The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-04-03
CURRENT LITERATURE.
The April Magazines.

Inc april magazines.
THE April Forum has for its leader
brilliant essay entitled "The Real
'Q1intessence of Socialism," by Mr..
w. H. Mallock, the eminent English
student OF socialism, -one of the most
luminous expositions of the fallacies of
socialism that have ever appeared in
periodical literature. An article on
kindred topic is by Mr.. Henry Holt,
who concludes his series of papers on
The Social Discomfort" suggesting,
among other remedies for its allevia-
ton, better and more universal educa-
tion-particularly civic education-and
the cultivation of altruism.
In the atlantic Monthly for this
month are installments of the two Sc.
rails now running" A Singular Life"
by Mrs. Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward,
and The Seats of the Mighty" by
Gilbert Parker. Fiction is further
represented by the second part of
"Gridou's Pity" by Grace Howard
PIERCE, and touching single-number
story, by Annie Trumbul Slosson, en-
titled Dumb Foxglove." George
Birkoeck Hill contributes the frst of
his papers, " A Talk over Autographs"
which promises most interesting Sc
ries.
IN The Popular Science MonthM
"Some Curioslties of Thinking" are
described by DR.. M. Almon Starr of
the College of Physicians and Surgeons,
New York. His cases include those of
persons with various strange hallucina-
tons, with defect in one part of the
brain only, and some with powers be-
You'd the normal for calculation or mu-
sic. 1t seems rather early to see The
Successor of the Railway" but Apple
ton Morgan applies that title to the
trolley line, which, by its speed and
economy, is becoming serious COM
petitOr of the steam railroad over
rapidly-increasing distances.
PROBABLY no two words in the Eng
lish language are more misused and
abused than " lady" and woman"
and there is much wisdom, therefore,
in popular discussion of the proper
usage of the words, such as is given in
The April Ladies' Home Journal, by
Margaret Deland, Mrs. Burton Harri-
son and Sarah Orne Jewett. The
Burning Question of Domestic Ser
vice" is treated iutelligently and inter-
estingly by the Countess of Aberdeen.
The cover is reproduction of two of
G. D. Gibson's most stylish and charm
ing girls, and all through the issue is
freshness and daintiness of springtime
and Easter days.
EASTER features abound in Scribner's
Magazine for April. The cover itself
is very striking arrangement of lilies.
The frontispiece is particularly excel
ent engraving by Closson of painting
called 1.-The Worshipers." Then fol.
lows striking series of Easter pictures
by four of the best illustrators of our
day - Smedley, Lynch, Abbey, and
Weeks. These illustrations represent
Easter scenes in New York, Paris, old
England, and Jerusalem. Another
original feature of the number is an
Easter hymn (written many, years ago
by Thomas Blackburn), interpreted in a
series of six full pages by Henry Nc
Carter. These pictures are of remark
able decorative value.
In Harper's Magazine for April be-
gins The Personal Recollections of
Joan of Arc" showing j oan as daugh-
ter of the people; the incidents of her
girlhood among her rustic playmates
and in the midst of bucolic associations;
her childish superstitions, peopling her
earth with strange presences suggested
by fairy folk lore and stories of the
saints; her distressful solicitudes for
her country, fed constantly by tidings
of defeat that pierced her heart and
opened there the fountain of prophecy;
the heavenly voices and visions that
nourished the hope of deliverance that
should surely come through her; her
conquest of corrupt court; her martial
triumphs; her betrayal and martyrdom.
The Century for April has almost
as much variety in topic as in the mum.
Der of its articles. Military warfare is
represented by Professor Sloane's Ma
poleon Life, naval warfare by Molly
Elliott Seawell's article on Paul Jones,
invention by T. q. Martins paper on
Tesla's recent work, the drama by
note on Nine. Rejane, with portrait,
music by Henry T. Finck's biograph-
ical sketch of Stavenhagen, also with
portrait, craftsmanship by Noah Brooks
article on Lincoln's reelection, art by
beautiful example of Coles engrav-
ing in his Old Dutch Master Series, re-
ligious and educational interests by an
article by Lyman Abbott on Religious
Teachings in the Public Schools" and
travel by paper by Miss Preston on a