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Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2254, 18 December 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

— MnbSß.s Ward and Downeys catalogue of publications is illustrated by portraits of many of the authors whose works are advertised. The idea is a good one. — Ger.nan papere state that Herr yon Riedcach, the late Steward of the Household of Piince Alexandra of Bulgaiia, i-> writing a history of the seven years' government of the Prince. — We learn that in future an etching, photogravure, or steel engraving will be given as a fiontiskiece in cacti issue of The Magazine of Art, commencing with the November number, which forms the first part of a new volume. It is stated that Mr Edmund Robert son, M. P.. formerly Professor of Roman Law at University Colleae, London, is preparing book upon American law a< affecting British companies and investors. — The forthcoming issue of The Agnostic Annml, which will be ready next week, will contain an important paper from the pen ot Mrs K. Lynn Lintou, the well-known novelist, entitled "The Modesty of Agnosticism." There will also be papers !>y Dr. R. Bithell, Winif red Lady Robinson, and Dr. Hard» wicke. — The new monthly journal of Aasyrioloiry and connate studies is to be called The Babylonian and Oriental Record, and the fir-<t number will appear on November ]. The editorial committee comprises Prof. Terrien de Licouperie, Mr \V. C. Capper, and Mr T G. Pinches. —Mr vv illi.im Black' 3 new novel. •'Sabina Zembra," is begun in The Bolton Journal of the 9th inst. The extent of which provincial p ipers have adopted fiction is illustrated by the fact that three serial stories are now running through The Bolfcon Journal. The London dailies will next be starting nn the same road. — A new evening journal, to be c.illed The Northern D lily Telegraph, is to be sfai ted at Blackburn, early in November, by the proprietor^ of The North-Eastern Daily fittZGtte, oue of the most successful evening papers iv tie North of England. The new journal have blanches at Breston, Accrington, Colne, Burnley dither c, and other towns of North LiTic.ishirt', coveuny a district with a popiil it.on of abou»" a million, which at present his no d lily paper of its own. MrJeme Quail, F.S S., n-^i-.tant editor of The Newcastle D illy Leader, U to be the editor. — As to the question whether journalists can be properly called politicians, Mr W. Earl Hodgson made some apposite remarks, in a farewell speech at Cupar, last week. He held that they were not politicians in the ordinary sense of the term, because they ordinarily lacked partisanship. This arises not from synicism or weariness, but "because their study of life has been too comprehensive, too earnest, too much in tha ae(gr»gate. and too little in cabals to permit them *o share the mental ardour of the localper sonage3 who each thinks his little set mankind." Mr Ho<l toon's description would seen to imply that a ioiirnaiiit should bo a " mugwump in policies, an<l we believe that exalte 1 dc-iyiatiou was recently claimed by the editor of The Pall Mall G.i:e;tc % — Writers of fiction are not always eager to extol that form of literature but they rarely condemn it as severely as Mr Grant Allen, who has the courage to say, in the current number of The Fortnightly, "I do not approve of novels. They are for the most part a futile and unprofitable form of literature ; and it may profoundly be regretted that the mere blind laws of supply and demand should have diverted such an immense number of the ablest minds in England, France, and America from more serious subjects to the production of such very frivolous, and, on the whole, ephemeral works of

ait " But he finds one great good which n-noK h.i\c done: they have steadily opposed thp selfish promptings from out•iileis 10 inairy for money or position, keeping before young people what Mr Allen thinks is the proper ideal, namely, nnnying for love. The infei once which mereen.uy patents should draw from tlm is cleail) that they .should keep their children from reading fiction. Who knows but pome i.lei of this kind is at the bottom of many pious parents' objection to novels ? There is no Seriptual precept against them that wo know of.