GEORGE DU MAURIER.

the first time in their full dress uniform, and had presented to it by the ladies of Toronto a stand of colours and a set of instruments for its band. Dr. McCaul, then President of the University of Toronto, consecrated the colours and deliver ed an address. Among other things he said that when they (the members of the battalion) looked at the Queen's colour they would remember their duty to the Empire of which they formed a part, and when they looked at the regimental colour they would remember that they might be call. ed upon to defend their happy homes, their wives, daughters, mothers and sisters.

After an explanation of the organization of the battalion, the work goes on to show its connection with the Fenian Raid and the North-West Rebellion, and contains a great deal of interesting information concerning these the only warlike events in the history of Canada since the Rebellion of 1837-8. In this way the book is made exceedingly interesting to the general reader, as well as supremely valuable to all those who have been connected with this well-known body of militia. The author has shown consider able ability in combining bald facts and interesting history in such a way as to produce a readable book.

The book is well illustrated and handsomely bound. The only criticism that could possibly be offered is that the pages might have been larger, so as to give more margin around the letter press and the well-executed illustrations. The cuts of the North-West Medal, and of the Fitch

Memorial Tablet, used in this issue, are from Mr. Champion's book.

**

People do not seem to tire of delineations of Scotch character. "Tyne Folk," by Joseph Parker,* is a brightly-written volume of Scotch tales, with not too much of the dialect to spoil them for the reader who has not been so fortunate as to learn the "vernacular" in his youth. The book is exceedingly original in its manner of portraying the people who live along the Tyne. The tales are, perhaps, brighter and contain more action than some of Barrie's and Maclaren's stories, resembling Crockett's in this particular. They, however, lack the touching pathos which Ian Maclaren threw into "Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush," although the author cannot be accused of being incapable of deep feeling in his work, or of being unable to arouse it in his reader. He is not quite so powerful as Maclaren, however, although perhaps almost equal to Barrie.

wholesome and his sentiment above reproach. The young Canadian, moreover, cannot be too much steeped in the knowledge of the prowess and achievements of the British race, of which he has been born a member.

**

"Into the Highways and Hedges," published little more than a year ago, was an American lady's first book. "False Coin or True?" is Miss Montrésor's third book,* and undoubtedly the most polished and most artistic. Linda, the heroine, was born in a workhouse, became a "general" maid-of-all-work, and the medium of a noted mesmerist. It is this mesmerist whose character is held up to view, and the question asked: False coin or true? The author holds the reader's sympathy for this unscrupulous heathen, Monsieur Morèze, a man who is vindictive, ambitious, self-seeking and calculating. At first he is repulsive, but finally one is led to tolerate, and then pity him. At the end he is almost noble. Linda develops under his kindness, is transformed by his guardianship

The whole drama is in a high key, and the acting and the execution is admirable. The reader must, however, as in the case of Harold Frederic's "Damnation of Theron Ware," recognize that the object of the author is but to analyze character, and to reveal even objectionable or ostracized personages in a light which the ordinary observer of passing humanity may fail to get, or getting fail to understand. It is strange, but true, that we all believe that our view of our fellows is correct; yet no two of us view them in the same way. To one the picture is dark, to another grey, to another almost white. If then we would attain to correctness in our conception of our fellow humans, we must look at them not only from our own standpoint, but from the standpoints of those others who are practised viewers and critics. In this way we will find our ideas broadened and our understanding deepened. These "novels of character require a higher order of imagination than the common-place love story.

**

Du Maurier has gone away just in the height of his popularity. Perhaps it is

"False Coin or True?" by F. F. Montrésor. New York: D. Appleton & Co. Cloth, 296 pp. $1.25.

best that he should have left us before we had found a new idol to worship, for we are fickle. His drawings have delighted many thousands many times. "Peter Ibbertson" brought him many friends; "Trilby" gave him a furious reputation. "The Martian," which has just begun in Harper's, promises to be exceedingly rich. But at the age of sixty-two he has left us, and we would like to have kept him a little longer. As a British artist he was, perhaps, the greatest in his branch; as a British novelist he had a reputation which

had extended to the remotest corners of the globe where the English language is spoken and read.

"With My Neighbors," by Margaret E. Sangster, is a collection of sketches which that writer has contributed to various periodicals, at various times. They are intended to be read by women, and deal with subjects which are supposed to be of particular interest to the gentler sex. The author herself describes them as "these bits of talk on homely themes." Some of the titles are: Tuckered Out, Mother Brooding, Stepmothers, Sunday Reading, The Toilet of the Soul, The New Woman, Love in Domestic Life, Our Girl as a Woman of Business, Politeness, An

"With My Neighbors," by Margaret E. Sangster. New York: Harper & Bros. Cloth, $1.25,

Attractive Manner. The author has a graceful style, and a charming way of giving advice. Her criticisms are always kindly, and any girl or woman reading them carefully and thoughtfully must be materially benefited. The book is exquisitely bound.

The London Academy says: "Maurus Jokai is one of the great writers of the world, worthy of taking rank with Fielding, Scott, Dickens and Thackeray. . . Jokai is not only a man of letters, but of parts." The writer is the most conspicuous figure in Hungary's world of letters, and is also known as an able statesman, financier and journalist. His book, "Black Diamonds," "* deals with the life in and about a coal-mine, whose engineer and owner marries one of the girls employed in it. It is full of action, and depicts commercial life in a most practical

manner.

In Bell's Colonial Library, two other books be mentioned, "The Crime of may the Century," by Rodriguez Ottolengui, author of "An Artist in Crime" etc., is a tale in which a foundling becomes an heiress to $5,000,000 and a society lady. This author seems to be a specialist in criminal character. "Rita," an English author of some note, has had published a volume of short stories which is entitled "Vignettes The tales have their scenes laid in England, and most of them are decidedly original and extremely interesting.

It is rather difficult to believe that the author of "The Damnation of Theron Ware" and "March Hares," are one and the same individual. Yet so the titlepage says. The latter is a dilettante sort of story about two people who met each other under circumstances which were peculiar, and rendered more peculiar by their continuance. The plot is very weak, but there is a charm about the style which partially makes up for the paucity of important incidents. In many cases the dialogue is exceedingly bright, though never brilliant. If the reader

does not take it up with too great expectations, he may enjoy the perusal of it. The volume is printed on antique paper and appropriately bound.

A tireless writer is Mrs. Burnett-Smith (Annie S. Swan), and it is an evidence of her undoubted capacity and infinite restill hold her huge constituency of readers. source that this lady can write so much, and Only recently her "Memories of Margaret Grainger, School Mistress," made its Copyright Edition, and now the same appearance in William Briggs' Canadian publisher announces for issue in November still another story, "A Stormy Voyand better in current literature than the ager." There is much that is stronger

Swan books," but they are bright and wholesome, and have in them no small element of that which we call “charm,” and so are universally popular with the

libraries.

William Briggs has in the press a volume of the "Reminiscences " of Mr. Charles Durand, the well-known Toronto barrister As Mr. Durand is the possessor of an unusually retentive memory, and can remember back as far as the war of 1812: and as he has since the later twenties taken an active part in public affairs, he will, doubtless, have much to record that will make interesting reading. The pity is that more of the pioneers do not leave their reminiscences in print before they pass away to carry these treasures to the grave with them.

**

A volume of poems of more than ordinary merit, and which is likely to attract more than the usual attention given these (of late) rather frequent claimants for popular favour, is in course of publication collection-which, by the way, is to be by William Briggs. The author of the entitled "Dreams and Diversions "— is Mr. Lyman C. Smith, Principal of the Oshawa High School. Little of Mr. Smith's work has heretofore appeared in print, a native modesty-not always the accompaniment of genius-having led him to contine their reading to a few select friends. Now, at length, yielding to the urging of these friends, he has ventured upon this volume.