PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED

Otago Witness, Issue 2683, 16 August 1905, Page 65

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED

The Monthly Review for July (London. John Murray. 2s 6d net), as is invariably the case with this first-rater among monthlies, has a widely varied contents list of articles upon literary, political, social, and other topics. Among the literary contributions pride of place must be yielded' to a brightly-written paper upon "John Davidson: Realist," by xl Clerk of Oxenford. The writer, who treats his subjectless from a critical than from an expository standpoint, quotes copiously, and thus conveys" an adequate idea of the work of one who is beyond question among the most powerful of liriug poets. Like many of his greatest predecessors within tlie realm of imaginative literature, Johm Davidson is a revolter from adherence to the popular faith. A genuine poet who attacks with intent to annihilate accepted "Idealism" is, however, no common phenomenon, and John Davidson is ruthless in his scorn of ideals based upon flimsy femtiment. This essay will well repay thoughtful perusal. A highly amusing sketch is that entitled '"The Questionable Parentage of Basil Grant." by Mr R. Bostoun Cromer. This is a humorous satire upon tho Sherlock Holmes cult, Mr Andrew Lang also having some of his faddy peculiarities smartly taken off in this piece of admirable fooling. I Of solidly iutructive articles upon subjects I

of general interest there are many, among these being: "Sca'idmana in the Scales oi Future," by Mr E. John Solano; "The Defences of Naval Ba?e c ," by J. C. ; "The Defence of the Empire," by Stratioics; "The Fall of M. Dolcis*?," by Mr Laurence j Jerrold; "The Battle of the Sea of Japan," 'jbyMr L. Gov>e Comford ; "The Problem 1 of Mirtaa-y Training," by Col. A. W. A. Pollock; "and "Free Meals for Undomd 1 Children (A Reply)," by Sir Arthur Clay. These cannot be given account of in brief, but they include many things that are of vital interest to cve^ry citizen of the empireMr F. G-. Aflalo write? somewhat haltingly about "The Decsion of Hurlingham," where, it seems, the powers that be have decided to abolish the pigeon-shooting part of their programme. 01 all debased and utterly contemptible kinds of alleged "sport," surely this shooting of JielpJess and harmless doves is beyond cavil the lowest and worst. Mr Arthur Siymons contributes a.n interesting paper upon "Gustave Moreau," a French artist of considerab'e genius, but who turned his back upon Nature in the quest for inspiration. A man of a different stamp is described by Miss H. Dempster in "The Patriot Duke of Scrmoneta." Here we have many sbriking particulars of a really good and great man, and at the same time pleasing glimpses of his notable friends and contemporaries — Mazsini, Garibaldi, Victor Emmanuel, and others. — figuies in recent Italian history. Several excellent book reviews, and a liberal instalment of Air H. C. Bailey's racy serial, "Beaujeu," are the final Hems indexed in this splendid budget. The Windsor Magazine for July opens with an article appreciative of the art of Mr G. T>. Leslie, embellished with many and excellent illustrations — a worthy successor this to the many interest-ing' and finely-pictured articles which have preceded it. Next in' point of artistic inte-rest among, the articles comes "A Little Pilgrimage," the little sketches ir Palestine being very attractive. "Railway Towns'' is the- feature of English railway? on which Mr Grinbng discourses in this issue, and decided variety is introduced by the article "Games One Can Practise in a Room." with its accompanying little figure cuts. Fiction is much in evidence, and of excellent magazine merit — brief, bright, and lucid ; tragically terrible ; pleasantly observant. It is df ooui-se scarcely needful to remind our readers that Rider Hag-g-ar^'s weird and powerful serial still continues, and sustains its highly-stirring excitement in a marveUous manner. Nor must Ernest Thompson Severn's charming Nature story be forgotten — in his own unrivalled manner the tragic story of a homing {pigeon. The Triad fcr August will strongly appeal to all picture-love<rs by fclio excellence of its illustrations, the customary supplement being devoted to 1 eproductions in a pleasing- shade of sepia of a number of Mr Goldie's well-known Maori portraits. Incidentally, to may mention that two handsome prizes are offered in connection with a very original competition which is announced in this issue. Concerning " the literary part of the Triad, it is, as usual, light, bright, and in syropa-fchy with the avowed raison d'etre of its- existence. One might dispense in this, as every other journal, with "Children's Witticisms" and "Schoolboys' Blunders" for the space of a year. say. with exceeding cemfort to the public. There is a paper on Dickens' written especially for these pages ; but it is in the selections from various sources that the "plums" of the Triad passes are ■found. Musical criticism abounds, and "Science Jottings" are of popular interest. Tn the mention of Mr Hichens. whose "Garden of Allah" has been so widely recognised, it is scmewuiat surprising to find no mention made of his novel "An Imaginative Man" — a far finer book than "Flames," and bearing in its pages the promise of much that has since ripened in the author's talents. j "The Austral Light" for August opens with a paper whose significant title will ensure it many readers, "Whc Are th© Irish?" There is an illustration as Fell as a descriptive sketch of the new pro-cathe-dral at Broken Hill, which is evidently a handsome and substantial building. Fiction, in addition to the serial story, includes a remarkably attractive translation by V. H. Curtis rf a little Italian story by the well -known Italian author Edmondo die Arraicis. A capital paper on "About Epitaphs" is well worth reading. In fine the current numbei is not so exclusively '< ecclesiastical as is its wont — a step in the direction of wider interests that we have often advocated. School. — The July number of this journal, devoted solely to •educational topics, has ' reached us from the office of tbe Publisher. Mr John Murray. A note of interest in "The- Schools of the Empire" will be found in the description by Miss Constance Earniooat of the exhibit ak the "Crystal Palace Indiia-n and Colonial Exhibition." In this "League of the Empire," educational interests are divided into two sections, one being contributions from schools of the Empire-, the other being mainly a loan collection devoted to great Einpirebuildeps, where Herkomer's portrait oif Cecil Rhodes, the picture of Lord kitchener on the- field of Omdurman. and a portrait of General Gordon, together with other similarly interesting- pictures, are hung. The work sent in by the schools of Britain's vast colonies— frotn British Columbian schools, where Swedish and Norwegian children work nide by side with English children, to the School of Industrial Arts at Ahmednagar, in the Bombay Presidency — is as varied and beautiful as it is interesting. That the article in question is contributed oy one. of our New Zealand girls is another pleasant proof that there is room for the expansion of all our ookmial writers who prove themselves worthy of a place in the journalistic world of the Mother CountryThe MaOTi Record is, as the sub-title informs us, "a journal devoted to the advancement of the Maori people, <md its existence affords an opportunity to those who desire to show their synupatby and interest with the Maori rao& to do so prac- , tieally." The -journal is distinctly an ex-periment-|-ian experiment mae'e possible by the patriotic generosity of .some Maori ladies, who have combined to ensure sufficient capital 'or conducting the journal for one year without fear of financial dissolution. Lot us quote verbatim the earnest simplicity of the explanation to the public w'bioh the promoters deem it wise to make. "Support of the paper is earnestly requested. No one is getting paid for its production but th& printer, and out of an earnest desire to place, the grievances, desi] es, and aspirations of the Maori people before their Eurorjean fellow-subjects ' the effort of those Maori ladies before-mea- '

tioned lias been made."' "The future," says the editor, "lies with the public, and depends upon their uppoit." The price of the journal, which will be published monthly, is 3d, or 3s 6d per annum, for which, latter sum the Maori Record will be posted free to any address. We would urge upon all those who desire the wel fare and e\o!ut;on to its best i^ossibililies of a noble race to become subscribers to a journal which has. no object but the righting oi such wrongs as the drink traffic, the errors that have grown out of well-meant but mistaken legislation, and other kindred sources of evil to a race df which we, as their fellow-tenants of a fair land, may veil feel proud. " Our Jubilee, 1855-1905," beinj; a souvenir of the jubilee of the Sheffield Daily Telegraph and associated publications. Sir "W. Leng and Co., the proprietors of the Sheffield Daily Telegraph, forward a handsomely illustrated pamphlet, which has been issued to celebrate the fiftieth year in the history of the paper referred to. Like most papers, the Sheffield Daily Telegraph had an exceedingly modest beginning. An obscure individual named Benson, came from nobody knows where, and started the paper in June of 1855. After a few days he disappeared again, leaving the journal in its swaddling clothes to the care of a printer 113 mcd Pearce. The latter was a man of resource, and, seeing the possibilities in it, took up ilie idea, with llie result that the Sheffield Uaily Telecrrapli is now one of the leading rjrovuiciaL papers :n England. The story of its early stiuggles makes interesting reading from a press pomt of view, and the pamphlet contains an excellent description of the necessary plant and stock-in-trade of the modern newspaper. The proprietors ere to be congratulated 012 splendid success they have ru?de of their business.

— The oiliest Wesleyan in the I«Ie of Wigiit, a Newport lady named Mrs Xewman, ag<=d 95, has just died. She had bsc-n a member of the Newport Church 77 years, and. in accordance with her request, ever 300 quarterly tickets of membership were buried with hei'. —An interesting' story is told of an inserted comma which cost the United States Government £4-00,000. When the United States Congress was drafting the Tariff Bill it enumerated in one section the articles to be admitted on the free list. Amongst these were "all foreign fruit-plants." The copying clerk, in his superior wisdom, omitted the hyphen and inserted a comma after "fruit," &o that the clause read, "all foreign fruit, plants, etc." The mistake could not be rectified for about a year, and during this time' all oranges, lemons, bananas, -grapes, and other foreign fruits were admitted free of duty, with a "loss to - the Government of ut least £400,000 for __ that 3 r ear. — A remarkable act of seif-sacrifioe , ha-s __ just been recorded at the hospital of Burgos on the part of a Capuchin friar, Brother - Carrasco. A girl of four 3 7 ears was brought' into the hospital suffering from severe burns ' on various parts of the body, and the surgeons declared that flesh-grafting was the only chance of saving her. Brother Carrasco, who is attached to the jiospital ' as infirinarian and dispenser, ai, once offered himself, and the operation was performed forthwith, the surgeons taking 28 small faeces of flesh at as many different incisions. The friar refused anesthetics. The circumstances having besn brought to the notice of the Minister of the Interior, the first-class of the decoration for beneficence has been sent to Brother Carrasco.