The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-01-06 00:00:00

&lament, Chatto and Windus, Piccadilly, W.—At last
that attractive tanglement of • tale, "queen of the
Meadow," comes to an end, and though one felt all
along it most be poetical justice that Polly should have
her true lover Michael, yet the denouement is brought
about in piquant style by means as sensational as can
he conceived when the went, is on a farm, and the
heroine • fartueress. Walton, just in the height
of his success in stock-gambling, not only has
to despair of all chance of *inning Polly, but
even his newly-acquired affection for Sarah is disappointed,
he proposes too late. for Sarah resolves to join the sister-
hood of St. John. Novel-readers are drawn into the
meshes of three new tales by James Payn, Julian
Hawthorne, and Mrs. A. W. hunt, intending authors
will find much consolation in "Rejected MSS.," which
shows how the best things arc often "returned with
thanks" awl perhaps only because—" they read as raw
in MSS." Other articles make up a very readable book.
which is, as usual, well illustrated.
TI,. Cambridge Bible—Spittle to the ROlll4lOB. Introduc-
tion and notes by the Rev. IL C. G. Moule, M.A., Trinity
College. Printed at the University Press.
A thorough scholarly work, done with the calmness and
exnetitude which enable one to rely on its expositions, and
with love for the teachinasof St Paul sufficiently revealed
to awake in the mind of the student pleasure like that it
gave the editor. Read and studied conscientiously, the
notes will certainly bring the student much more closely
to the shades of meaning of the inspired writer, than could
certainly be attained by study of our vented without help
from the Greek. An excellent volume for teachers,
especially of those who are nearly adult, while men and
women may teach themselves by its means to see in the
Epistle to the Romans beauty and wisdom additional to
what they ever saw before.
minday at flons..—tteglious Tract Society, Ed, Pater-
noster-Row. Although the least part in this well-stored
Masliliil2o may be the tale, yet "Farmer Truefit's
Barley" will catch the attention of many • reader, who
will not
,penetrate to "the Pulpit in the Family," or
even to ' Sabbath Thoughts," leaving out "The Invalid's
Portion." Pleasantly written as the tale is, it has • good
purpose—to show how worldly prosperity may lower the
standani of a man who supposes himself to he Christian
until 'Cis necessary for him to sutler trials. The Dean of
Chester furnishes " Hone Petrillo)," more modern in style
and more generally reaflahle than Paley's "Moire
Psulitoo," yet with • similar good purpose. Rev. N.
Urwick gives" Incidents of a Journey round the World,"
and Miss R J Whateley tel s "Cousin Mabel 's
Experiences, and these are only specimens of the varied
contents. _ .

Leisure flour. This also °nines from 511, Pater-
noster-row, and maintains its character by the ample
provision for readers on starting the new year.
Me tale "Nine-tenths of the Law" has for its
principal figure an agent's wife proud above her
station, but fortunately with a contented daughter ;
the scene lies in a country neighbourhood. But
the reader is not confined to Ec.igland, for he may spend
"Now Year's Day in Canto,,, try " High Life in Old
Ireland," hear "The Bells of St. Giles's,. Edinburgh," go
" Marketing, on Lake Nyassa," or travel ' Out among the
Turkomans. ' Even astronomy may help him to hear
startling prophecies with equanimity, and this is what the
Leiser/ Hour tells about the supposed " meeting of the
stars :" "Some sensational paragraphs, having an
American source, have been freely circulated relating to
an alleged conjunction, in IBSG or the following year, of the
perihelia, or least distances from the sun, of the four major
planets, Jupiter, Seturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The
absunlity of the notion that the relative positions of
planete so widely separated in the solar system could have
any sensible effect on the earth's atmosphere is so evident
that the subject itself is beneath the notice of the
astronomer; but for the information of those who have
taken some interest in the matter, we may state that these
four planets wi 1 sot be at their least distances from the
sun in any special year, and, consequently, all speculations
founded upon this assumption fall immediately to the
ground. The facts are these: Jupiter will be at its least
distance from the sun, or, in astronomical language, in
perihelia, in September, 1890 ,• Saturn in September, 1885;
Uranus in April, 18131 ; while in the rase of Neptune, the
perturbations of Jupiter disturb the elliptic orbit so much
that there are two points of nearest approach to the sun
some ten years apart, the first of which took place about
1117 t; 7, while the seoond is egprated to occur about 1987-8."
The Cottager and Artisan, Child's Companion, and Tract
Magesiae, are each good pennyworths In their way.
Aaiun, A lossanaeht. Published by Alfred Cook, Steam
Colour Works, 7, Briggate, Heaton's Court, Lesda These
are very beautiful works of art, in gold mad colours, and
each will he an ornament to a wall-spees, so that
tradesmen who present almanacks to their customers
may be sure of these being acceptable. Among the
subjects are likenesses of the Princess Alice and of Handel,
a pretty little maid on the seashore with bucket and
spade; Our Jenny " a pleasant face, " True Faith," an
elegant female figure, with cross and flowers, and." Our
Home Pets," a strikingly coloured group of blossoms and
birds.