The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-02-04
Current Gtteratmre.
The Magazines.

LIPPINCoTT's MAGAZINE opens with
a complete novel by Clyde Fitch,
entitled "a Wave of Life" The
scene is laid in New York. II. II. Stod-
dard contributes delightful paper upon
the poet-painter, Thomas Buchanan
Read. 1.-THE Mountain Mirage" is
the title of a strange and thrilling story
of adventure told by Joaquin Miller
1t derives additional interest from the
fact that it is personal experience.
Charles Howard Shinn, in an article
entitled West of the Sierras," gives
an excellent idea of the rapid growth
and development of the state of Cali
fornia, as well as of its climatic adj
vanlages, the beauty of its scenery, the
productiveness of its soil, etc. Ella
Wheeler Wilcox, Frank Dempster
sherman, Maurice Francis Eagan. and
other poets contribute to this number.
THE ARENA contains the second of
Alfred Russell Walaces papers on
1.-THE Nature and Cause of Appari.
tons" 1t is a striking article, and will
undoubtedly attract much attention.
The paper which will probably attract
most attention in this country, however,
is by G. Wood Davis, whose contribu-
tons to the Forum last year were 80
widely quoted. This paper is on "The
Farmer. the Investor, and the Railway"
1t Is careful, exhaustive survey of
one OF the problems which is to day
challenging the widest attention. Every
one, especially every farmer who would
intelligently discuss an issue which will
be a paramount political issue in the
near future, should not fail to read this
remarkable essay and make note of
IFS valuable facts and statistics. Mr..
Flower, the editor of the Arena, dis
cusses a number of interesting topics,
such as " Deplorable Social Conditions"
"Uninvited Poverty" 1.-THE Rum
Curse" Masculine immortality" etc.
SCR1BNER's MAGAZINE maintains the
high tone which has always distin-
gulshed it. Just now, when the name
of Stanley is in the mouths of so many,
the face of his great predecessor, David
Livingstone, Will be viewed with spe-
cia interest This frontispiece is given
in connection with an article by j.
Scott Kettle, entitled "About Africa"
Numerous illustrations accompany the
article. Sir Edwin Arnold's third
paper on Japan is of course very in
teresting. Edward l.. Wison-author
of "In Scripture Lands" and well
known for many years as an enthusiastic
aud adventurous photographer, records
in i" Mount Washington in Winter" the
incidents and beauties and hardships of
five notable ascents of that peak. The
camera was always his companion, and
the illustrations reproduce some of the
most wonderful views of snow in the
White Mountains. The other articles
are Of equal interest.
HARPER's MAGAZINE has a portrait
of Edwin Booth as frontispece. A
novel and entertaining feature of the
number is the collection of twelve orig
inal drawings (now published forthe first
time) by w. NJ. Thackeray, illustrating
the . Heroic Adventures of M. Bou-
din" with comment by Anne Thack-
cray Richie. Two important papers
appear on Finland, accompanied by
twenty-four illustrations from photo
graphs aud from sketches by Albert
Edelfelt and f. E. Lummis. Charles
Dudley Warner contributes an article
entitled "The Heart of the Desert"
which contains twelve illustrations of
scenery in the valley of the Yosemite,
the great desert of New Mexico, and
the Grand Canon of the Colorado. l.. +.
Chittenden writes an interesting chap
ter of "reminiscences entitled "The
! Faith of President Lincoln" Poems
are contributed by William Dean How
ellis. Christopher p. Cranch, Thomas
Bailey Aldrich, and Louise Imogen
Quincy.