The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-12-29 00:00:00

Littraturt.

-sir Knw RI wns RlGHT.—Parts 8, 9. and 10, of Mr.
Anthony Trollops's serial story, "H. Knew Hs wu
Might," presents to us further development' of this
absorbing tale, wont', of the genius of tta suthor.

ST. MAGAZIN, (London: Virtue and Co., 294,
('ity•road) begias the new year with • fint.rate number.
The cohtionstions of " Phineas Finn" and " The
Sacristan's Household" be,* each their special Merits,
though probably the editor's story is that to whieh
readers will from month to month turn first, for it lain
Hr. Trollops's most captivating style. "The upshot of
the elections" is a political article, written in a thought.
ful impartial spirit, indicating the true eharseter of the
*hanged we have introduced into our electoral system,
and what bearing they are likely to produce In the
immediate future. There is en interesting and dis-
criminate article on Sir Robert Peel, a capital paper On
earthquakes, one of the best ghost stories amongst the
many the 'mason has produced, and other readable
articles. making 12$ pages in all fore shilling I

Nrw Yast ANNUAL.—This laths fourth of • series
of sixpenny annuals, edited by Mr. A.G. IL Heins, con-
taining article" of interest in reference to the Flllloo,
anl tales and poems sppropriate to it. We spoke in
t. rrici of oommendstion of the issues for Easter and
Whitsuntide, and the one now before us for the New
Year is still better. The opening article on the
observsnee of the first day of the year is very interest-
ing, and the collection of tales Is excellent and varied.
It is a capital sixpenny worth of light literatere.
Till DOZERT AND SOMERSET COUNTIES' ALMANAC&
contains much valuable comity information, a list
of
fairs and great markets on an original and valuable pl. a,
In addition to all the turual features of an almanak. Its
price is only sixpence.
DIETRICH/IRX AND HANNAY'S ROT•L ALMANACS ill
a useful book of referent)* for Parliament. Court, and
the Colonies, and contaios • navy and army list, bankers,
publie income and expenditure, arid its usual mass of
information.
- - -• •• • -•- •

Tint LI/KBOAT, the journal of the National Life•boat
In•titution, contain% an admirable ertlole on
(ritici.ms of life-boat servioes." which in the present
awful member, we fee, may be too frequent. We give
the following extract life-boat is simply en
Ineibinergible boat, whisk ammo' founder under any
circumstance.. It is not, however, endowed with rupee-
natural properties. It may he driven beck by the force
of the wind and sea, or be upset by en overpowering
wave end although most modern life-boats ere provided
with the property of self-righting when upset, yet that
advantage can only be obtained by a guerilla° of
propelling power, sleet such boats have not space for so
many rowers is other boats If etaam.power Gould be
applied to life-boats, they might possibly be propelled
against any sea and wind; tryst, however. the strength
of 10 or 12 men is all the force that le available, and it
Is cot an uncommon thing for • life-boat to be hurled
back 60 or 70, or even 10) yards, by • single breaking
wave, in spite of the utnoet efforts of a powerful
crew to stem it, while time are undoubtedly seas in
some local ties with whids no life-boat could foots's&
Again, the oars of a life-boat are sometimes broken by
the seg., and the boa, herself is thus rendered
temporarily uomanegesbe, when the Fie's of her up-
setting is much inereaseg, as she ainnot then be kept
bead to the sew ; and *tea life-boats are stationed on
Iron-bound coast., the &tiger of destruction to boat and
crew is of course much increased. Now' we are far
from implying that life-beat nit 3 should he deterred by
such dangerous we have 'Bove b idly related. We must
not, however, forget that they lure duties both to them-
selves and to others besides ,hipereeked men; that
they have wives and children a' home who have a prior
claim on them ; and theta men nay not recklessly throw
away his own life, whish hiellaker has bestowed on
him for his own happiness eni the general good, even
If he has on others &Towles on him for support."
Tilers is also a most stirring tie of the Runagate boat,
which though based on frequetly occurring facts, reads
as thrillingly as a sensstional wee. A capital "Song
of the Lifeboats' crew" is alo set to musle, and n.s7
gem, to remind drawingroom company at this
Christmas end New Year seam of the dangers without.
The usual information n Life-boat matters is
exhaustive, and capitally gotup.
THE LADY./ OWN PAPZI (London Freeman, 102,
Fleet-street), gives a pleasag potrait of Dickens, and
several novelettes suited for be time. Christmas rhymes
and miscellanea are illustreed with appropriate wood-
cuts, and fashions and woke, naive proper ettention.