, and all their accessories, with portraits of the ladies presented at the March drawingrooms. Sports is also represented, under the title "Racing and Chasing, Cricket, etc." The closing chapter is " The Papacy in tho Nineteenth Century." The West End appeals to the popular taste, and the illustrations are profuse and superb.

The Weapon's ok Mystery: Ward, Lock, and Co. (Limited).— story is a very fascinating one, and touches on the subject of mesmerism, and mind acting on mind. There is a love episode running through it, which ends happily. The reader starting its perusal will find the interest of the tale sustained throughout. Tnn Pride op Jkxxioo: By Agnes and Kgerton Castle. Macmillan and Co. (Limited), London.—The work is the memoir of Captain Basil Jemiico, and the scenes of it are laid in the latter part of the 18th century, and in Germany.

An' Earthly Fci.fii.mext: By John Reay Watson. T. Fisher (Jliwin, Paternoster Square, London.—This is a delightful story of colonial life, its lights and shadows, ending up with a pitiful and pathetic incident.

TnK Unseen Hand: Lawrence L. Lynch. 'Ward, Lock, and Co. (Limited), London.— The story starts with a mysterious murder, into which a detective is imported, who traces it out, and at last the guilty parties have the crime sheeted home to then). The story is so overladen with conflicting evidence and complex circumstances that the interest of unravelment increases as development of the ease progresses. It is not till the closing chapter that the reader gets on the real clue, and the solution of the mystery.

Susannah : By Mary K. Mann. T. Fisher I nwin, London.—The tale is cjijverly told of Susannah's career, her adventures in life, and her fulfilment of woman's mission, in picking her choice from her suitors.

Own Bon: By Alfred Ollivant. Methucn and Co., 36, Essex-street, W.C., London.— (hvd Hob is the grey dog of Keiimiiir, and the tale is one of dog life, of his faithfulness, intelligence, and fidelity.

'iiiF. PmiiK ok Life: Macmillan and Co. (Limited), London. By Sir Win. Magnay. — I lie story illustrates how a woman" preferred her own happiness to pride and selfishness, and the vulgar accessories which minister to "the pride of life,"

Off the limn Road: By Eleanor C. Price. Macmillan and Co. (Limited), London.—We have to acknowledge the receipt of the above work of fiction from C'hamptaloup and Cooper, booksellers, of this city. It- is termed " The Story of a Summer." 'file whole plot is that a young ladv runs away in order to avoid marrying a gentleman she does not desire to marry, and advertises for lodgings " off the high road." Out of such slender material an interesting story is woven, which ends happily fur the principal characters. ' 1

A Drama in Sunshine: By II A Vachell. Macmillan and Co. (Limited).— Messrs. Cliamptalonp and Cooper, booksellers, forward this week. The scenes are laid in California, and relates to the evictions which took place some years ago, in the litigations over old Spanish titles. The character of Damans Chillingworth is admirably limned, as also that of her shrewd and scheming and pushing husband.

Cross Trails: By Victor Waite. Methuen and Co., 30, Essex-street, W.C. Lon-don-Messrs. Cliamptaloup and Cooper forward the above novel, which is written by an Aucklander, Mr. Makgill, and which Las been very favourably received, The early scenes of the story, which are powerfully written are laid in South America, in which a life-like picture of the social life in that quarter of the world is given, and the latter part of the story laid in the North of New Zealand, to which one of the principal characters had emigrated, where he encounters old companions. The story is full of exciting adventures, and is a capital romance. The characters are powerfully pourtrayed, and the work is highly creditable to the author.

The Associate Hermits By Frank R Stockton. George Bell and Sons, London! -Ihe plot of the story is somewhat peculiar. Mr. and Mrs. Hector Archibald have just got the wedding of their daughter off their hands when Mi. and Mrs. Brim-hurst (the newly-wedded couple), being 'averse to a wedding tour, persuaded the parents to m on the wedding tour instead of the "'happy pur, while the latter kept home instead. 1 aterfannlias "catches on" to the idea at once, but his wife only consents after much hesitation. Ultimately, Mr. and Mrs Hector Archibald depart on the wedding trip caving behind Mr. and Mrs. Bringhurst at home with each other, and "not at home" to the world. Mr. and Mrs. Archibald so camping out, and the story is a description of their adventures.

The Pathway of the Gods:' By Mona Caird. 1 George Bell and Sons ' London.Ihe plot of the story is that a young man named Julian Ford, in order to wean him from an attachment of which bis parents disappioud, is sent away from home He goes to Rome where, as a man of artistic imagination, lie revels . and lives in tho nun and the majestic reminiscences of Old Rome. i„ after years he meets accidentallym Rome the girl for whom he had been debarred his home. She has now become a fashionable, cultured lady. The* renew their acquaintance, and there' in Old Rome, in "The Pathway of the Gods," she accepts the love which had been hers.for many long years. The description of the gladiatorial scenes in the old Coliseum is a superb piece of word painting.