Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 5.djvu/476

 468

NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. v. JUNE 9, 1900.

kitchen garden rather than the parterre, if, indeed, it is not in the store closet or the scullery. ' Elizabeth and her German Garden ' obtains some praise, though her critic has a shrewd suspicion that she knows nothing about gardening. Mr. Arthur Ponsonby has a thoughtful paper on ' Tycho Brahe,' who, on the island of Hveen given him by the king, is described in the words of Hamerton as, since the days of Horace, the most happily situated of mental labourers. Mr. H. Heathcote Statham bears tribute to 'The Genius of Handel.' Mr. Laurence W. Pike pleads ' The Cruel Case of the Wounded War-Horses.' Col. J. H. Rivett-Carnac describes ' Swiss Rifle Clubs,' and Mr. Sidney Low writes on the ' Enigmas of Empire.' An article of mournful interest is the description by the late Capt. Cecil Boyle of 'The Cavalry Rush to Kimberley.' In the Pall Mall, under the title of 'Arts and Crafts in the Sixteenth Century,' further illustrations from Stradanus are given. Among these are ' An Engraver's Workshop in Florence,' several pictures of the culture and utilization of the silk- worm, designs of pearl and coral fishing, and of the collection of naphtha. ' Canadian Fisheries,' by Mr. W. S. Harwood, has excellent illustrations from photographs, together with a readable account of the occupation. ' Claude Monet, Impressionist,' by Mr. Wynford Dewhurst, is styled "an apprecia- tion." It reproduces many fascinating pictures by a great artist, and gives a definition of " Impres- sionism." Among the pictures is a view of Monet in his open-air studio, presumably at Argenteuil. An account of ' The War Office ' and the War,' by a Staff Officer, naturally defends the Office from the criticisms many of them sufficiently unreasonable that have been passed upon it. ' Delhi Past and Present ' supplies a series of excellent views of the principal edifices in the great Mohammedan capital. In ' Ex-Libris ' Mr. W. E. Henley, like the patriot he is, sings the praises of Thomas Atkins and his hymner Mr. Rudyard Kipling. Mr. Street, in his ' From a London Attic,' deals with the characteristics of Jews. By far the longest contribution to the Cornhill consists of part v. of the ' In Years of Storm and Stress ' of Mr. Karl Blind. It is a very pitiable narration of cruelty and hardship. ' A Literary Nihilist,' by Mr. Thomas Seccombe, gives a brilliant account of Anatole France, one of the most interesting figures in recent French literature. He has been called, as Mr. Seccombe tells us, " 1'extreme fleur du genie latin." Mr. Osborn's 4 Warders of the West ' depicts the proceedings of the North-West Mounted Police, concerning whom some admirable stories are told. ' A Trek from the Transvaal' is a record of experiences about the time of the Jameson raid, some of them pleasant enough, but others disastrous. It gives a startling account of the ravages of the cattle plague. ' Georgian Gossips,' by Miss A. M. Wilson, is a curious account of conversations, consisting of the recollections of nonagenarians. Authority can be supplied for every strange assertion that is made. Urbanus Sylvan (!), repeating ' The Legend of Mac- conglinne,' changes in strange fashion his nar- ration from the past tense to the present. Mr. Crockett's ' The Blue Eyes of Ailie ' is an agree- able and original story. ' The Sultan of Lansdown Tower' is the title assigned, in Temple Bar, a gossiping account of Beckford of ' Vathek ' fame. Some harsh criticisms on Emma, Lady Hamilton,

are quoted from Beckford. A good account is included of the association of Beckford and Disraeli. 'Some Old Singers,' by Mr. Todhunter, deals with, among others, Piccolomini, Tietjens, Giuglini, Saiitley, Grisi, and Mario. ' The Ships of the New Forest' gives stimulating records of sea fights. Much of the fiction is excellent. Mr. Percy Fitzgerald sends to the Gentleman's ' The Play-Bill,' a history of the growth and development of that indispensable companion on a visit to the theatre. Many inter- esting, if well - known bills are reprinted. ' East- bourne Antiquities' has an agreeable antiquarian flavour. ' The Queerest of Colonial Books ' is an ambitious title for an account in the 'History of Ballarat' of the only battle ever fought on Aus- tralian soil. 'The Penny and its Story,' in the English Illustrated, contributes an entertaining and a valuable chapter to the history of the English coinage. Many enlarged reproductions of coins are given. 'The Haunt of the Waterrail' supplies many pleasing pictures of English marshes and sylvan scenery. It is sad to learn that it is doomed to extinction, and still more sad to hear that the only mention of the bird is by the naturalists (!) who shoot it. ' Royalty in Disguise ' is fresh in subject, showing many royal personages of past times mas- querading in various dresses. A better title for ' A Fashionable Hobby ' would have been ' A Once Fashionable Hobby,' grangerizing being out of date. ' Elephant Training in Burma' is worth reading. ' The Women of the Salons,' No. II., in Longman's, depicts Madame d'Epinay, the friend of Grimm, Rousseau, and the Encyclopaedists. It is brightly written. ' Country Teaching for Country Schools ' is a thoughtful and valuable article. In 'At the Sign of the Ship' Mr. Lang bewails the death, in an obscure skirmish, of Capt. Cecil Boyle. He also deals with Smollett.

tcr

We must call special attention to the following notices :

ON 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.

To secure insertion of communications corre- spondents must observe the following rules. Let each note, query, or reply be written on a separate slip of paper, with the signature of the writer and such address as he wishes to appear. When answer- ing queries, or making notes with regard to previous entries in the paper, contributors are requested to put in parentheses, immediately after the exact heading, the series, volume, and page or pages to which they refer. Correspondents who repeat queries are requested to head the second com- munication " Duplicate."

OXON. ("Noblesse oblige"). All that is known concerning this will be found 3 rtl S. x. 4 ; 5 th S. x. 134.

NOTICE.

Editorial Communications should be addressed to "The Editor of 'Notes and Queries '"Advertise- ments and Business Letters to "The Publisher" at the Office, Bream's Buildings, Chancery Lane, E. C.

We beg leave to state that we decline to return communications which, for any reason, we do not print ; and to this rule we can make no exception.