With the June part of Cassell's Magazine, which commences a new volume, an album of illustrations by Frank Dicksce, B.a., is presented, consisting of really beautiful reproductions of: the artist's well-known drawings executed for Romeo and Juliet. The supplement is alone more than worth the sixpence which the complete part costs, and yet, in addition, we have a magazine of 110 pages, ' filled with serial and complete stories by writers of established repute, and timely articles upon all sorts of subjects, the whole embellished with excellent illustrations. By a Hair's Breadth," being the secret history of the Czar's tour, isa very promising serial by Mr. Headon Hill, who has obviously nothing to learn asa writer of a thrilling fistic narrative. 'The God of Bata capital example of the short story, to which modern English writers are so successfully: turning their attention. Bir. Robert W. Chambers, who is responsible for it, is: steadily winning a name as an unconventional' author. Then in Mr. E. W. Hornung who contributes a story of Sydney and the Bush we recognise another familiar novelist. Sir Wemyss Reid sends a chatty paper regarding the Reform Club, a membership of that institution for practically' score of yenrs, enabling him to recall a few of the famous men who were once at home within its walls. There are, of course, many members whose memory goes back much further, there being at least half-a-dozen gentlemen who have been members of the Club for nearly sixty years. "Indeed," says Sir Wemyss, "nothing is more instructive than a chat with one of these veterans. He will take you round the Club and show you the small table adjoining the east door of the coffee-room where Lord Palmerston always dined when he came to the Club, in the days of his premiership. Strangely enough, above the chair where 'Pam' used to sit now hangs the portrait of his great successor, Mr. Gladstone. Stories about Lord Palmerston still linger in the Club. One tells how, ata time when there was a grave crisis in the fortunes of the Cabinet, of which he was the chief, one of the irrepressible Club bores, seem; the Prime Minister dining alone, walk up to him and addressed him with an air of a-surance. 'Well, Lord Palmerston, what is going to happen?' With a bland and unruflled countenance the old statesman, looking up, replied: Upon my. word, I'don't know: Can you tell me?"" Another entertaining paper is one describing some of the exciting incidents in the life of a London fireman, and the heroism they have brought forth. There are some striking pictures illustrating the letterpress.
The Quiver begins with an article entitled "Phe Queen tu her People," which enables us to appreciate the bond of sympathy which has existed between Sovereign and subject in their domestic or national sorrows. The collection of messages illustrates very strikingly the genuine sentiment which the Queen in her own unaffected, but at times almost affectionate language, speaks to her subjects. 'There is no haughty allusion to my army," or "my navy," but to my Ber' empire and sovereignty finds its great copie," in whose hearts the strength of est security, Anarticle upon the Queen's chaplains. gives a good deal of information which will be entirely new to most peo-
Piho position of chaplain to the Queen is a high honour, and is much appreciated by those who are selected for the office. Her Majesty takes a personal interest in the choice, and it is unnecessary to say that it rarely, if ever, happens that the post is conferred on one who brings it into discredit or disgrace. So far-seeing is the Queen's discretion, that the majority of the bishops have previously been royal chaplains. Indeed, hence the saying—with what truth I know not—is attributed to her Majesty, to the effect that she is always being' robbed of her most able chaplains by their elevation to the episcopal bench. "Occasionally, it happens that the attractions of a bishop's mitre are not sufficient to draw away to that wider and more responsible sphere of duty a divine who is wrapped up in the particular line of work which he has laid down. For example, the venerable and distinguished Dean of Llandaff, who for upwards of twenty years has devoted himself to the task of training young men for the ministry of the Church, has refused a bishopric on several occasions. He holds the office of Deputy-Clerk of the Closet in the Royal Household. Again, the popular and beloved vicar of Battersea, Canon J. Erskine Clarke, who rules a parish which is almost as large, and quite as important, as several of our dioceses, has more than once ex-wrassed an emphatic nolo episcopari. He been foursome years an honorary chaplain, and was last' year appointed chaplain-in-ordinary to her Majesty. The distinction between the two classes of to "wait'* in rotation at St. James'
Palace; four at a time, during each month of the year. A table was provided for them. This practice, which is contrary to the spirit of the times now, was almost universal in all great establishments. The Archbishops of Canterbury were in the habit of dining daily in the magnificent Juxon's Hall at Lambeth (which was converted by Archbishop How-ley into a library), where a few distinguished guests would share the hospitality of the Primate at the high table, and the chaplains and other attendants, in ad to certain privileged persons, could take their places at the lower tables. A regu-Jated number +f the poor of Lambeth and Westminster were permitted to come, each day, and carry off the broken meat. When this princely and almost indiscriminate method of entertainment was abolished, the poorer neighbours of the Archbishop were not deprived of the boon which had been accorded to them for so long a period, but. the method was changed to a weekly money. dole, which is still distributed. The honorary chaplains of the Queen have no fixed duties and no stipend. They are twelve in number, and are liable to be summoned to fill a vacancy in the rotation of the preachers at the Chapel Royal, St. James's, or to receive a royal command to Preach before her Majesty at Windsor, or. Osborne. 'The chaplains-inordinary' are thirty-six in number, and are paid an honorarium of £30 0 year in lieu of their board, which was formerly provided. The Sundays on which they are to preach are fixed, and it is only an urgent reason which is' allowed to excuse their non-attendance. Vacancies are filled from the ranks of honorary chaplains, who are usually promoted according to seniority.
Amongst the interviews which are such a feature of Cassell's Saturday Journal is one with Miss Florence Marryat, the w known novelist, who contends that it is possible to teach an aspirant to write fa tolerable book. An extract from the article will be interesting "Well, granted the material is all there, your aspirant can be taught how to utilise it. In fiction, the imagination and power of description are a sine qud non. He should be trained to weave " story and be initiated into the mysteries of plot, construction, composition, style, length, euphony, development of plot, how to begin story, and how to finish. All this, Tam convinced, the young author can be taught, provided he has some natural gifts.
"Above all, perhaps, he should study how to give expression to all the passions of which the human race is capable. Half of the aspirants don't know what you mean when you talk of passion. It is my experience that young men usually take a their heroine the woman on whom they may be spoony' at the moment, no inatter if she be the greatest ass under the sun. For this reason I think the study of physiognomy and phrenology are of the greatest importance, as they enable you to make the appearance of your characters consistent Authors acldom do. Physiognomy should with their actions—a thing which youn; be taught in schools, so that men may know the false from the true.
"Your sex, if you will forgive for me saying so, make the most appalling mistakes in regard to women. I can assure you that the women who are considered the most beautiful are not as a rule of the best dispositions. The closed nostrils and the very small mouth are not indicative of the true woman, The frank disposition has open nostrils, and, unfortunately, too often large mouth, "The truth is, if a man wishes to write accurately about women, he must make friends of them, and get them to repose confidence in him,. This is where women chaplains is of comparatively recent origin. have the advantage over men: they know The royal chaplains used to be forty-more about men than men know about eight in number, and their duties were them, and I will tell you why. What a man tells a woman, no matter if he be her
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.