Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 12.djvu/579

 10 s. xii. DEO. ii, 1909.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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was the work of Christopher North. Sir Henry appears to hold the astonishing view that " nocte " is the singular of " noctes." Mary Cholmondeley has a witty dialogue, ' Votes for Men,' and Sir Frederick Pollock a neat piece of verse, ' King Solomon's Vigil.' In ' An Italian Patriot,' Janet Ross has an interesting account of Lacaita a delightful man, to judge from her reminiscences. Mr. Ian Malcolm gives some idea of the ways and humours of the nation's legislators in 'In and Out of Parliament.' He speaks of " the genial hospitality exchanged between the opposing camps at dinner " as something extraordinary, but those who know the inner life of the House are aware that it is common to choose your friends from the rival side in politics. Miss E. M. Phillipps has a good subject which she treats well in ' The Moravian Church.' Mrs. L. Gomme's ' Women at the Polls ' gives a summary of facts which are likely to be of in- creasing importance in the near future. Mr. Frederick Boyle, in his ' Curiosities of Acclima- tisation,' has a fascinating, indeed marvellous theme. He shows how important the introduc- tion of plants and insects is to the welfare of man. Sometimes it is accidental, yet reaches pro- portions which make a serious difference to a whole district. Several English rivers were blocked up by an American water-weed intro- duced by a professor at Cambridge, according to Mr. Boyle. If the Anacharis is meant, we remark that it was found some years before this introduction in the Lake of Dunse Castle, Berwick- shire ; but there is little doubt that its abundance in the Fen country was due to a start at Cambridge. Travellers in Africa have made us familiar with the ravages of " the jigger." The fruit trade in West Australia and South Africa suffers much from the fruit-fly, and specialists have been sent to discover in Brazil, its native haunt, the insects which prey upon it, in order that they may be introduced and keep its numbers down.

In these days of steadily degenerating standards in journalism it is a pleasure to notice the high standard maintained by The Cornhill, which sur- vives where many of its rivals have perished, and certainly has a fitness which makes long life desirable.

IN The Nineteenth Century there is this month not a single article of purely literary interest, an omission which we regret. At least nine articles are devoted to political questions. Mr. Bram Stoker writes on ' The Censorship of Stage Plays,' pointing out that " the situation of a hundred years ago, between the licensed theatres and the ' minor ' theatres, is reproduced to-day between the 'theatres' and the 'music-halls.'" He seems to imply that in no theatre is smoking allowed ; but, somewhat to our surprise, we found plenty of smoking when we last saw a drama at the Elephant and Castle Theatre. Miss Gertrude Kingston takes too high a tone in her claims for actors and actresses, who have, we think, all the social advantages they can fairly claim. She makes, however, some excellent points in her contrast between "German and English Theatres." Sir Bampfylde Fuller's ' Saul Among the Prophets : a Philosopher's Plea for Religious Education,' is too heavily written to make any way with the average public. Mr. Edward McCurdy writes excellently, and with ample knowledge and taste, on ' Leonardo da Vinci as Sculptor.' In ' Then and Now ' Mrs. Frederic Harrison deals with the

movement for women's suffrage, and the effects of militant action to secure it during the last four years. We do not think it possible for any writer with the best of intentions to summarize the arguments concerning such a question in less than seven pages. ' A Transatlantic Invasion of 1816,' by Mrs. A. M. W. Stirling, is a piece of family history dealing with the career of three beautiful girls who came from the United States to England, the home of their ancestry, and created a sensation at Court. Mrs. Paterson, the eldest of the trio, made the First Gentleman in Europe exclaim, "Is it possible there can exist so beautiful a woman ? " Byron and Wellington were also fascinated. Mr. Paterson was a descendant of " Old Mortality." This history of the family should be read, for it is noteworthy in many ways. The title of ' Psycho-Physical Forces,' by Mr. F. Carrel, will repel some serious readers ; but the article is no wild statement of unproven facts, but a moderate and reasonable survey from which we quote the following con- clusions : " Just as men were once ignorant of the circulation of the blood, so it may be that there are dormant neuronic forces in us which still await discovery. I should not like to be held to say that they do exist ; but I think that sufficient reasons have now been offered to legitimise investigation."

IN The Fortnightly the usual review of ' Imperial and Foreign Affairs ' lays stress on the importance of the career of Prince Ito, whose murder is described as " the greatest personal tragedy of these latter times." Mr. William Archer has an intimate and expert notice of the first drafts of plays ' From Ibsen's Workshop,' which is interest- ing reading. Mr. John Galsworthy's ' Some Platitudes concerning Drama ' is an admirable statement of the aims of the younger writers on whom the future of our stage depends. It should not be missed by any one who has a real interest in the subject. Lewis Melville tells us much that is striking concerning ' William Beckford of Fonthill Abbey,' whose eccentricities have, it would seem, obscured his real merits and led to some unfair gossip. Mr. Melville is arranging quite a revival of Beckford in various quarters. We can see nothing new or particu- larly attractive in Mr. John Fyvie's paper on ' The Despot of Holland House.' Eulenspiegel in the account of ' The German Emperor and the Theatre ' reveals much that is novel to us, and shows the good that the Kaiser's unflagging enthusiasm has achieved, as well as his limitations as a director of artistry. Mr. Gamaliel Bradford, jun., has in ' The Novel Two Thousand Years Ago ' a subject of considerable charm for the scholar, and it is gratifying to see such an article in any magazine nowadays. The author, how- ever, seems to us to overrate the merits of the Greek novels, which represent life at a big remove, being descended from rhetorical exercises. We have read the ' Daphnis and Chloe ' of Longus recently, and find it intolerably affected, though not without touches of beauty. ' Paris and Madame Steinheil,' by Mr. J. F. Macdonald, shows clearly the degrading side of the famous- trial, and the frenzied interest of the sensation- mongers whom modern journalism does so much to encourage. We turn with pleasure from this article to ' The Painter and the Millionaire,' a " Modern Morality Play " by Mr. H. M. Paull ; and the ' Orpheus and Eurydice of Mr *