MAGAZINES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1748, 6 September 1905, Page 23

MAGAZINES.

“MacMillan’s Magazine,” one of the few monthly publications which have resisted the modern tendency to become scrappy and superficial, contains a quantity of excellent matter. Mr William Satehell’s serial story, “The Tell of the Bush,” is continued, and as its scenes are pitched in our own colony, it is the more interesting to' New Zealand readers. “The Englishwoman of the Eighteenth Century,” by J. A. Nicklin, is a brightly written but thoughtful analysis of the influences which moulded the characters and customs of the women of whom, Fielding, Richardson, and Swift wrote. No one who takes thought on the matter will be disposed to question the winter’s conclusions that “the eighteenth century gave that bias to social interests by which woman, when she claimed the dormant right of personality, determined to assert it, not in the salon, but at the public meeting orr in the committeeroom. The feminism of to-day, whatever we may think of it, is in the direct line from the woman of the eighteenth century.” Those who' are interested in the now threadbare topic of classical versus modem education will find an excellent and unbiassed disquisition on the subject in Mr C. Benson’s article on “A Classical Education.”

“Temple Bar” is another of the older type of magizines which clings to its early characteristics, and is as good as ever. For those who like good light literature well edited and beautifully printed, the present number is a treat. An article with the true literary savour in. it© every line, is Arthur L. Salmon’s “With Coleridge and Tennyson at Clevedon.” The “Pen and Ink Sketch of Benjamin Disraeli,” by Laura Hain Friswell is good reading, too, in its way, and has but the fault of brevity. There is much other excellent matter besides which include© the concluding ©haptens of serial tales by W. E. Norris and Margery Williams. “Chambers’s Journal” preserves its traditional form and style, and besides two excellent serial stories, has quite a variety of other reading. Mr Lewis Melville, the author of a life of Tliack-

eray, passes in brief review over the writings of Charles Read©, dwelling at greater length on that literary masterpiece, “The Cloister and the Hearth.” In this connection one may readily agree with the old man whom the writer quotes in his concluding lines as saying, “They don’t write such books now.” An excellent feature of “Chambers’s,” and one which commends it to the busy man, is its well written summary of the Science and Art of the Month. Another merit is the table of contents on the front cover. “Chambers’s Journal” is good and cheap.

“The Century” for August, as always excels alike in its highly artistic illustrations and in the splendid selection of literary matter, with which it entertains and edifies its readers. The frontispiece to the present number, “Midsummer Glow,” is a wonderful example of the reproduction of colour drawing, and a wood engraving at page 592 “Bradley’s Mill-pond,” is in its way equally artistic. An article on “Alpine Climbing in Automobiles,” by Mr Sterling Heilig, is capitally written and beautifully illustrated with half-tone plate engravings. Mr Rudyard Kipling has a characteristic short story “An Habitation Enforced,” which is full of life and humour. Other stories and articles there are to the number of a score or more, and every line worth reading. That best of children’s magazines, “St. Nicholas,” is to hand, and. makes one wish to be young once more in order to enjoy all its, delectable contents with the heart of childhood. “Pinkey. Perkins: Just a Boy,” by Captain H. Hammond, is continued, and there is many another “just a boy” who will wish that it may go on for ever. With a table of contents running up to thirty-nine sketches, stories, and poems, to choose from, and every one of-these fresh and original, it would be a strange boy or girl who could not find in “St. Nicholas” abundant matter for information and entertainment.

The “Review of Reviews” for August is a good number. Mr W. T. Stead has a summary of the career of Mr H. Rider Haggard, and warmly commends that gentleman’s lately promulgated scheme for the settlement of British labour colonies in Canada. A character sketch (with portrait) of General Booth, by Mr W. H. Judkins, is a trifle belated. Most reader© have he-ird as much as they care to hear for a time of the minutiae of “Army” work, and, without anything but the highest respect for the founder of a great philanthropic movement, find it hard to appreciate “cauld kail het again.” “Pictures from Punch” is the “Book of the Month,” and several examples of its humorous art are reproduced. Mr Stead continues his “First Impressions of the Theatre,” and as the present article is number twelve, it is plain that the writer finds it hard to get over his first impressions—they came, late but stay long. All the usual characteristics of this useful magazine are quite up to its customary level.