PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2289, 13 January 1898, Page 21

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Tie Christmas number of the Tall Mall Magsz'ne is less dowered with Beasonslifcy than most of ifcs contemporaries, but it contains, alki the same, some very distinctive things in the way of artistic embellishment. Amougst the*e, the frontispiece, a perfect little etching of " The Adoration," after a painting by Ribera, is entirely beyond reproach. High-class prints of this description are, howaver, common fo&fcures of this magazine, whose artistic coatenta sometimes rather overshadow tha accompanying literary matter. The Christmas items are: "The Shadows Over the Way," a poem full of pathos of a kind which many a time underlies the light merriment of Christmastide ; "The Sea Prince,' a delightful little fairy tale, beautifully illustrated ; and one or two religious poems. The general reading matter is, as usual, varied in kind and excellent in quality, comprising tales, poems, and descriptive articles. Very noticeable amongst the latter is that upon " The Queen of Cities, Constantinople "" — nob so much for its intrinsic meiib as for the set of wonderful coloured lithographs that adorn it. These clever reproductions by Lemercier of, Paris form quite a unique frafura of -ihe number. The article describing " Belvoir Castle" is interestingly • writteu and profusely adorned with phofcoengraving 5 !, which well show the beauties of a sumptuous dwelling and some of its surroundings as well. Very amusing is F. Anstey's running commentary upon "Mra Sherwood's Notion of a Model Youth." In a very different way the same is true of "Fowling in Bygone Days," with its eight quaintly-clever, sixteenthcentury plate 3. In addition to the opening chapters of an exciting romance, entitled "Rupert of Henfzau," enough of drama and tragedy will be found iv tbe complete tales, "Gloriana," "The Black Kuighb of Adlersdorf," "The Transfer," "The Wreck," and " Almodora's Cupid." Football, as the sport of the month, is ably dealt with, the writer's remarks including a temperate bub forcible protest against fche growing dangers of professionalism in Britain, Much suggestive common sense is to be found in the gossip, " From a Cornish Window," contributed by A. T. Quiller Couch. "Blue and White" is the title of a vet«-

neatly got up little magazine which reaches og from St. Patrick's College, Wellington. It is, as the sub-title sets forth, a "Record for the Year 1897," aud a remwkably well-planned and compendious record it appears to ba, education, sports, religious training — sll receiving their d%e chronicle. We confess that a more boyish and les3 stilted stjla in the various literary items (all of which we are told are contributed by students) would have suggested s more reliable criterion of attainments. Tha supervision of the reverend head of the college becomes too apparent in reading these prim pedantic little chronicles of boys' pleasures, ouiiege, and treats. Good work in every direction, woald seem to have been done in tha college daring the past year, and on the whole we think Dr Walters may be congratulated on the chronicle wbieh the youthful editers of '• Bine and White " are able to submit to their friends and the public.

The ChristEUß number of the Windsor should be popu'arifcy itself, so liberal is the scale on which it is planued. The number ifccelf tetms with good things of tu«h varied interest as to suit ulike the testae of the artisfc, the athlete, the lower of fiction pure and simple, and the modest seeker after miscellaneous information. The special feature, however, is the gift of a oomplete novel by GrT4Dt Allan, entitled " The Smllywag." For convenience sake tbia novel is bound separately from the December number, and presents a very chnroiug exterior in ita deep blue covers, ■whiie she numeroßS illustrations to the text indicate one of Grant Allen's most thrilling novels. Altogether a more exce&lmtib and liberal shilling 7*7 * worth has never been offered to magazine readers — of that we feel tars. Ifc is perbap^ as well to mention, for t-he benefit; of country readers, that this double number, though issued at Is fct Horn* 1 , is really Is 3d in the colonies if delivered, 2-i if posted, the postal weisjht of the two bulky numbers making up the difference.

The Triad for January has an exceedingly well-t'X-'cufced photo-engravare ef that pretty piece of bush and water soecery, Nicholl'a Creek water f-%11 ; a picture »f the Agricultural Hill, a. eeries of views ef Titnaru and Masterton, and pictures of several Members of " Tha B'ga of the Cross" Ck.mpjn\y.. Tke musical supplement is "Theßl*e Daeubo V»l*w," by Johann Stcaues. Our contemporary's 40 pages ate full of interesting reading.

" Chambera's Journal " (W. and R. Chambers, London and EdiabHrgk). — I* i* some years now since the proprietors of *' Cbambers's Journal " gave up issuing e»l»rged numbers at; Chriat&ißß'ide, and the fsct that witti th» December number the furnishing of seasonable re&diog has been reriv^jd may ba taken as indicative of the growing observance of the festival in- Scotland. At any rate we have a revival, and i'or a modest f&iliiag, in addition to the J»r#e eolkofcfon of jraisoeU-nneous reading usually provided, we have three complete stories S>y Gay Bocthby, W. E. Cuk-, and J. Arthur Barry.

Tbe Au*-tr«.'.iai) Photographic Journ»l (publaehing office 66 K'«g street, Sydney) ihould be in tho< hands of ev«ry amateur photographer. It is the recognised official organ of photographic societies of Auistral««a, and eabacribers are thus k«pb ponted up in the progress of the art iv ihe various colonits, its well an throughout th-3 world. The December number contain* moch that ia of interest to amateur*, including au article oa the proposed convsnwon cf Aiisferalssiaa photographers. The sHuotra(i<x*s »ro highly c-ftsdH'-xbVs.