Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 7.djvu/368

 360 NOTES AND QUERIES. [n s. vn. may 3> 1913. the first history of Bolton by one John Brown—a work which is, however, both incomplete and in- accurate. Humphrey Chetham, it appears, left no literary work behind him : to have founded one of the first free libraries—if not the first—in England, may perhaps be considered greater good fortune than to have been the author of many of the works for which his fellow-townsmen are responsible. The compiler—who has been compelled by his scheme to give us a long and interesting list of his own books and papers—contributes a judicious Introduction, which gives concisely such informa- tion as is required to make a sufficient setting to the facts collected in the body of the work. A more than usually large proportion of the articles in this month's Fortnightly Review is de- voted to the sketching of character. " Philhellene" gives us a sympathetic and informing portrait of the late King of Greece, well worth doing in itself, and done with all the advantages of first-hand knowledge. Dr. Vyrnwy Morgan attempts an explication of the enigmatic personality of Mr. Lloyd George, and M. Martial Massiani gives a straightforward account of M. Poincare. Mr. . John F. Macdonald's ' The Reoord of M. Lepine' has all the whimsical humour which one expects from his pen. Prince Bariatinsky in 'The Mys- terious Hermit,' i.e., the Tsar Alexander I., Napoleon's antagonist, gives us the summary of a book he has lately published in Russia, which sets forth upon what grounds he has satisfied him- self concerning the true identity of Fedor Koos- mich. Mr. Oliver Onions's study of ' Henry Ospovat' deals with the mau, not with his work. One could hardly expect it to do away with the . elusiveness which, so to speak, hangs about its subject, but it is a good piece of criticism of ' humanity. The editor gives us here the first in- stalment of a highly interesting discussion of ' Realistic Drama,' in whioh we seem to perceive the cycle returning towards the Sophoclean or • Shakespearian—i.e., the central and classic concep- tion of the drama as strictly an art, not merely a reflection of life. International problems of the day are represented by Sir Max Waechter's ' England, Germany, and the Peace of Europe'; by " Excubitor's " ' Sea and Air Command: Germany's New Policy'; and by Mr. Wadham Peacock's ' The Future of Albania': while 'A State Medical Service,' by Mr. C. A. Parker, and ' A Question of Divorce by Consent,' by Mr. E. S. P. Haynes, represent the contribution ■ of the number to the elucidation of social diffi- culties. There is a finely executed poem ' In the Forest,' by Mr. Maurice Hewlett, and verses on • ' The Wind' by Miss Frances Tyrrell-Gill. The May Cornhill Magazine is a satisfactory number, offering a sufficiently wide variety of interesting matter. Mr. Harold T. Wager writes lucidly and instructively upon those facts of plant structure, and the experiments towards ascertain- ing them, which lead to the conclusion that the difference between stimulation of living substance in plants and stimulation of nervous tissues in animals is one rather of kind than of degree. Mr. Frederiok Boyle's paper on 'Our National Com- plexion' (in which, by the way, the writer seems to be unaware of the lamented death, so long ago as July, 1911, of Dr. Beddoe) is a series of generaliza- . tions for which, in our opinion, anthropology is hardly yet ready, the vera causa of pigmentation and the different shapes of the human skull, with the relations of these to intellectual endowment, not being as yet established beyond dispute. Arch- deacon Huttou has a good paper on James Gairdner ; and there are two excellent essays of a more or less humorous nature : Miss Betham-Edwards's second sketch 'From an Islington Window,' and Prof. Jacks's 'Farmer Jeremy and his Ways.' Nor must we omit to mention Mr. Shelland Bradley's grim yet entertaining disquisition 'Concerning Crocodiles.' The County Coast Series.—The Berwick and Lothian Coasts. By Ian C. Hannah. (Fisher Unwin.) Mr. Ian Hannah had evidently made a copious collection of material from divers sources before he put together this account of one of the most interesting strips of all the storied coast of Great Britain. We regret that we cannot altogether congratulate him on the result of his labours. Considered as a guide-book of the gilded sort, this work is too unsystematic, too fragmentary, and, with its incomplete index and the absence of any means to catch the eye, too tiresome to be of any particular use. One is better off with something less pretty, but more practical and thorough. If, on the other hand, one regards it as a quasi-literary production, designed to stimulate and instruct the imagination of people who cannot wander about the cliffs of Lothian, then it fails by reason of its entire lack of literary quality. Much of it is little better than an omnium f/atherum of snippets from historical and areha;ologieal sources, bite of rather inane description, and unfortunate jokes, and it is so lacking in atmosphere that it reminds one of a cinematograph show. Yet Mr. Hannah, in his Preface, explains that he greatly loves and inti- mately knows this corner of the world; nor do we reproach him, so far as the subject-matter is concerned, with having taken insufficient pains. It would seem that to write a readable book about a tract of country—unless one is inspired by the excitement of discovery — makes an unusually heavy demand upon mere literary craftsmanship. iUoittts to (Eomspontonis. . We must call special attention to the following notices :— Ox all communications must be written the name and address of the sender, not necessarily for pub- lication, but as a guarantee of good faith. We cannot undertake to answer queries privately, nor can we advise correspondents as to the value of old books and other objects or as to the means of disusing of them. Correspondents who send letters to be for- warded to other contributors should put on the top left-hand corner of their envelopes the number of the page of 'N.tQ.' to which their letters refer, so that the contributor may be readily identified. Editorial communications should be addressed to "The Editor of ' Notes and Queries'"—Adver- tisements and Business Letters to "The Pub- lishers "—at the Office, Bream's Buildings, Chancery Lane, E.C. L. C—Forwarded.