Magazines Of The Month.

We should like to see less serial fiction in Tinsley ' s . We hare not a word to say against the three stories whioh have been current now for some months , indeed , we have expressed ourselves most favourably of all these , aud this has been only a bare act of justice . Bnt four , or even three novels are too many for any one to follow month by month . There is a tolerably certain prospect of the reader confounding

them , and this sorry chance is the more to be avoided when , as in the case of these , each is so well worth following . We cannot say we welcome the appearance of the new serial , " A Star and a Heart , " by Florence Marryat . It may suit some tastes perhaps , but we can feel but little sympathy with a vulgar heroine and a sapient hero . As for " Magdalen Rochford , " by Mrs . Alexander Fraser , we have tried

very hard to reconcile the incidents of this tale with anything like the semblance of real life , but owing to our native obtuseness , to our general ignorance of men and things , or to some other cause , we have failed to trace her ideal to any basis of reality . Dr . Maurice Davies is perhaps less successful than usual in his " Social Status Quo , " but his Troubadour Song , "Catalonia the Gay , " is equal to any that have preceded it . The last stanza runs thus :

This alone I seek to know , Why in love I sometimes fail ? Though no treacherous breezes blow Through my heart in envious gale . I would not with methods low

Her I dearly love assail , Yet , a meek disciple , go Where love ' s arts do still avail . All is joy and glorious there , 'Mid brave knights and ladies fair .

Baily contains , among other entertaining matter , a brief memoir of Sir Henry Tnfton , accompanying bis portrait ; a sketch by Amphion of the career of that fine old turfite , Mr . Merry , under the title of "Finis Coronat Opus ; " a neatly written description of "Slapton Lea , " and chapter xviii of "Frank Raleigh of Watercombe , " who is again in disgrace with the terrible Dr . Twigg , and is expelled the school in consequence . The following , from " Our Van , " is too good to leave unquoted : —

" Les enfants terribles have been a fruitful theme for many a year , but we think they increase and multiply . What said a young woman of tender years to her spiritual guide , the other day , on his questioning her as to her religious knowledge , the basis of which , of course , lay in tho Catechism ? Everything went on swimmingly until the question as to how many commandments there were elicited for

answer a prompt ' nine . ' The good priest smiled , as he patted the respondent ' s head , and told her she had forgotten—there were ten . ' Oh , yes ! ' gravely replied the young lady , ' I know there were ten , but there are only nine now . ' This was rather awful , and the astonished divine could only find breath to say , ' My dear child , what

do you mean ? ' 'I mean , father , that there really aro only nine ; for I heard cook say , yesterday , that when mamma went to town , on Wednesday , with Captain Douglas , she broke one ! ' The reverend gentleman means to give up catechising , or , at all events , restriot himself to the boy classes . "

There is also a good story , connected with tho late Government , as illustrating its economical tendencies , of a troop horse , which , on the petition of the officers aud men of the Dragoon Guards , was , after twenty-six years' faithful service , allowed to be shot , instead of being

sold into slavery . But tho petition was only granted by " the Right Honorable E . Cardwell , on condition that credit be given to the country for the value of his hide ! ! And credit for three half-crowns was absolutely given to you , my British tax-payer , for the skin of your old servant . "

We cannot speak too highly of the illustrations in Bclgravia , nor are we less content with tho litorary matter . Mr . Sala suggests tho execution of Major Andre as a fitting subject for Miss Thompson to pourtray . Tho reasons he urges are sensible enough , and will , doubtless , commend themselves to most readers as sufficient . Nor is there any reason why , as Mr . Sala urges , the treatment of such a

subject should be repulsive . A true artist will introduce into his picture nothing that will not bear criticism . We cannot say we feel any great enthusiasm about the subject , but we agree with Mr . Sala that , if properly handled by a talented painter , it might make a good picture . "From Paddington to Land's End , " by the Editor , is a pleasantly written sketch , and so is Mr . William O'Brien ' s paper

headed "The Man of Speech . " "Mr . Jaugleby Dundrum" is the life-like sketch of a class of people whom we frequently meet in all parts of the country . " Our Home among the Vikings " is , we imagine , tho first of a series of sketches of Norse life . But what has pleased us most in this number aro the concluding chapters of " Sea-Bank Farm . " The tale is not too long , so that the reader

runs little chance of getting bewildered as to the principal personages . But it is a well-drawn story . The characters are natural , the incidents probable , and the denouement equally so . The tale might have been prolonged , perhaps , but we question if , in such case , it would not , have lost in force . "A Bad Black Dog" shows how they manage these animals in France .

There is , as usual , plenty of sound , sensible matter in Temple Bar . Of " Leah , a Woman of Fashion , " we need say little , it has already earned for itself a high reputation among serial literature . Of the other contributions , however , there are several whioh are worthy of

high commendation . Such are a descri ption of "TheDays of Henri Quatre , " "Through the Canal , "—Suez Canal of course ,-and " Laughing Madness . " " Bitter Fruit , " which is commenced this month , looks as though it would prove au attractive story . While , " Her Dearest Foe " is developing into a capital serial .

Colburn ' s New Monthly is noticeable for the commencement of two new tales , "Mary Burroughes" and " Master Martin , " but as yet it were unjust to ofl ' er any opinion as to their merits or demerits . " To India and Back " is lively , if now and again somewhat mysterious ,

Magazines Of The Month.

and no doubt , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales will appreciate the writer s advice so freely tendered . " Calais Fair" is a well-drawn sketch , and so is that of the Triton River . The following is worth quoting :

AUGUST . A 11 Nature now is radiant , and gives forth U nsparing treasures in a bounteous mood , G reat blessings to the land in fruits and grain . U ngrateful he who lightly passes by S uch gifts , unmindful of that heavenly source : T each us , 0 God , to love Thee thro' thy works I

We hope the author may prove a prophet , but thus far the season haa not been very attractive . We are getting on famously with " The Manchester Man , " in Cassell ' s Family Magazine . Jabez Clegg is out of his apprenticeship , but is still retained in the service of , and remains under the same roof with Mr . Ashton , his employer . Moreover , but mainly at the intercession

of Miss Ashton , he ia instrumental in saving the life of his old rival , Laurence Aspinall , who , while showing off before the ladies , falls through the ice , aud is within an ace of being drowned . There is a fully detailed account of " Education at Owen ' s College , Manchester , " well worth looking into , for the institution has been steadily acquiring a sound reputation even from the

very outset . " The Emigrant Ship ' s Matron " is also well written , and Phillis Brown conveys some excellent advice in " How to Nurse the Sick . " " A Night ' s Work in the Crimean War " and " Hard Pressed—a Wolf Story " are exciting stories , especially the latter , in which Edgar Marston has a narrow shave for his life " The next Public House " is , unhappily , too realistic . The unfortunate people who figure most

prominently are to bo seen in well nigh every part of London . " The Gatherer" has collected some excellent and most instructive notes , and Mr . Payne , who latterly has been favouring the readers of this periodical with hi 3 views on eating and drinking , throws out some valuable hints respecting the proper " Food for hot weather . " We should not wish for a safer guide , in the matter of feeding , than Mr .

Payne , and we trust he will add to the already considerable number of excellent hints for which we are indebted to him . We had almost forgotten to call attention to a paper on " Seal Hunting in Greenland North , " which , short as it is , we feel sure will find many delighted readers . The other contributions are well worth reading , indeed , the whole number is to be commended .

We have remarked in the Leisure Hour as among the most interesting papers , that on " The Birds of London , " by Henry Walker , F . G . S ., the Rev . F . Arnold's account of " Port Royal , " and Mr . Kingston ' s " Bristol : Now , and in the Olden Time . " Nor must we pass unnoticed the sketoh of Gillray in the series , now current , of papers on

" Caricature and Caricaturists . Dr . Rimbault contributes another musical article , thi 3 timo on " Welsh National Music . " In its companion publication , Sunday at Home , we have read with pleasure the continuation of Dr . Eberheim ' s " Jewish life in the Time of our Lord , " and Dr . Stoughton ' s " Tho Town and League of Sohmalkalden . "

The Drama.

THE DRAMA .

Eecent Revivals . NO novelty calling for notice at our hands has been produced recently , with tho exception , perhaps , of Salthello Ovini , at the HAIMARKET , the noticeable point of which piece was its deserved and utter failure . English taste in burlesque has no doubt sunk to a low ebb ; but it is still difficult to find a pnblic fitted for the appre » ciation of a stupid piece of vulgar buffoonery , the fun of whioh was

supposed to lie in a burlesque of the style , and an exaggeration of the manner of one who is probably tho greatest actor of our time . The fact that Signor Salvini is a stranger should have protected him from insult of this kind ; and no worse treatment could be offered to any man than to make him tho themo of probably the worst burlesque ever written . It is annoying in the extreme to see a man of talent

wasting his time on unworthy objects , and Mr . W . J . Hill striving to extract fun from this ponderous piece of dulness , was a sight for gods and men . The one consoling feature of the piece , was that its length of run was limited to two night . Summer is naturally an idle timo in the theatrical world . No man of sense who can avoid it will sit baking slowlv in a theatre , amid the

combined smells of gas aud orange peel . It is therefore unreasonable to expect any manager to spend his time and money on the production of novelties which have no chance of attracting an audience , but as change is still necessary , recourse is had to the stock pices in the repertoire of tho theatre , and for some weeks in the year playgoers are regaled on the stale pieces of the year , or the ten years

before . There is ono exception to this rule , at the GAIETY no sameness is ever permitted , and by frequent change of programme Mr . Hollingshead keeps up the attraction of his pretty theatre , at present devoted to English opera , with Miss Blanche Cole as Lurline . Changes have been frequent at the HAVMARKET . After a short reason of the pieces , which went so well under Miss Litton ' s

leadership at the COURT T HEATRE , The Rivals and As You Like It have been played , with casts comprising the honoured names of Mr . and Mrs . Vezin , Mr . and Mrs . Chippendale , Mr . Compton , and a lady whose reappparance in London we aro glad to welcome — Miss Caroline Hill . At the QUEEN ' , Mr . Rignold has already thought it necessary to make some alteration , aud Amos Clarke , instead of Clancarty , forms the chief dish of the evening ' s

entertainment . It is needless to say that Mr . Rignold still fills the part which he first created . Tho revivals of Money and the Ticket of Leave , unhappily rendered necessary by previous failures , have been noticed in these columns . Nemesis , at the STRAND , completes our list of rechauffes : but that list is sufficiently long to show that the inveterate theatre-goer must be sadly hungering for new pieces , and he would probably welcome even tbe productions of Dr . Yellue ,