etc., are described; everything which forms the component part of a picture, or may be included in its description; notices of the various schools of art and of public picturegalleries in England; an analysis of colors and artistic implements; descriptions of orna. mental woods or precious stones; of the saints and their symbols; such manufacturing processes as call art to their aid, or such terms in architecture and the cognate arts as are necessarily used in general art." This dictionary, in its more full and sufficient English edition, appears to be ample for all the ordinary needs of the art student or general engineer, and to fill its purpose very satisfactorily. Definitions are concise and pointed, and yet sufficiently complete to give all the essential facts. The illustrations are well drawn, and furnish an important feature of the book.

WHAT WOMAN HAS DONE.

WOMAN'S WORK IN AMERICA. Edited by Annie Nathan Meyer. With an Introduction by Julia Ward Howe. New York: Henry Holt & Co.

The new era of woman is upon us, and the attitude of the gentler sex toward questions and interests once supposed to be confined to the masculine sphere cannot be ignored even by those who would. The part that women plays to-day in all philanthropic and educational enterprises, in journalism, in letters, in medicine, etc, is so well fixed, and has 80 powerfully influenced modern convictions, that all future movements in reform and the upbuilding of civilization must take her into account as a most important factor. The book before us is a review of woman's work in America, edited by Annie Nathan Meyer, with an introduction by one of the most brilliant of American women-Mrs. Julia Ward Howe. The chapters include three articles on the education of women East, West, and South; woman in literature and journalism, in medi. cine, the ministry, and the law; woman in industry; and seven chapters, perhaps the most important ones, on woman in philanthropy and charity.

The editor's aim in collecting these papers, she tells us, is "to set forth certain plain facts, shorn of all sentiment, before the world in accessible form, to preserve the record of a great, brave, and essentially American struggle; to serve as a stimulus to many women who are working along a weary road; to hold up

before the entire sex in every sphere of life only the highest standard of excellence." Mrs. Howe, in her brief essay, sums up the results of the destruction of the old theory that women should not be workers (that is, except slaves, servants, and other household drudges), and says: The changes which our country has seen in this respect, and the great uprising of industries among women are, then, not important to women alone, but of momentous import to society at large. The new industries sap the foundation of vicious and degraded life. From the factory to the palace the quickening impulse is felt, and the social level rises. To the larger intellectual outlook is added the growing sympathy of women with each other, which does more than anything else to make united action possible among them."

Woman in education, literature, and, to some extent, in art, and in all branches of philanthropic work, of course is an old story. But her part, even in these directions, has been far more energetic and important than ever before in the olden time. The reader will find the chapters on philanthropy and reform specially interesting.

FOREIGN LITERARY NOTES.

MRS. HUMPHRY WARD's forthcoming novel, David," as well as many other new works, will be published also by Baron Tauchnitz in his collection, which has now for fifty years contributed so much to the popularity of Eng. lish authors on the Continent.

MR. HJALMAR PETTERSEN, of the University Library, Christiania, has published a catalogue of anonymous and pseudonymous works in Norwegian literature from 1678 to 1890. He includes (1) all works printed in Norway, whether written in Norse or other languages; (2) works of Norwegian authors printed abroad; (3) translations of Norse books; and (4) works in foreign languages about Norway and its authors. The total number of pieces here catalogued exceeds 2100; and for a large proportion of them the real names of the authors have been found. Altogether, this is a very laborious and no less useful piece of bibliographical work.

THE study of modern languages, Continental papers say, is to receive new encouragement in Prussia. The Cultus Ministerium intends establishing six annual "Modern Language

0

& Co., and Mr. Bram Stoker, ker, Mr. Irving' Irving's busine99nager orat the Lyceum. The firm of F. A. Brockhaus, of Leipzig, is retained to direct distribution and sale of books on the Continent; and besides Herr Brockhaus's depots at Leipzig, Berlin, Vienna, and Paris, arrangements are being made to extend the sale in other directions. Among the authors who will contribute to the early issues of the “English Library" are Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudyard Kipling, George Meredith, Henry James, W. E. Norris, Hall Caine, B. L. Farjeon, H. Rider er Haggard, Conan Doyle, Sir Edwin Arnold, W. D. Howells, Justin McCarthy, S. Baring-Gould, Mrs. Walford, Margaret Deland, Mrs. Alexander, Mrs. Parr, Mrs. Riddell, Mrs. Woods, Miss Poynter, Helen Mathers, Maxwell Gray, Mrs. Hungerford, Ouida, and Rhoda Broughton. The first three issues of the series will be Mr. Rudyard Kip. ling's "The Light that Failed," Sir Edwin Arnold's "The Light of the World," and Mrs. Deland's "Sidney. More

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A CORRESPONDENT writes to the Athenæum as follows: "There is already some talk of an assoiation of English authors and owners of copyrights, having for one of its special objects

the establishment or control of a first-class printing house in the United States. This is regarded by some authors as an indispensable preliminary to any attempt to take advantage of the new Act, since it would be the only effectual guarantee against their books being printed in the American language.'

Though the United States Senate and House of Representatives have agreed together on certain principles of copyright legislation,

and the President has assented to an Act of

Congress, this Act will not become operative for Englishmen until the American Secretary

of State has declared himself satisfied, in the terms of the Act, that equivalent privileges of copyright are secured for United States citizens in this country."

MR. MONCURE D. CONWAY writes from New York to the London Athenæum concerning the new International Copyright Bill, and thus dis. cusses the business side of the question as affecting printers and publishers :

Telegrams from England inform us of the very natural desire of your printers and pub. lishers to retaliate on the protectionist features of the new Act. It is doubtful, however, whether the English workmen would be suffi ciently protected to do more than keep an occasional luxurious American book at a high

price for Englishmen. It could have little or no effect here, because, with the rates of work in England, your publishers already find little or no profit in importing sheets or plates from this country. Probably in most cases the English house prefers to set up in its own style and spelling the American book. To American authors the proposed rataliation is a matter of perfect indifference, except that they are nearly all advocates of free trade,” and might regret to see England relapsing into our ignorants M'Kinleyism' just as there are signs of reaction from it in America. It is probable also that this typographical interest will soon become of much less international importance to either country than it appears to possess at present. The multiplication of new processes for reproducing books and engravings, the inventions for swift type-setting, are becoming such as must diminish the importance of the victory obtained by this fraternity at Washington. As for English publishers, their plain course is to establish houses in this country, and themselves publish books which Americans may try to obtain at less than their value, because of the compulsory negotiation to which the foreign author is subjected."

A LETTER from Bombay, from Mr. James Douglass, apropos of Egyptian papyri and mummy finds, of which so many remarkable discoveries have been recently made, will be of interest to many of our readers :

The paper on Egyptian papyri in the Athenaum of the 31st of January brings vivid

ly to my memory a conversation with the late

Mr. Harris in the year 1851.

seated in his sanctum and surrounded by the "It was after dinner, and with his hookah, idols of Egypt, he related to me that a native had one day brought him the arm-bone of a mummy along with some papyrus, for which he gave a trifle. The native described minutely the spot where he had found it, how he had to wrench the arm from the body to get it intact, and that there remained more papyri under the other arm. On examining it some months after by the aid of chemicals, he discovered, to his surprise, that it was a portion of Homer's Iliad. His curiosity was excited, and the next time he went up the Nile-every season saw him there -he resolved to visit the spot so minutely described, and, sure enough, though 700 miles from Alexandria, he found the body, minus the right arm, and more papyrus.

He paused in his narrative, after relating that this last was inscribed with the words, 'This is the Grammar of me, Tryphon, the Grammarian of Alexandria,' ceased his hubble-bubble, stalked across the room to a glasscase, from whence he drew something like a moss-stick from an Irish bog, and threw it upon the table, exclaiming, There, sir, is the right arm of Tryphon, the Grammarian of Alexandria.' I looked at the black and skinny fingers which had once beckoned the students from visions of lentil soup and red mullet, 'food of great Callisthenes,' and seemed to listen to his dying injunction, which was, no doubt, to bury him with his own grammar, and the next greatest book in the world, Homer's Iliad.'

"These relics, then at Kum-el-dyk (Fort Napoleon), are doubtless those described by your correspondent.”

MISCELLANY.

THE CLASSICAL SCHOLAR IN REDUCED CIRCUMSTANCES.-You are, let us say, a young professional man in chambers or offices, incompetently guarded by an idiot boy whom you dare not trust with the responsibility of denying you to strangers. Yon hear a knock at your outer door, followed by conversation in the clerk's room, after which your salaried idiot announces, A Gentleman to see you." En. ter a dingy and dismal little man in threadbare black, who advances with an air of mysterious importance. "I think," he begins, "I'ave the pleasure of speaking to Mr. (whatever your name is). I take the liberty of calling, Mr. --, to consult you on a matter of the utmost importance, and I shall feel personally obliged if you will take precautions for our conversation not being over' eard." He looks grubby for a client-but appearances are deceptive, and you offer him a seat, assuring him that he may speak with perfect security -whereupon he proceeds in a lowered voice.

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"

The story I am about to reveal," he says, smoothing a slimy tall hat, "is of a nature so revolting, so 'orrible in its details, that I can 'ardly bring myself to speak it to any 'uming ear!" (Here you will probably prepare to take notes.) "You see before you one who is of 'igh birth but low circumstances!'' (At this, you give him up as a possible client, but a mixture of diffidence and curiosity compels you to listen.) "Yes, Sir, I was 'fruges consumeary nati.' I 'ave received a neducation

more befitting a dook than my present condition. Nursed in the lap of haffluence, I was trained to fill the lofty position which was to have been my lot. But necessitas,' Sir, as you are aware, necessitas non abat lejim,' and such I found it. While still receiving a classical education at Cambridge College (p'raps you are yourself as alumbus of Huima Mater? No? I apologize, Sir, I'm sure) but while preparing to take my honorary degree, my Father suddenly enounced the horfu news that he was a bankrup'. Strip of all we possessed, we were turned out of our sumchuous 'ome upon the cold world, my Father's gray 'airs were brought down sorrowing to sang widge boards, though he is still sangwin of paying off his creditors in time out of what he can put by from his scanty hearnings. My poor dear Mother-a lady born and bredsank by slow degrees to a cawfy-stall, which is now morgidged to the 'ilt, and my eldest Sister, a lovely and accomplished gairl, was 'artlessly thrown over by a nobleman, to 'oom she was engaged to be married, before our reverses overtook us. His name the delikit hin. stinks of a gentleman will forbid you to inquire, as likewise me to mention-enough to 'int that he occupies a prominent position among the hupper circles of Society, and is frequently to be met with in the papers. His faithlessness preyed on my Sister's mind to that degree that she is now in the Asylum, a nopeless maniac! My honely Brother was withdrawn from 'Arrow, and now 'as the yumiliation of selling penny toys on the curb. stone to his former playfellers. 'Tantee nannymice salestibus hiræ,' indeed, Sir!

"

'But you ask what befell myself." (You have not-for the simple reason that, even if you desired information, he has given you no chance, as yet, of putting in a word.) “Ah, Sir, there you 'ave me on a tender point. Hakew tetigisti,' if I may venture once more upon a scholarly illusion. But I 'ave resolved to conceal nothing-and you shall 'ear. For a time I obtained employment as Seckertary and Imanuensis to a young baranit, 'oo had been the bosom friend of my College days. He would, I know, have used his influence with Government to obtain me a lucritive post; but, alas! ere he could do so, unaired sheets, coupled with deliket 'elth, took him off premature, and I was once more thrown on my own resources.

"In conclusion, Sir, you 'ave doubtless done me the hinjustice to expect; from all I 'ave said, that my hobjick in obtaining this

interview was to ask you for pecuniary assistance?" (Here you reflect with remorse that a suspicion to this effect has certainly crossed your mind.) Nothing of the sort or kind, I do assure you. A little 'uming sympathy, the relief of pouring out my sorrers upon a feeling 'art, a few kind encouraging words, is all I arsk, and that, Sir, the first sight of your kind friendly face told me I should not lack. Pore as I am, I still 'ave my pride, the pride of a English gentleman, and if you was to orfer me a sovereign as you sit there, I should fling it in the fire-ah, I should-'urt and indignant at the hinsult!" (Here you will probably assure him that you have no intention of outraging his feelings in any such manner.) "No, and why, Sir? Because you 'ave a gentlemanly 'art, and if you were to make sech a orfer, you would do it in a kindly Christian spirit which would rob it of all offence. There's not many as I would bring myself to accept a paltry sovereign from, but I dunnoI might from one like yourself—I might' Ord hignara mali, miseris succurreary disco,' as the old philosopher says. You 'ave that kind of way with you." (You mildly intimate that he is mistaken here, and take the opportunity of touching the bell.) 'No, Sir, don't be untrue to your better himpulses. 'Ave a feelin' 'art, Sir! Don't send me away, after allowing me to waste my time 'ere -which is of value to me, let me tell yer, whatever yours is !-like this! . . . Well, well, there's 'ard people in this world? I'm going, Sir . . . I 'ave sufficient dignity to take a 'int. You 'aven't got even a trifle to spare an old University Scholar in red ooced circumstances then?... Ah, it's easy to see you ain't been at a University yourself-you hain't got the hair of it. Farewell, Sir, and may your lot in life be 'appier than All right, don't hexcite yourself. I've bin mistook in yer, that's all. I thought you was as soft-edded a young mug as you look. Open that door, will yer; I want to get out of this 'ole !"

""

plant itself is so insignificant that it would not naturally excite any great interest. Its leaves are long, sharp-pointed, and hairy, rising immediately from the ground, and are of a vivid dark green. Its flowers are dingy white, stained with veins of purple, and its fruit of a pale orange, about the size of a nutmeg. The root is spindle-shaped, often divided into two or three forks, and rudely resem. bles the human form, from which possibly it takes its name. But if we turn from the plant itself to the monument of learning that has been erected around it, it is impossible not to be struck with the universal interest it has possessed for all people and in all ages. We do not know how many Shakespearean com. mentators have puzzled over the allusion in Juliet's immortal soliloquy :

"And shrieks like mandrakes torn out of the earth,

That living mortals hearing them run mad;" and contrasted it with the parallel apostrophe of Suffolk in King Henry VI., who, asked by Queen Margaret whether he has not spirit to curse his enemies, replies:

"Would curses kill, as doth the mandrake's groan,

I would invent as bitter searching terms,
As curst, as harsh, as horrible to hear."

As the legend runs, in order to procure the magic plant it was necessary to cut away all the suckers to the main root before pulling it up, which would cause death to any man or creature who heard the human screams it made. They had an ingenious if cowardly way of getting over the difficulty, which would certainly not commend itself nowadays to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. After carefully stopping their ears, they took a dog and tied its tail securely to the plant, and then walking away to a short distance called the dog to follow. In doing this the luckless animal would pull up the much-coveted root, but would fall dead upon the spot. This was at any rate, according to Josephus, the old Jewish practice; but the tradition at least long survived. Whatever may be the origin for the theory that the roots shrieked or groaned when separated from the earth, it certainly remained a current tradition long after Shakespeare immortalized it. Since, however, the root is named from its imaginary resemblance to the human figure, it is not unnatural to suppose that it may have been credited with possessing some of the attributes