BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11538, 24 November 1900, Page 6 (Supplement)

BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

Tom Wallis, by Louis Becke : This book is published by the Religious Tract Society, London, and is essentially a book for boys, though grown-up people will find much to please and interest them in a perusal of its pages. Like most of this popular author's works, the story consists of life and adventures in the South Sea Islands of the Pacific. The thrilling experiences of the hero from the time when he leaves home on an errand of mercy ; his rescue from death by the honest old sailor ; his - adventures with "Bully Hayes," the terrorist of the South Seas, until his romantic meeting with his father-in mid-ocean, will afford pleasure and instruction to every reader.

We have to acknowledge receipt of a number of Collins' diaries, as supplied to' Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family, from Collins Brothers ■ and Company (Limited), Commerce - street, Auckland. These are of new styles and popular sizes for 1901. The Collins' diary graduates from the tiny "[Pearl" edition, through the intermediate formsincluding the " Concise," the "Diamond," and "Gem," all of which are not too bulky for the waistcoat pocket— to the "Eclipse," the "Ruby," "Handy," " Compact," and " Portable," which may be readily slipped into a breast coat pocket. A larger series includes the " Scroll," the "Commercial," and the " Scribbling." These all have the advantage of lying flat upon the desk when ■ opened." Some of them contain calendar for year, table of sea distances for New Zealand, inter-colonial, and transPacific, and common notes for the year.

The Pali. Mall Magazine : Publishing office, 15, Charing Cross Road, London, W.C. The November number opens with a description of Dunrobin Castle, . round which centre so many historical associations. " Prima Donnas of the Past" brings back the forgotten past. Some people will be '~ surprised to learn that the first prima donna appeared in Cromwell's time, namely, Mrs. Coleman. The list is brought down to that mistress of song, Jenny Lind. A " Staff Officer " points out " How to Popularise Our Army." Among other concessions he mentions plain clothes, furlough, cheap fares, cheap amusements, passes, commissions from the ranks. Among the miscellaneous articles .are: — "Recreations of Prison," "The Lord's Remnant," "A Case of Salvage," " A Night on the Moor," " The Revenge of the Bear," "Precautions of Wild Life," and "Their First Experience." The number is one of the most readable for some time past.

German Commercial Correspondence: By Oswald. Blackie and Son (Limited), 50, Old Bailey, E.C., London.— is a first course of German commercial correspondence for initiatory and intermediate classes or private use, and consists of 50 graduate exercises. Appended is a vocabulary. •

Francis: The Little Poor Man of Assissi: By Jas. Adderley. Ed. Arnold, 37, Bedford-street, Strand, London.—This is a short story of the founder of the Brothers' Union, with an introduction by Paul Balatier. The author says his object in compiling this little sketch of Francis of Assissi is merely to provide a small life of the saint for those who for any reason are unable 10 indulge in the purchase of the larger biographies. It does not profess to put forth any original views on the subject of Francis, but there is given a biographical sketch of one of the rw!st remarkable religious reformers of his times, and whose impress on the religious life of his day was very striking. No man can read the life of St. Francis of Assissi without feeling that he was one of whom the world was not worthy.

Tin? Great Afrikander Conspiracy: By J. Swindells Barlow. Ward, Lock, and Co. (Limited). —The author states that the history of this conspiracy coming from an Afrikander, will give it additional interest to its readers, for, though many of its details have been omitted for obvious reasons, still it shows how a great plot against our Empire all but succeeded. According 'm the plot of the work, George Goldsmith, an Afrikander, had been in the Afrikander conspiracy, with a view. of working out secrets of the Boers, and attended Paul Kruger's secret society, the Pas Op Raad. He had become suspected, and was assassinated, but before his death disclosed the secrets to his son, Alec, who was also loyal. After various adventures, Alec, is employed by Kruger in bringing up big guns and ammunition and rifles from Durban and Port Elizabeth. On his way back to the Transvaal he saves a young woman from a ruffianly young Boer, and thus makes him his enemy. Having fathomed the motives of the Boers, Alec, makes for the Cape to see Sir Alfred Milner, and gives him all the information in his power. The scene closes with the arrival of the troops from India, and Alec, marching into Ladysmith. The story is a most exciting one, and holds the reader's interest to the close.

Britannia: P. S. King and Son, 6, 2, and 4, Great Smith-street, Westminster, S.W., London.This magazine is an organ for United Empire. loyalists, and for closer union of Home Country and Colonies, and a record of the movement towards National Unity. In an article on the genera.! elections, it says: —"The thought of a Government at Westminster, half-hearted as to the war and as to the firm maintenance of the position which has been won at so costly an expenditure of the lives and limbs of their fellows, is evidently not to be endured for a moment. As we write, all dread of such a result passes away in the light of election returns, and Greater Britain may breathe freely in the belief that all is right at home for our union. For Canada, for Australia, for New Zealand, for India, as more emphatically still, for South Africa, no more melancholy exhibition could have been afforded than a disunited United Kingdom at the present time." There is a. series of articles on " Why We Have Famines in India?" " Notes from Canada," and "Forms of Government Existing in the British Empire." " The Crown Colonies," and other interesting matter is given. Ihe journal meets a felt want, and is brimful of information making for unity of the Empire, and of. our race in the colonies.