We are not disposed to enter upon the question of the existence of Arthur. Sir James knows as well as we that Nennius, and not Gildas, is the historical source, if such exists, and that the accepted views of Arthur present him as the nephew of Ambrosius Aurelianus. Indulgence is claimed for the view that Claudia, the wife of Pudens, celebrated by Martial, may have been the daughter of the hero Caractacus. The question is also raised whether Pudens and Claudia, mentioned by St. Paul as sending greeting to Timothy, "Salutant te Eubulus, et Pudens, et Linus, et Claudia, et fratres omnes (2 Tim. iv. 21), can be the same as the Claudia and Pudens of Martial. In matters such as Celtic swords, of which illustrations are given, the Ancient Bronze Implements' of Sir John Evans is followed. Sir John is also an authority for Celtic antiquities. Rhys's Celtic Britain' and his Hibbert Lectures have been frequently consulted in the early chapters, and especially concerning Celtic worship. A formidable list of authorities is given at the end of the first volume. These Sir James has used wisely and well. As he advances in his task he has, necessarily, to use the Record Office publications, the importance of which is not to be over-estimated. In his sixth chapter Sir James deals with the disappearance of the ninth Roman legion, known as the York legion. This he holds was presumably "used up in petty warfare, perhaps finally overthrown in some sudden catastrophe." Some few sentences are devoted to the fact that during the later days of Roman occupation and subsequently the landed gentry up to the banks of the Clyde called themselves by Latin names and spoke Latin. It is held again that a Christian church existed in Britain so early as the year 300. Under the reign of Edward the Confessor we hear a good deal of Macbeth, or Macbeth mac Finlay, and the murder of Duncan, and also of Malcolm Canmore. The most animated portions of the work, and the most readable, consist of the account of the Norman invasion and the incidents generally depicted in the Bayeux tapestry. Sir James's sympathy for Harold is strong, and he is consequently severe in his judgment of William. His consent to the execution of Waltheof is declared to be "the meanest and most discreditable act of an unlovely life." In the summary of William's character he is called "a most masterful man of blood and iron," and again it is said, "He was a man more hated than loved, and probably even more feared than hated." Dealing with the death of William Rufus, Sir James contrives to burden Shakspeare with an impossible line :

With all his horrible imperfections on his head. The character of William Rufus is admirably depicted.

We have touched incidentally upon a few points in this fine and magisterial work. With equal ease might we have selected hundreds of other points of no less interest and value. It is impossible in a review to do justice to a work so monumental. We content ourselves with recommending it to our readers as broad in view, interesting in perusal, and encyclopædic in information.

The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D. Edited by Temple Scott. Vols. III. and IV. (Bell & Sons.) THE third and fourth volumes of the convenient and authoritative edition of Swift which, under

the competent supervision of Mr. Temple Scott, is being added to "Bohn's Standard Library," consist of Swift's Writings on Religion and the Church.' Readers of N. & Q.' are not likely to be led by this title to expect an addition to the huge and not always too edifying mass of formal theology. Eminently controversial are Swift's religious works, and the author presents himself more frequently as a pamphleteer than as a parson, and is more interested in discipline than in dogma. The so-called religious writings are, however, a characteristic and an important portion of Swift's baggage, and, though dealing with a state of affairs which the close student alone can realize, may still be read with interest. Swift's style is in itself an unending delight, and the study of his pessimism is sure to attract or repel, never to leave the reader indifferent. The quaint title-pages of Swift are in some cases reprinted from the fine collection of tracts of Col. Grant. Each of the volumes has, moreover, a portrait of Swift-one from a picture by Francis Bindon in the possession of Sir F. R. Falkiner, the second from another by the same artist at Howth Castle. Those who wish to enjoy afresh Swift's humour, satire, and wonderful polemical subtlety cannot do better than reread his abstract of Collins's Discourse of Freethinking,' which is less known than his scathing invective against Burnet in his preface to 'The B-p of S-y's Introduction,' &c.

To the Fortnightly Mr. Andrew Lang supplies an estimate of Charles Dickens, which is also contributed to the "Gadshill" edition of Dickens's works issued by Messrs. Chapman & Hall. It is an excellent piece of work, and we find ourselves in accord with most of the writer's decisions. Against the assertion often made that Dickens could not depict a gentleman, Mr. Lang advances Pickwick, asking, If Pickwick is not a gentleman, who is? This is all very well; but it evades the point. The same might doubtless be said of either of the Brothers Cheeryble, who are nature's gentlemen. This is not what the slanderers of Dickens-for Mr. Lang holds the assertion a slander-meant. The excesses in "the bowl" in which Pickwick and other characters indulge are "to be taken in a Pickwickian sense." This, again, is right; but the constant drinking in Dickens impairs the value of his work. Mr. St. George Stock supplies a very readable paper upon "The Diary of the Bishop of Killalla.' The 'Narrative of Killalla by an Eyewitness' of Dr. Stock, presumably an ancestor of the writer, is a document of historical value. Dr. Stock himself is a pleasing and, on the whole, a readable and an important article on 'The Centenary conspicuous figure. Mr. and Mrs. Pennell send a of Lithography,' which may be supposed to date from the discovery, in 1798, by Aloys Senefelder of flat-surface printing. A Vindication of Vedanta,' by "A Student in Vedanta," aims at refuting the assertions of Dr. Crozier. The pleasantest contribution to the Nineteenth Century is French Views of an English University,' by Mrs. Margaret L. Woods. It is satisfactory to find that intelligent Frenchmen are as much struck by the moral atmoby the beauty of the places. As regards the sentisphere pervading Oxford and Cambridge colleges as mental relations of English men and women, Mrs. Woods fears the French observer has been imposed upon 'by the stiff-collared hypocrite of a young Briton," of whom she again speaks as a scandalous

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young humbug. One observer was, on the other side, struck by the brutality and ignorance of certain portions of university life, and "the unintellectuality of the Briton" was painfully obvious. Great interest attends the observations of Alphonse Daudet and Taine upon English university life, and the entire article is excellent. Mr. J. Horace Round has an important paper upon Historical Research,' in which he answers some recently enunciated views of Mr. Frederic Harrison. Å Girls' Lodging-House' supplies pictures all but incredible of the ignorance of those among whom we dwell. We have ourselves heard children, on sight of the ducks on Hampstead ponds, drawing attention to them as pigeons that could swim; but the display of Mrs. Leake goes far beyond this. Sir Charles Robinson says much that is worth heeding upon 'The Reorganization of our National Art Museums,' and Canon Barnett advocates 'Cathedral Reform.'The frontispiece to the Pall Mall consists of a photogravure of The Virgin and Child' of Gérard David, not previously published. The New Christmas, by E. Nesbit, has a note of regret over the past, but has, none the less, a cheerful ring of patriotism. 'A Great French Etcher,' by Mr. Frederick Wedmore, deals with Méryon. Out of the works of

·

this unfortunate genius a couple of dozen prints is, Mr. Wedmore holds, what will constitute the real treasure of the collector. Mr. William Rossetti supplies Some Scraps of Verse and Prose by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.' These throw a light upon the method of workmanship of Rossetti, and will be welcome to his admirers. Among the illustrations are a portrait of the poet-painter in 1862 and a

sketch of Miss Siddal." A curious feature in the contents is a monologue, the facial illustrations to which are entirely supplied by Miss Irene Vanbrugh. We do not deal with fiction in N. & Q.,' but it seems worth while to say that there are some exquisite short stories by Miss Nesbit and others.In the Cornhill the Rev. W. H. Fitchett concludes, as we presume, his Fights for the Flag' with an account, under the title The Lady with the Lamp,' of the heroic deeds of Miss Florence Nightingale. 'A Study in Imposture' presents the once famous George Psalmanazar, in whose supposed adventures in Formosa people used once to delight. Mr. C. J. Cornish conveys some curious information on Lon་ don's Store of Furs.' Dr. Stanford gives an interesting account of Joseph Robinson.' 'Humours of Speech and Pen' gives some curious instances of misuse of words. Cavendish supplies an account of the game of Bridge, now newly sprung into fashion, and suggests an origin for its name, which has long been regarded as a crux.-'A Spartan Mother, in Temple Bar, depicts Susannah Annesley (the mother of John and Charles Wesley), who, among other claims to attention, gave birth to nineteen children. 'Our Great Frontier Railway' deals with the Sind-Pishin Railway and the Chaman extension. 'Eyes of Famous Folk' is likely to form a popular theme. Among those with piercing eyes David Garrick should be mentioned.-Prof. Redford sends to the Gentleman's an excellent paper on Shakespeare and the Faust Legend.' 'Crime, Criminals, and Prisons' deals with the latest system of AngloSaxon penology, as yet on its trial. Miss Dora Cave has a series of triolets on the sea-coast of Bohemia. The English Illustrated appears in delightful holiday guise, and is really the most seasonable of the magazines. Its illustrations, plain and coloured, are beautiful and admirably diversified,

its letterpress is well selected, and it is in all respects an ideal Christmas number.-In Longman's Mr. Rider Haggard continues his Farmer's Year, which in this case is specially excellent. *Mirias, by Mrs. Parr, and 'Our Mary,' by Mrs. Mann, are both delightful. At the Sign of the Ship' is, as is customary, readable and vivacious. -Scribner's has a very dainty and graceful cover, emblematic of Christmas, over a number largely occupied with wars. There is, however, an article on John Ruskin as an Artist' which stands pleasantly conspicuous. It reproduces many designs, and says of his etchings that while Ruskin is somewhat elementary in drawing, he suggests light and shade and colour. Part I. of Wagner's 'Ring of the Nibelung' has many curious designs, quaint, beartiful, or grotesque. A readable article is that on 'Stevenson at Play.' The entire number is attractive.

taking coloured plates, one of them very prettily THE Christmas number of the Queen gives two designed, and any amount of other matter, literary or pictorial.

Notices to Correspondents.

We must call special attention to the following notices:

ON all communications must be written the name and address of the sender, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.

WE cannot undertake to answer queries privately. To secure insertion of communications correspondents must observe the following rule. Let each note, query, or reply be written on a separate slip of paper, with the signature of the writer and such address as he wishes to appear. Correspondents who repeat queries are requested to head the second communication "Duplicate."

JAMES DALLAS ("Nivov ávoμýμara," &c.).—This has been fully discussed in 'N. & Q.' See 4th S. ix. 198, 288, 313, 410, 495; xii. 58; 5th S. vii. 372; viii. 77; 8th S. ix. 167, 253, 295; x. 16.