PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10761, 27 March 1897, Page 8

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

"Macmillan's Magazine" (Macmillan and Co., London).—The l?ebrutrjr number contains the concluding chapter of the serial "The Secret of St. Plorel." » From Far Cathay" is an essay on Me Hugh Clifford's " East Coast Etchings," in which, it is stated, will be found much attractive and unhackneyed detail of a wild country, but somewhat too closely rebembliDg s H.ky "Newgate Calendar." Literature and Music" 13 an amusing and instructive paper, ia which ate set out some of the amusing blunders nude by novelists when referring to music. One novelist, for eximple, mak«B his hero a soprano, while another pictures a Highlander singing a Jacobite gong and accompanying himself on the bagpipes. It is not generally known that Burns was a fair performer on the violin. As a rule, the leading lights in literature appear to have had bat little ear for music, aud their tastes do not appear to have gone bey :id 3iraple melodies. The writer of a paper on " Political Parties in America " is inclined to believe that; some day an event will happen to stir the feeling of the people to their depths, when the nation will arise and demand a purer system than at present. "Va'niahing Paris," a brief sketch of the history of theColdstream Guards, and two short stories complete the contents of the number.

"The Oentury Illustrated Magazine" (The Century Company, New York ; Maemillan and i Co., London). —In the February number will be found a paper ors " Places in New York," one of the most extraordinary cities in the world. More than 76 per centrbf its inhabitants were born of foreign mothers, and more than 40 per cent, were bora on foreign soil. Here I will be found sqaa'.or equal to anything in London. V With " Monotypes " is given examples of an old and new art. Captain MaEan recounts the story of " The Battle of Copenhagen," and iacidentally defends the action of Nelson against the charge of trickery in sending a flag of truce to the Crown Prince oE Denmark. "An Inland Venice" is the title of a paper of what is to be seen in Spreewald, which, though 1 not far from Berlin, appears to be scarcely ever viaited by tourists. A daughter of Samuel Lover contributes some recollections of "The Author of Rory O'More." General Horace Porter's " Campaigning With Grant" is continued, and we have some frank opinions by southerners on the paper ma recent number "Why the Confederacy Failed." Julian Hawthorne writes a second paper describing nature' in Jamaica, in which he says:—" Parasites of. all kinds infest the tropic woods like the twisted cordage of wrecked vessels. There is a sort of silent fierceness about them that is appalling. Often you mistake them for the tree itsef which they are devouring, so close and intirfata is their .fatal embrace. Once I saw a tree dying thus, and a second parasite upon the back of the first, which it was slowly devouring. A common sight is the liana, a, vegetable rope, some 110 thicker than whipcord, others inches in diameter. They hang straight down from unknown heights of t»H tiees, the same size from top to bottom, and of considerable strength. I was climbing down a perpendicular cliff, and had got to a point where there seemed no possibility of descending farther, and Btill less of returning, and was wondering how it would feel to drop 40ft to the bottom of the cliff, when I saw a 2iu rope hanging dowu at my left hand. It was a liana. I laid hold of it and gave it a tug; it was apparently anchored fast somewhere above, and it certainly reached to the foot of the rock. It was so prej tematnrally convenient that I felt some susI picion of it; bat there was uo alternative, and j I finally went down it hand under hand like a Bailor, and got off safe." Short stories, sketches, and excellent illustrations are always an excellent feature of the " Century." v The "Windsor Magazine" (Ward, Lock, and Co., London; Joseph Braithwaite, DunI ediu). —The February number contains another | instalment of Hall Caine's new novel, "The | Christian." A special feature is the article on Royalty," an interview with Mr Kussell, a well-known photographer. Mr Ruiaell gives in some particulars of a visit he paid to Coburg another example of the kindness and consideration of the Prince of Wales. i The Prince met Mr Russell, and, after returning his salute, stopped and said to him : " There will be a party at Rosenau to-morrow. You might get some gdfb groups if you go," and he ssked his equerry to get a pass for Mr Russell. The latter went to the palace with the equerry, who thea left him while he made application forthwith to the Hofmarshal. He returned, however, with the information that it was to be a private meeting, and that in consequence no passes could possibly be issued for that occasion. " I was coming down the grand staircase agftin," adds Mr Russell, " when I met the Prince of Wales corning up. ' Well,' he said, 'is it all ri^ht ? Have you obtained a pass for the gathering I told you about ? ' I informed him as to the remit~of my application. ' Oh, they don't understand,' he replied. ' I'll go and see what I c»n do ' " It is needless to add that Mr Russell was summoned in due course to take photos of the Royal personages. The occasion was a particularly interesting one, it being the cwlebr&tion of the betrotbsl of the present Emperor and Empress of Rus-ia (then the Czsrewitch and Princess Alice of Hesse). Mr Russell had taken a. Dumber of plates of various groups, and "ai last the Priuce of Wales, who h.ad been suggesting a»jd directing throughout, said, 'And now is there anyone else you wish to photograph ? I should think you have every one.' I replied that I would like to take a special plate of the Germau Emptror, as I only had him in a group with others on this occasion. 'The German Emperor is wanted,' the Prince of Wales called out. 'Where is thg German Emperor ?' Hi* Majesty came and said, 'You have taken me alone so many times before, you can't waut me again?' " But I have never taken your Majesty in tint uuiform,' I protested. And he laughed and couse:.ted to the ordeal." A meu.ber of Parliament coutvibnti-s a paper ou the House of Lord?. There are no lcs< than five complete short stores (si! more or less interesting), several poems, and literary notes. The illustrations »re all high class. , '•St. Nicholas for Young Folks" (The Onturj Company, New York; Maemillan and Co , London).—The February uumber is full of good things for young psople. One of the arliclcs that will plesse boys is the description of the manner in which electric fue alarms are worked.

Nimmo and Blaik's " Standard" Seadsshould be town by every farmer and gardfuer who wants to inske his crops a success. Ouee used they lriilalwaya be used. Dunediu.-Advt. 1 — About one-third of the streets of Paris are ornamented with trses. The name of Mr George Bonkington, Chemist, Christchutch, is well kuowa throughout New Zealand in connection with his preparatiou known as "Carrageen," or "Irish Moss," which has for many 3 e*rs enjoyed a wide I reputation for Influenza and Chest Coniplsints.—Advfc. [

JURYMEN AND THE PATH THEY TAKE. TO THE EDITOR. Sib,— I am with "Parity, and Justice "(in your Wednesday's issue) in his strictures re tha fu egf of 3'arymen to, their oath. By th« oath-they bind themselves to give a verdic) solely according to the evidence and to disregard all other considerations. Bat too many nevertheless, ignore the oath and are influenced Only oy Other consideration*, and hence justice i» defeated and heitious criminals go sco<- free I observe that the trial of Bosher, conricted yest-rd~y of two horrible murders, ueariy broke down through one of the jurymen being opposed to capital puuishmeot—a consideration entirely foreign to the c«e. Surely as an hone.t man he s h,,u!d before he took his eat have informed the court of the view he beid. Bat no- ho took the oath, and wns satisfied the evidence conclusively proved the guilt of the accused but on the ground of his opposition to capital pumsumeut was for a verdict; of acquittal! buch trifling with the sacrednesa of the oath aua of justice calls for sledge-hammer denunciation, if not for prosecution for p?rjury.—l &to. oce., Dunedin, March 25 Justice.

MINISTERIAL INTERFERENCE WITH WARDENS. ' TO THE EDITOE. SIE,-I was pleased to read in the Otago Bally T.mes of to-day the remarks of Mr Warden Hawkina, at Lawrence, under the above h : a aing . B ut besides the regulasions, or instruchous, osfeusiblj is-ued by the Minirtw f(3r Mines regarding water rights, &c , there are others equally wrararranUbleloue in plrticn.ar relating fco " protection," by Which the Wen w required, should aD application be made for "extended protection" on the grouuos of negotiations pending between claimholders and representatives of capital, he (the warden) 18 to forward certified copies o! the correspondence between the parties so negotiating to the Minuter for Mines before the warden can grant the application. Who controls the Minister for Mines bat Ml Seddeii (the ch-.irnwn of the Acglo-Germaa Mining Syndicate)? Far-her, who are the rhief officials of this company but A. H. Gordon, and ,I. tnw, recently the two highest officials in the Mines department ? Verhum sap Supposing a prospector had & good thin? on and was dealing with frfr Ssddoa's compauy for ; *he sale to them, aud an adjoining miner"had also a good claim but bad declined dealing with the Anglo-Gsrman Company but was negotiating with an opposition company, which , think >oa, would stand best show of getting extended protection granted if both had applied ? My ideas of vieum and tuum may notbs orthodox, but I think it simuiydisgraceful that the premier should occupy tbe position he does as hesd of a large mining syndicate and at the same time hold a position where he can influence • ' mining decisions and regulations that may seriously afieet one who perhaps has declined doinc bueiueis with him or his company. ° Mr Hawkins seemed surprised at receiving Buch instructions, but it does not surprise me for the misnamed " Liberal V autocrat caanob oe expected to serve two masters.—l am &a InTercargill, March 25. • PaosPEcros.

FAMILY WORSHIP. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—My attention was lately drawn to this s?'^ ec!i Py reaving the " Report on the State of Religion," presented to and adopted by the Synod of the Fresbyteriaa Church of Otago and Southland on October 29, 1896. • I had previously read the synod's explanatory statement re snstentation fund. I was greatly pleased with the vigorously logical manner in which the fund's position and the members' duty were set forth. In reading the report however, I had not the same amount of'satisfaction, and, in casting about for any obvious reason, I noticed that the supporting quotations were of a' varied nature and of doubtful [ authority re the matter of family worship. On this head the report, after the general remark that " church members have declined.! in the matter of family worship from the ways of tfceir fathers," makes various quotations from the ancient statute book of the Church oi Scotland and from Scotch stories. There are quoted: 1. "John Knox," with his "Therefore I say," &c. 2. "The First Book of Discipline," with its " We think it expedient:," &c. ■" 3. " Acts of Assembly, 1647," with stress on duty (?) search for defaulters, &c. - %. "David Hope," of Carlyle's story, with his dour " Let us worship." in the face of Providence who accepts lahoro. as well as era. 5. "Wallie's Mother," in lan Maclarea'a story, with her. dour threat. S. "Acts of Assembly, 1647," a second time, with a proposed eet form for the rude, the weak, and the sluggish. The report calls family worship "this high and fruitful exercise," and never once quotes either the Old Testament or the New aa establishing or even supporting such an exercise. The history of the Kirk of Scotland and the early consolidating acts thereof should ba well known to all Presbyterian clergymen. C&rlyle's works of the past generation, and lan Mao laren's of the present, are easily obtainable also by them even oa this side of the globe. But it would be too like holding their noses to the grindstone to demand Bible quotations'' in support of an "ordinance" in which members have declined from the ways of their fathers. . Suppose the convener of the committee that framed the report should read Mat. vi, 6, and > Luke xi, 46, and then look up all Scripture. / passages bearing straightforwardly — not by / implication—on the subject of family worship, and quote them as a supplement to the report to be laid before the next meeting of synod, the exhortations of the report would' be* received, by members as coining from those having authority. That which it seems, even to the writer, ought to be a "high and fruitful exercise " would then really become a March 26. Christian Oedisancb.