LITERARY NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3676, 28 February 1899, Page 2

LITERARY NOTES.

SUNDRY • P OBLIGATION S,

Stephen ' Crane, • the clever young American pyrjter,.. is to the front in the January .-number, of “ Cassell’s Magazine” with an “impressionist” account of a ride on the engine of the Scotch Express: from. Euston to Glasgow. The article conveys very closely the weirdness of a night journeys on' an engine travelling nearly 60 miles an hour, but Mr Crane too palpably seeks after a istyle which shall not be that of other men and’his originality is at times secured at a sacrifice of lucidity. Max Pemberton begins' a new serial “ The Garden of Swords,” a story of the Seigo of Strasbourg; and W. Le Queux [continues his “ Stories of Monte Carlo.” ;Mr Herbert Ward’s description of the [methods of the Arab slave-dealers who make Central Africa an earthly Hades js well illustrated ;' and amongst other good .features, are. .articles, on The King and Queen"of Portugal)” “Theßadminton Hounds,” and-an- account of the [English Weather Bureau- In the January " Quiver "(CaSseltsand Co.), the frontispiece towhich,a fine coloured plate from, a,picture ,by E- Gow, A.R.A. readers will turn with interest to Mr Story’s' fantastic dream, “ The Queen’s Wish,” and Dean ‘ Farrar’s reminiscences of his parliamentary Jife to Mr Speaker.” Mr,George Winsor describes “ Some - - Remarkable .Seryjcos ”, Mi.ss Elizabeth Banks writes of a “ Famous American Boy-editor,” .-.who has founded the New J ‘ York “ Barefoot Mission”; and the Bishop' dfßipon contributes a New -Year address,--Know-ledge of the Future.” Several complete stories and . further’, instalment? of the two serials make up a good number of this favourite magazine. l In “Chums,” the boys’ magazine, a new serial story “A Maze of Mystery,” by Fred Wishaw, is commenced. ' Stories, of school life, stories of adventures, interviews with celebrities, articles on sport, pastimes and hobbies of all kinds contribute to make “ Chums ”. the best of periodicals for youthful reading and recreation. Cassell’s’ “Saturday Journal” begins the New Year with a serial story by the exNew Zealander, Fergus Hume; Mr Burnand, the. editor of “Punch,”- is interviewed. as to his “forty years - of joke making ” ;, and Madame Eames discourses on the - “Troubles that beset a Prima Donna.”

Our old favourite, “ Chamber’s Journal,” has enlisted: the services of the, busily-productive Guy Boothby, who commences a new .serial story, : “.The i .Red Rat’s Daughter,” in the January number. Mr 1 Carlyle Smythe contributes a, chatty article on . Mauritius • (,“ The Island of Paul and. Virginia ”); Professor' Carmody ; ’ writes /oil ' “ Cocoa and Cocoa-adulteration ” ; ; LieutenantColonel R. Lambert Playair contributes gomeßeminiscences ” of the making.of the famous (but at present unused); reservoirs at Aden; and other articles are headed: “Civil Service Shopkeep--ing ” ; “ AtDinner * with a City Company ”; Pineapple-growing in /Florida ; “Women , in- the. Post: Office”, and “ Cigarette Making.” /There are no illustrations in “ Chambers’:” but the-' literary quality of the stories and articles is much superior to -that of the reading matter provided by. the editors of many of its illustrated competitors. ; \D "

In the January “ Windsor,” which we receive from the publishers, Ward, Lock And Co., through ~. Messrs, 5... pud, W, Mackay* Eudyar^,Kipling. continues jus story Stalky ‘‘and “Co.,’’ which strikes' us as being, extremely ‘ ■’vulgar' andydn some positively mape, and quite unworthy of'lts author’s good name. An. interesting "description of “ Yesnvius: the Terrible ” is: well illustrated but the printing of. the : pictures in coloured': tints is surely a mistake. Twoor three articles:in,the,‘‘Windsor” are illustrated in this way/"Which is' a vnew; : departure with little to commend it.' Mr,'Gambler BoltOh’W 1 , “ ArnU&l: Oddities,”,- and', Mr. Ward’s, (account joff tho “ Greatest Naval Gunnery School in the World ” are both good features; Mr, Crockett’s - new serial story “Joan'of the Sword”: will please those who like romance ; ■ and the complete stories and short sketches are, as , ( usual, with the . “ Windsor,” very readable. ’■ ’ , , ;

The best features of the January number of the “Pall Mall Magazine” are the articles on. “European-Military.bal-looning,” Sir Charles Dilke’s “ Newfound - land,” and a capital sea story, “The Wreck Shoal,” by E. and H. Heron, which ; iS somewhat in the’Kipling vein/ Mr Marriott ‘' Watson continues his “Skirts of Chance”;Mr G; S. Layard writes pleasantly on the suppressed plates of Dickens’ novels, and Sir Hugh Gough contributes some interesting reminiscences of , Lord' Roberts’- march - to Candahar. The illustrations throughout are most beautifully” printed.' " As an illustrated magazine the “Pall Mall” is easily first, and compares favourably even with “Harper’s’.’- and the> “OSntury.” ;• / , ’ Scrutator.