156 
NATURE NOTES. 
The volume is restricted to selections from contemporary poets, omitting Mr. 
George Meredith, Mr. W. E. Henley, Mr. R. L. Stevenson, and one or two 
more, and also excluding poems of the sea, which have formed the subject of 
another anthology in the same series. With all these reservations, however, 
enough remains to make a very attractive collection, and if the sixty-five writers 
whose verses are included are not all worthy to be ranked as “ poets,” we may 
be thankful for the exclusion of a far greater number who, in their own estimation, 
are entitled to this distinction. As it is, we have excellent selections from Mr. 
A. C. Benson, Mr. Norman Gale, Mr. Robert Bridges, the Hon. Roden Noel— 
whose recent death we have to deplore — Mr. John Davidson, and others whose 
work has been noticed in these pages; while Sir. Swinburne, Miss Rossetti, Mr. 
William Watson, Mrs. Hinkson (Miss Tynan), and Miss Ingelow are represented 
— the last-named very inadequately — with other favourites. The book is just the 
size for the pocket, from which it will often be taken, if we get any fine weather, 
during autumn walks. 
The July instalment of the Country Month by Month takes us into watery 
regions —to the brink of the sea, the bog, and the stream — pleasant places all 
this year in the brief spell of real summer weather with which the month sig- 
nalised its advent, when the passage for Leigh Hunt’s graphic “ Now ” essay 
which .Mrs. Owen chooses as a text for her “ Wild Life ” chapter seemed once 
more appropriate. When complete this series will form a dainty present, and 
might well be issued in two volumes, for, be it remarked, the monthly instal- 
ments are noteworthy for quality rather than quantity. 
To say that a book is issued by Messrs. Dent & Co. is to conjure up a vision 
of an elegant combination of binding, printing, paper and illustration ; and such 
a union is presented by Mr. H. ^V. ^labie’s Under the Trees and Elsewhere. 
Mr. Mabie is presumably an American, for he talks about “ color ” and “skep- 
ticism,” and a “ somber ” woodland path. They are pretty, quiet, thoughtful 
essays, the papers which make up this pretty book, with much about Nature, 
and full of sympathy with her teachings ; yet wanting in the knowledge which 
made Jefferies what he was and gives the “Son of the Marshes” his special 
charm. Still they are pleasant reading. 
Canon Rawnsley’s volume of Idylls and Lyrics of the Nile (Nutt, Ss. ), has at 
least one distinctive note : with five exceptions, “these are printed now for the 
first time.” In these days, when our verse- writers show undue haste in collecting 
their scattered effusions into volumes, this is something to be thankful for. But 
how shall one who has never strayed beyond Greece pronounce an opinion on 
poems which have for their subjects “ The Tomb of Thi,” “ Kom Ombo,” 
“The Pyramid of Men-Kan-ra,” and the like? Yet all can feel something of 
the restfulness which marks these lines on “ Evening by the Nile,” even if he 
wishes for a glossary to tell him what a “Sakiyeh wheel” is like, or what a 
shaduf-pole ” resembles ; — 
“ The dogs are barking at the sun. 
Dark lines of women homeward pass. 
Each bearing on her head sweet grass. 
And at their sides the children run. 
“ The buffalo with nose in air, 
The camel grumbling at his load. 
Unbidden take their evening road. 
And leave behind the clover square. 
“ Wrapped in their cloud of dust the sheep. 
And laden asses homew'ard go. 
Within the village wall they know 
Will be security and sleep. 
“ .\nd this with plough upon his back. 
And that with w'ooden hoe in hand. 
The bare-legged scanty-skirted band 
Of labourers seek the village track. 
