Well," said my landlady, on my return to the house, "is it not like something you have never yet seen before? Is it not a sight?

as mahogany, but a bald head almost stroke. But when eventually he did beivory-white for color; and the partition gin, he carried the business through in between the white and brown is as decided the most frenzied manner, and the result as if he had been painted by hand. An- was an autograph as picturesque as the other is lobster-red from his shirt-collar grand Turk's sign manual. One could see upwards until the tangle of his bushy hair by the light in this gentleman's eyes, the hides his head. He is endued with a next moment, how happy he was to have white linen shirt, and at intervals savagely got through the ordeal. The papers were assails his cuffs, which are too long for collected in a box by a bashful teller; anhim, and pushes them with severity far nouncement of the success of the resoluup his sleeves. A third gentleman, re- tion was made; and shortly afterwards markable for the modesty of his comport- King Christian's obedient servants were ment, has a wen on his forehead like a dissolved for the day. decoration, and a similar wen on the back of his bald head, while a fourth is as untamed in appearance as if he had lived in a forest without social intercourse for a score of years. This last member is singular in other respects. He wears a loose blue woollen jacket and black trousers, and his hair falls over his shoulders in thick, yellow-brown, curling wisps. His face does not inspire respect or affection. And the way in which certain of the other delegates, while and after shaking his hand, scrutinize his hair, his coat, and his legs, is very eccentric. He does not meet their gaze, but submits to it. Probably something is wrong with him, in mind, body, or circumstances, or he may be exceedingly averse to politics in spite of his election into the Lagthing, and not sufficiently philosophic to conceal his aversion.

My little boy-guide had said the Lag thing's men were not fine to see, but he

was wrong.

The governor now entered the room with his cocked hat in his hand, and greeted his colleagues one by one. In all they numbered about twenty, inclusive of the dean as head of the clergy, and the four sysselmen or district magistrates and revenue officers of the isles.

My landlady and her words were irresistible; it was impossible not to laugh. "What for you laugh?" she questioned heatedly, the next moment; "you think we have not much that we are to be proud of in Faroe? Why, I have been in Shetland for two weeks once, and I will tell you I have seen nothing to be compared to our Faroe Lagthing nothing at all; and Shetland is a larger country than Faroe. But I know well how it will be. You like the supper better than the Parliament, because you understand it better. A speech with a wineglass in her hand, is more pleasant than one without, and it go more to the heart!"

After this cruel stroke of raillery, my landlady withdrew, securing herself from the chance of discomfiture in argument by a positive retreat.

From Chambers' Journal. THE BANNATYNE CLUB.

THIS celebrated literary book-club was The ceremony of opening the Lagthing instituted in Edinburgh in the year 1823, session was unaccompanied by any pomp. its object being the selection and printing The governor read the royal proclamation, of rare and valuable historical and literary and then gave the lead in a Hip! hip! of documents and works relating to Scottish loyalty, which the members and the two-affairs and antiquities. Many curious score Faroese in the gallery continued literary gems, consisting of unique manusomewhat weakly and formally. A reso- scripts, chartularies of monastic and reli. lution of some kind being then put before gious houses, early records, old Scottish the members, tellers were nominated, and poetry, memoirs, histories, diaries, letters, strips of paper distributed for voting pur- etc., together with other scarce literature poses. Consequent upon this, it was relating to Scottish matters, were known highly funny to see the air with which to be hidden away in family charter chests, one or two of the gentlemen approached private repositories, and libraries, which, their papers, pen in hand. One in partic- if printed, would afford important and profular, having frowned and lifted his heavy itable information on historical and other eyebrows in a plaintive way, drew his pen subjects, but as then existing, were pracup and down over the paper fifteen or ticably unattainable. George Bannatyne, twenty times before he would venture a whose name was chosen for this the first

literary book-club in Scotland, was born | which these works could be identified. in the year 1545, his father being a writer The club pursued its labors till the year in Edinburgh. George was engaged in 1861, when it was brought to a terminamercantile business, and seems to have tion, after having produced one hundred been an ardent admirer of old Scottish and sixteen works of various kinds, formpoetry. He even wrote verses himself; ing upwards of one hundred and sixty but his celebrated collection of ancient volumes. These works, issued in quarto poetry is the work on which his fame size, were carefully and ably edited, and rests, and for the inheritance of which his many were compiled with great difficulty posterity ought ever to feel grateful. The from unique manuscripts, requiring much circumstances under which the work was patience and skill in transcribing. The completed were somewhat remarkable. In collection includes chartularies of the abSeptember, 1568, the plague, which then beys of St. Andrews, Kelso, Melrose, Occasionally visited Scotland, broke out in Dunfermline, Brechin, Moray, Dryburgh, Edinburgh, causing terror and alarm, and Aberbrothock, Inchaffery, etc., all being sweeping away large numbers of the pop- of vast interest, as affording rich historical ulation. Bannatyne, at this time only information and excellent materials for twenty-three years of age, in order if pos- illustrating ancient laws and national sible to shun the plague, retired into seclu- usages, names and pedigrees of old famision to await its departure, but whether lies, transmission of land, habits, and in Edinburgh or elsewhere has not been modes of life, etc. A brief reference to ascertained. To utilize his time to advan- some of the principal works issued by the tage, he had resolved to make a compila club will at once show the nature of the tion of the old poetry of Scotland; and whole series, and the practical value of many valuable relics of past times were such an institution. "The Ragman Rolls " by this means saved to posterity, the man- (a term of uncertain origin) are the rolls uscript transcripts being now in the Advo- or records of homage done by the Scottish cates' Library, Edinburgh. The Banna- nobility to King Edward I. in 1296. tyne manuscript became a family heirloom, "The Discoverie and Historie of the Gold and as such was held by several genera- Mynes in Scotland," 1619, a most singular tions of the compiler's descendants. It work, which furnishes a complete and inwas borrowed by Allan Ramsay for the structive history of the mining schemes purpose of selecting from its pages mate- which agitated the whole of Scotland in rials for his collection known as "The the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Evergreen," published in 1724; and Lord "The Black Book of Taymouth," a reproHailes also published a small volume con- duction of "a curious genealogical history taining some of its treasures in 1770. Two compiled in 1598 by Mr. William Bowie, years later, by the liberality of the third and dedicated to Sir Duncan Campbell, Lord Hyndford, it was finally deposited in ninth lord of Glenurquhay;" together the Advocates' Library. The volumes with bonds of manrent, inventories, exhave since been used by numerous com tracts from courtbooks, muster rolls, and pilers for the purpose of making extracts, original letters, from the year 1570 to and the whole has lately been carefully 1619. Pitcairn's "Criminal Trials," a transcribed and printed for the members remarkable work, compiled from original of the Hunterian Club, an institution ancient records and manuscripts, embrac formed in Glasgow several years ago. ing an extraordinary variety of cases which The Bannatyne Club was formed on Feb- engaged the attention of the Scottish triruary 15, 1823. Sir Walter Scott was its bunals from 1488 to 1624. "The Darien first president, and continued to occupy Papers," being a selection of original letthat office till his death in 1832. Follow- ters and official documents relating to the ing the plan of the Roxburghe Club, the establishment of a colony at Darien by membership was limited to thirty-one, the company of Scotland trading to Africa with an annual subscription of four guin- and the Indies, 1695-1700. The work coneas. In course of time, however, applica- tains a plan of the harbor at the Isthmus tions for admission became so numerous of Darien, and facsimile of signatures, that the number of members was gradu- etc. "Collection of Ancient Scottish ally increased to one hundred, the sub- Prophecies," in alliterative verse, a rescription being raised to five guineas. It markably curious work, reprinted from the was arranged that the paper to be used rare edition of 1603. The Regalia of for the books printed for the club should Scotland," a collection of interesting pabe made from private moulds, having pers connected therewith, from 1621 to an appropriate device or water-mark, by 1818.

IX. Two EVENINGS WITH BISMARCK. Part II., Chambers' Journal,

X. WHAT BOYS SHOULD READ,

XI. THE NO-POLICE RIOTS,. XII. MAHWA FLOWERS,.

I. WHAT BOYS READ,

II. HARRY'S INHERITANCE,

CONTENTS.

Fortnightly Review,

English Illustrated Magazine,

jal

III. SOME ASPECTS OF HOME RULE. By Edward A. Freeman,

Contemporary Review,

By Lau

. 643 650

• 659

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Contemporary Review,.
Gentleman's Magazine,
Longman's Magazine,

669

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WHAT BOYS READ.

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AMONG the questions which have agi. It is impossible to overrate the importated the parental mind during the holi- tance of the influence of such a supply on days now drawing to a close, doubtless the national character and culture. Mind, that of the literary influences at work on equally with body, will develop according the minds of the boys has occupied a to what it feeds on; and just as the prominent place. What are the books strength or weakness of a man's muscle and periodicals issued for their special depends upon whether he leads a healthy ecification, and what is the effect they are or a vicious life, so. will the strength or Calculated to exercise? Whoever under- weakness of his moral sense largely dejakes to write the literary history of En-pend upon whether he reads in his youth gland during the latter half of the nine- that which is pure or that which is foul. teenth century will be confronted by a To the young, the dramatis personæ of a force hitherto almost non-existent. The story become living entities. Their acapproach of Christmas now heralds a flood tions, their thoughts, their ideas of right of juvenile literature unknown five or six and wrong, are moulded as much by their decades since. It was in 1719 that Defoe, reading as by contact with the world. by the publication of "Robinson Crusoe," What the hero may do the reader consignalized the appearance of a host of siders himself justified in attempting to books of adventure. A decade later do. "Example," said Burke, "is the Fielding had laid the foundations of the school of mankind;" and every action modern novel. For more than a century recorded in a book will probably arouse after extensive reading was thus fostured, in the boyish breast a desire to emulate, books appealing especially to boys and not less strong than that infused into the girls boys and girls, that is, of from heart of a soldier by the daring of his ten to twenty years of age, and not chil-officer. Upon the works for boys and dren of the nursery - were unthought of. girls, therefore, rests a responsibility With the exception of an occasional semi-equal at least to that of the parent or tutor. religious periodical for youths, literature When Lady Roseville asked whether was confined to the novel and the fairy tale. But about 1850 a fashion was set which may have as great an effect on the public tastes of the future as the fashion set by Fielding has had on the public tastes of the past. It would seem as though, with the comparative cessation of exploits by land and sea in other words, with the conclusion of the exciting strug. gles between France and England, and the settling down of colonial societies to enjoy the fruits of their enterprise and courage in distant and hostile lands Englishmen sought to gratify mentally a passion for romance, which it was yearly becoming more difficult to gratify physically. As life has grown more prosaic, the records of stirring deeds have acquired enhanced charm. The modern youth compensates himself for the absence of the adventures and general excitement which characterized the times of Drake or Nelson, Clive or Wellington, by devouring the stories of "the brave days

every novel should not have its distinct object and moral, Vincent replied: "Every good novel has one great end the same in all — viz., the increasing our knowledge of the heart. . . . All mankind is the field the novelist should cultivate; all truth the moral he should strive to bring home." In the same way, every good boys' book ought to aim at helping those for whom it is written to understand human nature; to help them to be on their guard against the more sinister temptations of life, and especially of young life. If, in writing for adults, it is necessary to cultivate a knowledge of mankind and to strive to bring home truth, how infinitely greater is the obligation to observe both ends in writing for those whose maturity has not yet dawned! A single phrase may constitute the revolutionary spark which decides the tenor of a mind. Had William Fuller never read a life of Dangerfield, his name would probably never have been held up to the contempt of his countrymen in the