THE MAGAZINES.

Ma. Merrdsw ARNOLD'S article in the Nineteenth Century is as irritating as his political writing usually is. Doubtless Mr. Arnold will take our irritation as a sign of how reasonable and fair he has been. Still, for all that, we cannot help protesting when he thinks it necessary to badger Mr. Balfour thus about

the Bodyke evictions :—

" Mr. Balfour said he thought it his duly' to enable the Bodyke evictions to take place. Mr. Balfour is a brilliant man, but his ' thinking it his duty' to carry into execution, at that juncture, the Bodyke evictions, reminded me painfully of a saying of Goethe's : 'The English are pedants!' It was pedantry at that junoture, in a revolutionary state of things, with a bad ease, and with a Crimes Bill before Parliament, so to construe his duty. And heavily indeed was Mr. Balfour's stroke of pedantry punished. The evictions were conducted, like the preceding cases of the kind, in a manner to bring ridicule and contempt upon the police and soldiery, and upon the Government which was behind them."

It is amusing to see Mr. Arnold quietly relapsing here into the state of muddleheadedness which he finds so amusing though so tiresome in the British public. It is impossible to imagine a greater want of lucidity than the mental attitude of the man who wishes to preserve private property in land, and yet to do away with the right of eviction. It is the old story. The prophet of sweetness and light, like so many other people, wants things to be and not be at the same time. Unfortunately, this is just what they cannot be. The English may be pedants, but no lack of pedantry would make it possible for them to give the land of Ireland to the peasants, and at the same time to keep it for the landlords. Mr. Arnold, in another place, talks airily about " a short Bill staying evictions." No doubt he thinks it would be the easiest thing in the world to draft such a measure, and yet be perfectly fair to the landlords. It does not seem to have occurred to Mr. Arnold that Mr. Balfour could not possibly have forbidden the carrying out of the Bodyke evictions. Yet had he not carried them out, we should have had anarchy in the worst form,—the Executive refusing to enforce the decisions of a Court of Law. The sum and substance of Mr. Arnold's article is that "two facts above all, at the closing of the pre. sent Session, stand out clear and undeniable,—the disappear. ance of the Gladstonian plan of Home-rule, the weakening of the Government." In his description of the weakening of the Government, it is curious to see how Mr. Arnold has uncon- scionsly dropped into an echo of the Pall Mall Gazette's per- sistent outcry that the Government is going to pieces. We wish we had space to treat our readers to Mr. Arnold's appeal, made in his own inimitable style, to "the quiet and reasonable people" to keep up the "temper of fairness and moderation which makes their force." The Duke of Argyll's article, "A Great Lesson," is written with the very greatest point and brilliancy. The lesson is contained in the fact that

Darwin's theory of the formation of coral reefs has been entirely overthrown by the recent discoveries of Mr. Murray, of the ' Challenger 'expedition. If one scientific theory previously held indisputable can thus be overthrown, why not another P The Duke of Argyll speaks of the sort of reign of terror exercised, "some- times in philosophy, sometimes in politics, sometimes in science," on 1 ehalf "of certain accepted opinions or of some reputed prophet." As an example, we are told that Mr. Murray "was strongly advised against the publication of his views in derogation of Darwin's long-accepted theory of the coral islands, and was actually induced to delay it for two years." At the conclusion of his vigorous assault on scientific dogma, the Duke of Argyll makes himself grimly merry over the unfortunate incident of the "Bathybins,"—the mother-slime over which the ultra- Darwinians rejoiced so greatly. With Mr. Gladstone's article we have dealt elsewhere. Other articles of interest of the present number are Mr. Wilfrid Ward's "Positivism in Christianity," and "A German View of Mr. Gladstone," by Theodor von Bunsen.

• Sir Charles Gavan Daffy contributes to the Contemporary Beano a long article on "A Fair Constitution for Ireland." The article, which is extremely well-written, is meant to begin a series of public discussions on Constitution-making for Ireland, something in the nature of the Federalist. If the results achieves by Hamilton and Madison are to be imitated for Ireland, we think that the writers must be prepared to con- sult English political feeling a little more carefully than Sir Charles Cavan Duffy. The following constitutional prolego- mena embody an ideal aim for the government of Ireland of which we could well approve, though we at least should be very loth to admit that the means could not be better attained without a separate Irish Legislature :—

"I will presently submit for consideration and controversy a plan of an Irish Constitution which I have long had in my mind. It will help the reader to determine how far it is likely to answer its pur- pose if I state at the outset the precise ends it is designed to accom- plish. I desire in simple good faith, without any arriera pensde, to content my Protestant fellow-countrymen, by making religions liberty, private property, the administration of justice, and the peace of a mixed community an safe in Ireland as they are anywhere under the sky ; to make the substitution of a Celtic or Catholic ascendancy for the Protestant ascendancy, which has been happily overthrown, impossible; to create a native Legislature in which the whole nation shall be adequately represented, where the experience and discipline of the better trained minority may unite with the passionate desire of the majority (in whom suffering has been the nurse of patriotism) to raise up their country anew. I desire, tote cords, to secure not the triumph of one party over another, but the unity and peace of the entire people of our island. Without peace at home national prosperity is impossible, whatever institutions we may create ; and the primary condition of national peace is that we shall recognise the fact that the Matt nation is mot homogeneous but heterogeneous ; that it is composed of various races, creeds, and intereete, each of which has an absolutely equal claim to the protection of the law and to the enjoy- ment of all the rights and privileges of citizens; that we mast con- stantly acknowledge and act upon the principle that in all public affairs, from the pariah to the Parliament, it is the highest interest of the country that the majority and the minority should be folly repre- sented, and neither of them suppressed nor overborne. If there be men whose aim is to secure a great party triumph for Nationalists and a profound humiliation for Unionists, they will not find what they want here."

The first part of "The Story of Zebehr Pasha," as told by himself to Miss Shaw, is given in the present number. We mast, however, remember, in reading it, that no writer of an autobiography ever fails in demonstrating to the world how great and good he really is. Mr. Thompson's essay on "Australian Literature " must be confessed to be somewhat disappointing. We have always hoped against hope to find beauty in the verse of the Australian poets ; but except in a line here and there of Gordon's, it is difficult to find anything which touches the heart or the imagination. M. Gabriel Mound's "Contemporary Life and Thought in France" gives a very interesting account of the present aspect of affairs. We are glad to see that he considers it possible that the support given by the Right to M. Rouvieni Cabinet will continue, and that the permanence of the Republic will be assured thereby.

In the Fortnightly Review, Mr. Haldane asks the question, "Is a National Party possible ?" The article is fairly and reasonably written throughout. The following passage, dealing with the opinions of the new voters will, we feel mare, be endorsed by any one who knows the county constituencies :— "When such a reckless revolutionary comes among them as can. aidate, it generally happens that while a small minority of enthu- siasts cheer him and work for him, a large number abstain from voting. They have, apparently, an intense love of fair play, even towards the landlords and clergy who, in many cases from mistaken motives of kindness, have in the long and dreary peat excluded them from the least chance in life, and kept them down. They do not desire, and will have nothing to do with, confiscation. Hence the moderate and safe Liberal, though often a most inefficient repre- sentative for them, in many oases comes in by a far greater majority of their votes than could the most ardent Radical. They are, toe= op, essentially advanced reformers, but they hate shams and they love fair dealing and integrity of purpose, and, as they get a faller and more complete political education, will probably insist rigorously on having it. This at least is the writer's estimate of the average position of the new elector, formed from a study of his opinions in a great variety of places throughout England and Scotland. Of coarse in some places he tends more in the direction of unreasoned Radi- calism and in others less. But taking the average of local tea- deneies as a guide, there is cause to believe the above estimate to be substantially accurate."

During the course of his article, Mr. Haldane shows, as well he may, his uneasiness at the decay of "the old Academic Radi- calism of John Mill, and Austin, and the Westminster Reviewers." "Sentimental Radicalism," says Mr. Haldane, with regret, "driven away a great many people who are Radicals at heart." If "An Incident of Real Life in Bengal" is true, the story is a very shameful one. It is, however, on the face of it, hardly credible ; and unless proper evidence is forthcoming to prove it, it would be useless to enter into the facts. Mr. Swinbarne's article on "Victor Hugo : Chosen Yuen," is somewhat more restrained in style than usual. The articles on General Boulanger and M. Katkoff afford some interesting details of these two extra- ordinary men. Mr. John Symonds's " Realism and Idealism" contains some very suggeative criticisms on sculpture and painting.

In the National Review, Mr. Wodehonse deals with great force and ability with Mr. Gladstone's concessions. Very forcible is the following criticism of Sir George Trevelyan's present attitude:—

" Who cares (he exclaimed amid rapturous cheers) for a career or a political future, so long sobs have it not on his conscience that he gave over law-abiding citizens to the tender mercies of a separate Parliament, in which the Sheridans and the Egans would be sure to be prominent members ? And possessed by these anxieties be in- sisted on the necessity of retaining the fell control of law and order in Ireland in the hands of a powerful Home Secretary, responsible to the Parliament at Westminster.' But now—what guarantee has he obtained from Mr. Gladstone that the Sheridane and the Egans shall not be members of the future Home-rule PsrllanientP What pledge has be got that Mr. Egan shall not be Chancellor of the Exchequer in an Irish Cabinet, and Mr. Sheridan himself Home Secretary, with undisputed command of the pollee? What conceit- Mon, in short, what scrap of concession, has he secured on the point to which he assigned the first impottance, when he retired from Mr. Gladstone's Cabinet and afterwards voted him oat of office ?"

In " Cobden's Dream," an elaborate attempt is made to show that Mr. Cobden's theories fall with the rejection of- Free- trade by foreign nations, and that Mr. Cobden would have admitted this himself. Nothing could be more ridiculous than such a contention. Mr. Cobden never based his Free-trade arguments on the abandonment of Protection by foreign countries. What he said was this,—If the world once adopts unrestricted commercial intercourse, war will cease ; but even if the world does not adopt it, England will benefit immensely, though she is the only country with a system of Free-trade. In his arguments in favour of a tax on corn, the writer of the article places himself in a very curious position. He declares that Protection in France has not raised the price of corn, and that it would not rain it in England. If this is so, what earthly good will his Protection do the farmer P The farmer, we are told in one breath, suffers from the low price of wheat. In the next, he is offered a remedy which it is expressly stated will not raise it a penny. "The Last Day of Windsor Forest" is a charming paper, by that most delightful writer, Thomas Love Peacock, the original MS. having been found after his death. In it are two capital stories of William IV.'s courtesy and goodness of heart, and an enchanting description of two regiments of cavalry driving the wild deer out of the unenclosed part of the forest into the enclosed park. Mr. Court:home's essay on "Keats's Place in Literature," though it is, like all that writer's critical work, full of thought and knowledge, has at the same time a slight touch of pedantry.

Macmillan contains a very charming article on " Amiel," by Mr. Matthew Arnold. While questioning the positive value of Amiel's powers of "speculative intuition," Mr. Arnold draws attention to his extreme ability as a literary critic, a side of his writing which deserves the closest attention. Mr. Arnold says :—

"There is hardly a literary criticism in these two volumes which is not masterly, and which does not make one desire more of the !tame kind. And not Amiel's literary criticism only, but his criticism of society, politics, national character, religion, is in general well. informed, just, and penetrating in an eminent degree. Any one single page of this criticism is worth, in my opinion, a hundred of Amiel's pages about the Infinite Illusion and the Great Wheel."

Amiel's criticisms of Sainte-Benve, Victor Hugo, and La Fontaine, which are quoted by Mr. Arnold, are masterly sketches, from which we cannot willingly pass to " broodings over the infinite, and personality and totality." In the course of the article, Mr. Arnold cannot, of course, help making a comparison between Amiel and his favourite Sdnancour. In reading his criticism, it is difficult not to feel that Mr. Arnold considers sentimental pessimists his peculiar property, and that he does not at all like attempts to raise up a new prophet of misery without his sanction. "A City of Granite," by Mr. S. M. Burrows, contains an extremely interesting account of recent excava- tions at Anuradhapura, Ceylon. Very fascinating is Mr. Barrows's account of the ruins of temples, streets, and palaces which are being laid bare at an average depth of four feet below the soil, and of a huge stone slab bearing an inscription, in the Elu language, which contains directions as to the behaviour of Buddhist priests when preaching. "The Appeasement of Demeter," a poem, by Mr. George Meredith, reminds ne once again how very nearly that writer comes to being a poet—or, rather, to writing poetry—for his verses, hard, unintelligible, inarticulate, and full of faults as they are, could proceed only from one who has the poet's gift. It would be curious to pursue, had we space, the reason why the blight of inarticulateness falls upon no many of the best writers of this age,—why the man who once could write verses like,— " Faithful she is, yet she forsakes, And fond, yet endless woe she makes e.

now writes,—

" 0 Laughter ! beauty plumped and love had birth.

Laughter 0 thou reviver of sick Earth I"

Sir Edmund Da Cane contributes to Murray's Magazine an able and interesting account of the progress made in this country during the last fifty years in the method of dealing with crime and criminals. Notwithstanding the fact that the popu- lation has nearly doubled, and the wealth per head has increased nearly 70 per cent., the number of committals has steadily decreased. The life-sentences have fallen from 636 per annum to 9, in a period of five years, and capital punishment has been inflicted only 14 times in five years, whereas 8 executions took place in the year 1837 alone. A very amusing article, called "Dogs in Constantinople," gives a full mount of the high state of civilisation and polish there attained by the dogs. Apparently it is beneath the dignity of any dog in Constanti- nople to take notice of men, or other inferior animals. It is therefore necessary to feign sleep in the presence of these creatures, and a worthy dog will lie down in the middle of the road, go to sleep, and allow wheels and hoofs to pass over him with complete indifference, rather than admit that he is awake by running away. Of the civil wars waged by dogs belonging to different quarters of the city, of the splendid and fearless generalship of the dog.chiefs, of the court which is paid to these same chiefs by toadies who lick their jaws and search for their fleas, we cannot speak here ; but we think that, should this article be read to Sir John Lubbock's highly intelligent dog, it

will cause him to feel much ashamed of the backwardness of dog. civilisation in England.

In the °anthill, a clever and very disagreeable story, "A False Step," is concluded ; and the author of "John Herring" contributes five chapters of "The Gaverocks." "The Sacred Way of Eleusis " is an account of a modern excursion from Athens to Elms% which gives few facts about the Blensis of classical days, but much chat as to the ways of the modern Greek. A story, "A Phenomenal Voice," gives a hint which may or may not be turned to account by the opera.singer of the future.

In Longman'a Magazine much the most striking tale is "One Traveller Returns," by Mr. David Christie Murray and Mr. Herman. They give a wonderfully vivid picture of some of the horrible rites of the Druids. We wonder, however, whether the authors are right in attributing these horrors to the British Druid, There seems some reason to believe that Ceasar's account of-the Druids did them wrong, and that instead of being hideous medicine-men, they were only a set of mild and inoffensive astronomers,