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M an us has one of his characteristic, humorous Irish stories called 4i A Celtic Beauty." •• Their Last Trek" is by H. Anderson Bryden, an athletic Eng lishman who, having travelled extensively in South Africa, is thoroughly up in his subject, and in this story he presents a touching picture of Boer life. Robert Shackleton writes an amusing sketch of the old South, reflected in New York, in which the "Randolphs of Virginia " are conspicuous characters. "The Alpine Rose," Mrs. J. K. Hudson's fourth story in her series on Mormon life, receives its tille from the little mountain flower which is sometimes found on the highest peaks in this country, as well as in Switzerland, and which in this instance proves the link that binds an unhappy Mormon wife to her old home across the sea.

THE INTERNATIONAL MONTHLY for April con tains several articles of timely interest. Aside from the interesting paper by Prof. L. M. Keasbey of Bryn Mawr, on •' The Institution of Society," a subject of greater interest than perhaps the title would suggest to some, there are four articles of value, viz. : A review by Prof. Cheyney of Philadel phia, on "Recent Writing on English History;'' the story of French drama for the last half and more, of the nineteenth century, by Brander Matthews of New York; •• Comments on the War in South Af rica," by Capt. Zalinski, a well qualified critic, and who looks at affairs from the standpoint of an ex perienced American army officer; and the article by Hon. John R. Procter, on " The Neutralization of the Nicaragua Canal." The latter article is espe cially timely. THE April CENTURY is rich in pictorial illustra tion, its special art features including a frontispiece engraved by Cole, a full-page plate of H. O. Tanner's painting, •' The Annunciation; " Castaigne's Paris pictures and Du Mond's decorative treatment of "The Groves of Pan," a poem by Clarence Urmy. From the " Talks with Napoleon," in this number, it appears that the Emperor was so fully resolved to make his home in America, in the event of defeat at Waterloo, that he had bills drawn upon this country for whatever sums he chose to take. " Fashionable Paris'1 is brought vividly before the reader by Rich ard Whiteing's pen and Castaigne's pencil. M. Worth's explanation of how fashions were started, un der the Second Empire, is one of the titbits of this paper. Lovers of travel and adventure will turn to Miss Scidmore's account of '• The Greatest Wonder in the Chinese World," the bore of Hang-Chau, a tidal wave that sweeps up the Tsien-tang River thrice every year; to R. Talbot Kelley's " Out-of-the-Way

Places in Egypt," with illustrations by the author; and to the first instalment of Benjamin Wood's true tale of '• The Hardships of a Reptiler  engaged in turtle hunting, for profit, on the Caribbean coast of Central America. The same class of readers will he drawn to •• The Kentuckian, a timely study of a type, by John Gilmer Speed, a native of Kentucky, and in some respects a typical representative of the •; blue grass " state.

AMONG the features of SCKIBNER'S MAGAZINE for April, the animal story by Ernest Seton-Thompson, illustrated by him, will attract the large audience which has been fascinated by >• Wild Animals I have Known." In this story is given the life and adven tures of a curious little animal of the southwest, known as the kangaroo rat. Governor Roosevelt continues his monograph on "Oliver Cromwell," with an account of the Irish and Scotch Wars. The end of this compaign was the supreme military triumph of Cromwell, and the last time he had to lead an army in the field. The illus trations show a number of the battle fields as they appear to-day. Barrie's great serial. •' Tommy and Grizel " deepens in interest. 11 reveals Tommy as one of the most complex characters in modern fic tion. WHAT SHALL WE READ?

An important contribution to the study of crime is Mr. August Drahms's new work entitled The Criminal* As resident chaplain of the state prison in California, Mr. Drähms has been brought into personal contact with the criminal classes, and this book is the result of many years' study of the subject. •• Criminals are neither accidents nor anomalies in the Universe," says Maudsley. •• but come bylaw and testify to causality, and it is the business of science to find out what the causes are and by what laws they work." In an able and exhaustive man ner, Mr. Drähms discusses the criminal himself, the causes of crime, and the means of reformation and prevention. We wish we had the space to set forth his ideas upon the last two points, but can only men tion a few points which strike us as particularly worthy of consideration. Mr. Drähms believes that prisons should be set apart for first offenders, and others for habitual criminals. He would have no unnecessary hardship and brutality; no such sense less humiliations as striped clothing, poll-shaving or 'THE CRIMINAL. His personnel and environment. A scientific study by August Drähms, Resident Chaplain State Prison, San Quentin Prison, San Quentin, California. The Macmillan Co., New Yory, 1900. Cloth.