New-York tribune., 1896-04-01
MAGAZINE NOTES.

! Tho April magazines are in nothing more inter-
ysting than In their confirmation of the judgment
which they have often invited, the Judgment that
Powy but surely the monthliee find 1t necessary 10
pc as attentive to the eyents Of the hour as are the
paiy papers. the cathode ray goes glimmerins
Through some of the pages Of nearly every periodi-
fai 1t is discussed by Professor Wright. OF Yale IN
THE Forum" Il Is described with pictures In NC
cure's" and Scribner's" It is talked about every
%here persstently and copously that the reader
Peg!ns to cathode stars. He Is haunted by the
head OF Herr R0ntgen. enwreathed with human
lboees unlawfuly borrowed for the purpose from Nv
tng bodies. After the pictures in ''Scribner's the
DECORATIONS include TO the excited imaginaon tur-
Keys wings. 1t Is apropos enough and extremely
kdfyng into the bargain In all seriousness II must
be admitted that the different magazines have put
great deal Of instructive. and what Is more de-
eired literature OF scientific Sort within the reacn
pf the vast public which has scientinc curiosity
IN general and special eagerness for some human
light Professor R0ntgen's supernatural rays But
this Is April; this is spring 1t is doubtful II the
most learned contributors TO the magazines can
Compete with the story teilers in the effort to win
an audience. 1t is pleasant to be Informed. IL Is
sometimes pleasanter 10 be entertained
Take. for example the April number Of Serb
ner's" There Is an oracuar discourse in that maya
zine by Mr. Henry Norman, upon The Quarrel OIL
the English-Speaking Peoples" and no gives the
American people sundry suggestions and warnings
by which they might doubtless proht hui "o"
much more delightful 1t is to read "A BaOy III the
Siege" 1t is true tha. there s hint OF ne.odfafha
about the conclusion to this narrative out 'he ''c'
remains that It is Of the most enectVe stories e
owe 70 Mr. Joel Chandler Harris There Is some
thing very beguing in the straightior"aro s'a'e
ment Of which the production consists ana "hen
the picturesque crisis is reached 1t brings ua'ion
of the nerves for which the magazine reader sau-
ated with conventional "endings." can be consclen-
siously grateful Mr.. Harris has used melodra-
tnatic motive, to be sure, but he mas hahu'eu II
with art There is much art Of other sorts IN 'his
number OF the magazine. beginning with MT Monk
houses interesting paper on leighton CONTINUING
through Professor Richardson's admirably written
and beautifully illustrated paper on the reViVai oi
the Olympic games at Athens, and ending IN an eui.
sorial note on THE Artists Work and Theory
toward which the attention of the reader Is paruc-
ularly directed 1t Is a fragment OF studio tak'
(which roes 70 show that matter how resenuul
an artist may be. when he sees his technique ior-
gotten IN admiration of his ideas he is forced to
admit II he IS an artist at ALL tnat without lucas
his technique goes for nothing.
In Tho Century" there Is much that will serve
for Professor Soans instalment OF his
Napoleon Life" for instance-and there Is one
other paper full OF dramatic material sKii1uiIy
handled he account of -Four Lincoln Con-
erracies" written by Mr. V L. Mason But even 'his
Interesting contribution to American history is o'-
cut read while certain artistic pages remain j"
the magazine. Readers warned to cut Out the
frontisp.ece II they want to have any time 10 spehu
over the other things presented to them. Other-
wise they will remain spellbound over MI. Coie
engraving OF the painting by Mr.. George DE Fores'
Brush which has been chosen TO open the masa-
zine This Mother and Child Is one OF the most
ravishing pictures ever reproduced In an American
periodical and the reproduction is itself so mastery
that to look upon 1t is TO fall captive as TO marVe
Superlatives not wasted on this frontispiece' AZ
is beautiful so beautiful that the April Century
cruel as Il might seem some OF the contributors
baop yic printe1
nose of circulating this triumph OF pictorial art
What an answer the block should be TO those VINO
are persuaded that 'process-work is sufncleh'
substitute for eng avng! Process work is good ana
desirable but work like this Of Mr.. Coles can never
be replaced by any mechanical production. Pro-
lessor Marouands article THE Old Olympic
Games" which follows the frontispiece should be
noted as well as Mrs. Van Rensselaer's paper on
'The Churches of Pergueux and Angouieine'
The latest issue of "Harpers Magazine VIII
doubtless be Of particular interest TO many readers
for the that IT contains the concluding chap
ters of the personal Recoectons Of Joan OF Arc
The number has other points Of significance. how
ever Mr. Smalley's paper on "Mr. Lowell In Eng
land" is a valuable contribution toward the biog-
raphy Of the man in Lowell with whom many
americans have been unfamiliar, the man OF the
world the diplomat. the poet taking on new
atmosphere No one who ever knew Lowell, no
really sympathetic reader Of his works has ever
entertained any doubts as 10 his Amercanlsm'
But there have been many doubters there are some
extant to-day, and Mr.. Smalleys entertaining paper
Will serve q good erd in diminishing their numoer.
For the piece OF fiction in this number Of "Harper's'
that ia most original and most charming, let the
reader ignore more imposing performances ana turn
20 "a Goose Chase" by Margaret Sutton Briscoe.
in the Editors Drawer" That is one Of the most
engaging iitte fragments Of storytelling that any
OF the magazines have printed in long time.
There is so much good work OF a serious sort In
."The Atlantic" for April that 1t seems unfair TO
neglect Of 1t for the sake OF mere story. Mr..
Eearn Is deeply suggestive In his discussion OF
"China and the Western World" and Mrs. Lathrop
IS as interesting this month as she was last In her
delightful Memories Of Hawthorne" But It is the
fiction In this number which first place has been
given by the printers and will be given by the public
unless the value Of The Old Things" is over-es-
f;mated Mr. James is at his best in these opening
chapters of his new story. and. while he delights
in some of his analytical futilities quite as much
when ne is his best as he does when ne IL at his
worst the present exploitation OF them does not
offend. There is too much that Is amusing ana
clever in THE old Things for it to be hurt by It's
defects The central motive is original and cap
tivatnc After he has felt his way into the situa-
tion through few passages Of characteristic hair
shifting Mr. James carries the narrative with
tagging aertness: and II the remaining chap
ters fulfil the promise Of this Introductory install
ment he is likely to score conspicuous success. III
he throws his chances overheard into sea of small
talk and teatabe trivalites. his public Will find 1t
hard TO forgive him.
There are two more promising first instaiments
IN two of the April magazines. and both woud seem
10 hold out fair expectations TO the reader who Is
,,,,ng IN begin new novels ION faith" The first OF
these is Mr. Hopes "Phroso tale OF brave
nscds and perilous adventures which begins on
"Nfc(,lure's and will in all probability