Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 10.djvu/48

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. x. JULY 12, 1902.

ally several of them living in his house at the same time. Every now and again he burst into a volcanic

Eassion and turned one of them out." The end of is life is declared to have been tragic : " The lord of Monte Cristo became a client of the pawnshop, or lived on small loans from publishers and dramatic agents and the son of the woman whom he had betrayed and abandoned." Anton Tchekhoff, a Russian writer, concerning whom Mr. R. E. C. Long writes, is little heara of as yet in England, but will not be long in making himself known. Miss Laurence Alma-Tadema has an interesting artice on ' Monna Vanna,' the play of M. Maurice Maeterlinck, in regard to which, our English Cen- sure has contrived to show itself more idiotically incapable than usual. In the Nineteenth Century Mr. W. H. Mallock once more espouses the side of Mrs. Gallup with regard to the much-discussed bi-literal cipher. His advocacy is not very warm. While holding that a cipher exists, he thinks that Mrs. Gallup nas unintentionally taken the best way to discredit her own theory in the eyes of sensible people. Mr. Walter Frewen Lord is re- sponsible for a Philistine and not very good-natured article on M. Maeterlinck and ' Monna Vanna,' entitled ' The Reader of Plays to the Rescue.' His advocacy is not likely to benefit greatly that indiscreet and ill-starred official, who in this case may perhaps be regarded as a scapegoat. Mr. Lord, however, returns to forms and methods which we thought belonged to the past. Mrs. Aria gossips concerning playgoers. She is bright and amusing, but not always convincing. Mr. Walter Sichel finds an attractive subject in ' The Prophecies of Disraeli.' Khuda Bukhsh, a late Chief Justice of Hyderabad, writes on ' The Islamic Libraries.' The information he supplies will be new to most readers, and his article deserves to be closely studied. In the Poll Mall Mr. R. L. Pocock writes concern- ing ' Animals and Confederates.' Very far is he from seeing in the service rendered by birds to the rhinoceros or the alligator the proof of senti- mental attachment such as some have discovered. On the contrary, he holds that "Look after yourself and your family, and rob your neighbour if you can," is " Nature's first and great commandment." Illus- tration and letterpress are alike excellent, though some of the explanations furnished e.g., those in the case of the carpenter bee seem ingenious rather than convincing. Auguste Rodin at Home ' is, natur- ally, enthusiastic concerning the great sculptor, and supplies some admirable drawings of his prin- cipal works. ' A Revolution in Railway Signalling ' describes some marvellous improvements recently effected. Mr. J. H. Yoxall, M.P., is very much struck by the name of Yolande de Flandre, whose turbulent career he briefly describes. ' The Tragedy of Empire,' which deals with recent Cuban history, is well illustrated by photographs. Mr. Andrew Lang has a further excursus upon Mrs. Gallup and Bacon. A ghost story concerning Knebworth is romantic, and its origin no less so. An account of the volcanic eruption in the West Indies constitutes a noteworthy feature in the contents. ' In an Old French Garden,' by W. H. Low, which appears in Scribner's, is interesting in itself, and abounds with those delicately coloured illustrations which are a specialty of the magazine. 'In Burma with the viceroy,' by Mrs. Everard Cotes, gives a series of capital pictures of scenes and personages, and a very interesting account of the latter. / The Abitibi Fur Brigade ' supplies a striking account of

the way in which the last brigade of the once famous canoe flotillas collects and carries its precious freight. The entire number is excellent. In the Cornhill Canon Hensley Henson gives an historical and descriptive account of Westminster Abbey. Mr. W. Laird Clowes's account of the Mutiny at the Nore is profoundly interesting, and seems to have historical value. A new ' Dialogue of the Dead ' gives a Lucianesque discussion between Odysseus and Aristotle. This is humorous, even if a trifle extravagant. Mr. Andrew Lang writes on ' Bibliomania,' and is, according to custom, sensible and brilliant. It would not be difficult, however, to answer his paper. Mr. Aflalo writes on ' Some Habits of Fishes.' The fiction, both short stories and serials, is excellent in all respects. ' The Exposition of Bridge,' by Mr. J. S. McTear, in the Gentleman's, is by a writer with a strong

Erejudice in favour of whist. At the close some tults in the construction of bridge are mentioned. Mr. W. J. Lawrence sends ' The History of a Peculiar Stage Curtain.' Dr. Japp writes on ' Bird Courtship.' In Longman's Mr. Fred. Whishaw con- tinues his interesting and well-written sketches ' In a Devonshire Garden.' Under the title ' A, B, C,' Mr. Frank Ritchie advocates a scheme of spelling reform. Mrs. Percy Frankland writes on ' Bacteria and Ice.' In ' At the Sign of the Ship' Mr. Andrew Lang deals characteristically with forgeries and swindles. In the midst of much romance and fiction appears, in an excellent number of the Idler, ' The Search for the Missing Link,' with an account of the work of Prof. Ernest Haeckel. To the Play- goer Miss Clara Morris contributes some interesting recollections of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean.

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