The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-01-04
New Publications.

WITH the number for January .Scribner's
Magazine begins auspiciously its second
year. The features of the new year prom
Use to he most interesting and valuable con-
tributions to literature, and the publishers
announcement Of increased excellence in
illustration is evidently to be richly fulfilled.
The first of series of thoughtful and charm
ing essays by Robert Louis Stevenson is
entitled \ Chapter on Dreams" Mr.. Ed
ward l.. Wilson, whose article on 4" The
Modern Nile " in the September number
of the magazine was so cordially received,
contributes an equally interesting account
of The Great Pyramid " of Cheops, which
describes the appearance and structure of
that ancient monument, narrates the Incl
dents of an ascent and descent, pictures the
view from its summit and tells much about
its history and the curious speculations to
which 1t has given origin. From the many
fine photographs taken by the author and
from drawings by j. ID. Woodward expert
engraverS have made a series of beautiful
illustrations.
WEATHER. By Ralph Abercromby New
York; ID. Appleton & Co. This is the latest
book of the International Scientific Series.
For sale by ID. f. Long, Montpelier. The
book is divided into two parts-elementary
and advanced-and in it Mr.. Abercromby
processes to give popular exposition of the
nature of weather changes from day TO day.
1t abounds in charts and cloud pictures
devoted to the science of forecasting the
weather. Few realize the care and labor
involved in the construction of the little
paragraph in the daily newspapers headed
Weather Probabilities" The study requi-
site for the tri-daily press reports, says Mr..
Abercromby, includes the drafting of seven
graphic charts, exhibiting the data fur
nished by the simultaneous reports tee-
graphed from all the stations. These charts
have to be sifted and Analysed preliminary
to the preparation of every bulletin. The
average time which elapses in this country
between the simultaneous reading of the
instruments at the seperate stations and the
issue of the forecasts is one hour and forty
minutes.
THE first number of Hdrper's Magazine
for the new year is full of promise, though
promises are hardly needed to sustain the
reputation of this popular periodical. The
first article is about "The Alteration of the
Magi," by the Rev. Dr. Henry Van Dyke,
and records the various traditions as well as
the truth about this curious incident of sa-
cred history. Engravings of various famous
pictures on the subject are given. One OF
them appears AS the frontispiece of this
number. "The Italian Chamber of Depu-
ties " is an instructive historical sketch of
the present popular branch of the Italian
! legislature, by j. S. Farrer, illustrated by
twenty portraits of prominent deputies. 1t
tells of the men who are to hold Italy in
her present high position in European poll
tics, or let her slip hack. Under the head
ing, "The Tariff " for revenue ony],
! Henry Watterson sets forth the views of the
free-trade reformers in this country. These
are only three among many timely and in
teresting papers in the number There is a
short story by Ameie Rives, the first
part Of new novel by William Black and
poems by Nora Perry and M. Il. M. Davis
OF particular interest is the article on
Westminster Abbey" by Archdeacon
Farrar, showing the share Of America in
that famous resting place of the great.