10 s. xii. DEO. ii, 1909.] NOTES AND QUERIES.
479
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 *
