PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 59

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED

The Pall Mall Magazine for June, prefaces its contents very agreeably by a beautiful photogravure oi Sir E. J. Poyntcr's "Asterie!': an illustrated article on the wort, of the French painter Paul Besiiard follows. An up-to-date article- on that benefactor to his kind, Dr Neils Finsen. is appropriately headed, "An Apostle of Light." The dangers of big-game shooting comprises for its letterpress the views of some leading sportsmen, edited by F. G. Aflalo, and for its illustrations some very excellent drawings by G. IX Armour. The* Countess of Jersey contributes a paper on "The Women of India," and J. A. Hamerton'a signature to the- article "In the Track of R. L. S." assures- the reader that here indeed b.9 may rest awhile. Would that the illustrations bad been translated from the prim, soulless formality of photographic reproductions, to the. artistic and sympathetic joy of pencil sketches. In fiction the number is remarkably satisfying. In "The Gift of the Gods the. Dueb.es* of Leeds has written a story at oace delicate and powerful; "The Mar.' Who Went too. Far" sustains the reputation of E. F. Benson ; the force and unique fascination of Maurice Hewlett's serial, "The Queen's Quair," know no abatement, and the J.uue number of the Pall Mall may be commended to tho most critical magazine reader.

The New Zealand Illustrated Magazine for June is remarkable for the excellence of the photographic reproductions of scenic beauties. Some interesting articles are upon its liafc of contents, notably the Japanese travel sketch, "Over the Yamato Mountains," and "Should Japan Win." Fiction, poetry, and reviews, together with the usual notes on passing events, and the page devoted to women's interests make up the number.

The Pvll Mall ifagazun-e "Pictures o£ 1904" volume give-s the best ide-a possible by rapid process of the pick of the year's exhibits as seen ac the Royal Academy and New Galleries. Living as we- do on the margin of the Empire's circumference, and thu^ unablo tn /.uD up to its centre to see the actual pictures in aJi the glory of colour, we can at least get a fairly good notion of their composition and motifs from this useiul and

popular annual. Judging from its contents, the year appears to be a good average one, with many typical examples from well-known hands. Figure subjects by such famous artists as Alma-Tadema, Poynter, Furse, Stone, Storey, Watts, Richmond, and others look temptingly attractive even in cold monotone. The magnificent quality of painting and draughtsmanship visible in the works of MacWhirter, Leader, Murray, Wyllie, and some few others is not to be concealed even under the most ordinary reproductive processes. The same has to be said of the very striking sea and seaside pictures by Stanhope Forbes, Langloy, Farqiiharson, Black, Hayes, and Robertson. To mention these is but to single out a few of those responsible for the many good things in this artistically useful publication. (Pall Mall Publications Office, Pilot: A Weekly Review of Politics, Literature, and Learning, is always worthy of welcome from, the wide range of subjects dealt with, and also because of the high lavel of literary excellence maintained by its staff of contributors. Tho subjects discussed week by week include an endless variety of matters of perennial interest to intelligent readers everywhere. The ii\e numbers now before us (April 16-May 14-) contain a wealth of papers too numerous to specify, but the chief of which may be mentioned. Leading political themes are i rented of in "O«r Settlement with France," "Ways and Means," "The Government— and After,'" "The Licensing Bill," "The Problem of the Alim," '"Expenditure and Debt," etc. Several ai tides are devoted to the war in the East, and our own naval affairs. Lighter matter is to be found in abundance in such papers as "The Art of Dining" "Pawns in the Great War Game." "A Day Off," and various other .such papers. Science, not too

stiff, is represented by articles on "A Great Naturalist" (Sir William Henry Flowed ; "Coral Islands," a succinct account of the operations at Funafuti, and their outcome as vindicating the Darwinian theory of coral formation. "Stones in the Garden" is from the pen of one who ha-s many good things to tell of, learnt in everyday gardening. In ''Nests and Then- Effects" a. great d&al of natural history lore has been gathered neatly together. Golf and its jargon are brightly satirised in an amusing article entitled "Tho Koyal and Ancient Nuisance." Articles on art, the drama, literary themes, scholastic subjects, and notices of all new books, the leading magazines, etc., are present in superabundance, furnishing mattei: for acceptance sometimes, and sometimes for rejection, but of goad quality and style in c\ cry in&tanee. (London : B>. Marwood. 2 Exeter street. Strand : 3d weekly).

That the Rationalist Press Association I (Watts and Co., London, agents) is doing a great work, and doing it well, is widely admitted by prcs and public the world over. ' Tho association ha^ already issued a series of works in philosophy, science, and theology, at a price that literally places them within reach of all. It is easy for a certain class of town dwellers to underrate the importance of cheap books, espeeialy when good libraries exist from which all standard works can be borrowed as required. But in the colonies, particularly, where we have few libraries and where a large proportion of the population is scattered widely over the. country, the importance of easy access to good books cannot " be overrated. Convinced that a large number were ready to giv& welcome to their, proposed series, and boldly disregardt ing the oft-reiterated assertion that only ! a solitary enthusiast or student here or there ovor wishes to read =olid and thoughtful literature, the association tried the world of possible readesdoni with Huxley's "Lectures and Essays." The result of that experiment was conclusive, and since then 21 volumes have been produced, of uniform excellence as to paper, print, and price, and including amongst them, many of the most notable -assays of the last 50 years. The total sales have already gone considerably over half a million copies and the demand increases day by day. First of the present trio comes Renan's "Life of Jesus"' — a- work of classic renown, which will always be admired for the beauty of its style, whatever changes in belief time may bring about. Renan's masterpiece has probably been more extensively read by both orthodox and heterodox than any other book belonging to the rame class of literature. The present , reprint is from the first En-glish edition. It should have a large sale in its prcs&nt form. Next comes "An Agnostic's' Apology, and Othjsr E>says," by Sir Leslie Stephen, K.C.B. The lately deceased , author of this- "Apology" took pains to explain hi& position, and the result, with the other essays thrown in. is a book the perusal of which will help the reader to form a calm and reasonable estimate of the religious and philosophical problems of modern times. We mostly need a little tuition of this kind, and the editor o& the "Dictionary of National Biography" wa3 just the man to show how agreeably such teaching could be done. Sir Leslie's main • virtu© eonskts, as has been, said, in the ability to rouse his reader's desire to cultivate that serene temper, and it may saiely be said that tn<3*fc readers- will find themselves warmed, charmed, and enlightened by perusal of these essays. In the preface to "New Light on Old Problems," Mr Wilson says that "The object of this little book is to give a correct sketch of the main lines of modern thought in small compass and in language simple enough to be easily understood. It is intended specially for those who, taking an interest in liberal questions, have not leisure to study the large and learned books in which they are tieated. From this it will be apparent tha.t no- claim is made for originality of thought. The writer will be quite satisfied if his readers arc led to take greater interest in the grand principles of science, theology, and tthics, and are aided in forming clearer conceptions of them." His chapters on the nature, use, and methods of science are written in a pleasant vein, and will do much both to inform receptive minds and to conciliate such as are prejudiced. The speond part of the book is devoted to an exposition of ethics, their object and 'cope, with chapters on the '"Moral Code," and "The Sanction of the Moral Code." Mr Wilson's style is a happy combination of the popular and the dignified, and his essays are in every way admirable examples of ea.sy reasoning and liberality of tone: the vcrk of that rarest of humankind — a- born teachti. --Dunedin: Whitcombe and Tombs mid R .7. Stack and Co., 6d each.

Two young 1.1,11 who ->voi« fuu'id sleeping en t\ ,3 ferry 4eaincr Dii'.h.-w at Wellington wLavf on v nd.iy !a-c v, ore arrctted, and whru bi ought l;r f ur> Dr "VTAithua wer-> 'anteiice'l to 14- div-,' im^u-oinne'jt, with ha.;d labour. The magistrate ol:-.ji\vd that defend.-Jfrts haJ 'ao excuse for knetkjug about the town an<l Ueep'iig 01 ;.nd if this practice was noi stepped myd&iivus fiies would piobabl^ be lcpcrted.