The title of the second chapter of _The Days of the Dandies_, in
_Blackwood_, is calculated to excite curiosity,--it is, "Some Great
Beauties, and some Social Celebrities." After reading the article, I
think it would have been styled more correctly, "A Few Great Beauties."
However, it is discursively amusing and interesting. There is much truth
in the paper on Modern Mannish Maidens. I hold that no number of a
Magazine is perfect without a tale of mystery and wonder, or a
ghost-story of some sort. I hope I have not overlooked one of these in
any Magazine for this month that I have seen. Last month there was a
good one in _Macmillan_, and another in _Belgravia_. I forget their
titles, unfortunately, and have mislaid the Magazines. But
_After-thoughts_, in this month's _Macmillan_, is well worth perusal.
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My faithful "Co." has been looking through the works of reference. He
complains that _Dod's Peerage, Baronetage, and Knighthood for 1890_ is
carelessly edited. He notes, as a sample, that Sir HENRY LELAND
HARRISON, who is said to have been born in 1857, is declared to have
entered the Indian Civil Service in 1860, when he was only three years
old--a manifest absurdity. As _Mr. Punch_ himself pointed out this
_bêtise_ in _Dod's &c., &c., for 1889_, it should have been corrected in
the new edition. "If this sort of thing continues," says the faithful
"Co.," "_Dod_ will be known as _Dodder_, or even _Dodderer_!" Sir
BERNARD BURKE'S _Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and
Baronetage_ is, in every sense, a noble volume, and seems to have been
compiled with the greatest care and accuracy. KELLY'S _Post Office
Directory_, of course, is a necessity to every man of letters.
_Whitaker's Almanack for 1890_ seems larger than usual, and better than
ever. WEBSTER'S _Royal Red Book_, and GARDINER'S _Royal Blue Book_, it
goes without saying, are both written by men of address. _The Century
Atlas and Gazetteer_ is a book amongst a hundred. Finally, the _Era
Almanack for 1890_, conducted by EDWARD LEDGER, is, as usual, full of
information concerning things theatrical--some of it gay, some of it
sad. "Replies to Questions by Actors and Actresses" is the liveliest
contribution in the little volume. The Obituary contains the name of
"EDWARD LITT LEMAN BLANCHARD," dramatist, novellist, and journalist, who
died on the 4th of September, 1889. It is hard to realise the _Era
Almanack_ without the excellent contributions of poor "E. L. B.!"
"Co." furnishes some other notes in a livelier strain:--
_Matthew Prior._ (KEGAN PAUL.) If you are asked to go out in this
abominable weather, shelter yourself under the wing of Mr. AUSTIN
DOBSON, and plead a prior engagement. (Ha! Ha!) You will find the
engagement both prior and profitable. Mr. DOBSON'S introductory essay is
not only exhaustive, but in the highest degree interesting, and his
selection from the poems has been made with great taste and rare
discretion.
_In the Garden of Dreams._ The lack of poets of the softer sex has been
recently a subject of remark. Lady-novelists we have in super-abundance,
of lady-dramatists we have more than enough, of lady-journalists we have
legions--but lady-poets we have but few. Possibly, they flourish more on
the other side of the Atlantic. At any rate we have a good example of
the American Muse in the latest volume by Mrs. LOUISE CHANDLER MOULTON.
This little book is full of grace, its versification is melodious, and
has the genuine poetic ring about it, which is as rare as it is
acceptable. It can scarcely fail to find favour with English readers.