The May Magazines

Forerunner of the month of flowers come the May numbers of our magazine exchanges to our tahle. We have : Harper's, the attractive bill of fare including the following Ulustrated papers : Our Familiar Birds, by Mary Treat, second paper and seven ïllustrations ; Ou the Uak, by Wirt Sikes, with twenty-one illustrations,- the Usk benig iu South Wales ; Israfil, a poem, by Francés L. Mace, with eight superb illustratious by Alfred Fredericks; At the Uateway of the Catxkills, by Ernest Ingersoll, ten illustratiun8 ; Au Old Gentleman'a Eecollections, by Horace E. Scudder, four ïllustrations; Florence, by O. M. Spencer, twenty-seven iüustrations ; aud Canieron's Jouruey Acro88 África, by A. G-uernsey, thirteen ïllustrations. The continu, d seriáis are : Erema, or My Father's Sin, by R. D. Blackmore, chaps, xxvi xxix ; and A Woinan Hater, by Charles Eeade, part xi. Pupular Exposition of Some Scientiñc Experimenta (Things that are Invisible), is by Dr. Francis.W. Draper; and Equestrianopothy, by John Coclmau. ïhere are several short stories, and poerns by J. W. DeForest - A Sea-Side Story, by Alauiice Thompson,- The Farm, and others, with well-fllled editorial dapartmenta. The number completes the liv. volume. Harper & Brothers, New York. Scnbner's Moníhly has five illustratod papers, the illustrations being beautiful in conoeption and execution. They are : Beds and Tables, Stools and Candlesticks, eleventh, by Clarence Cook ; Smith College (Northampton, Mass.), fouuded by a w ornan for the higher education of women ; Sea-Trout Físhing, by A. K. Maodonough, breezy and tempting ; About ürreece and Ureek Museums, by John Arbuckle ; Reminiscences of Washington, from unpublished family records, by A. L. Bas3ett. That Lass o' Lowrie's, by Francis Hodgson Burnett, is concluded, and Mrs. Burnett has also a short story, Esmeralda. In the three chapters oí Holland's serial, Ni=holas Minturn, the hero is swmdled by " dead beats " but is more fortúnate thau most victims in discovering them and compelliug restitution. He will deal them ui the next number. Miss Coates, by inspiration we guess, introduces a new and effactual method of dealing with mission school pupils of the reiractory kind. A London Adventure, by John Burroughs, is readable, and Village Improvemnt Societies, by Ueorge E. Waring, Jr., instructivo. The poems are : The Stirrup-Oup, by Sidney Lanier ; Agameinnon's Tomb, by Emma Lazarus ; A Carcauet, by Bichard Heury Stoddard, and several in " Brio-a-Brac "-three of them with illustrations. The several editorial departmeuts are well filled. The number begins the XlVth volume. Sckibneb & Co„ New York. The Atlantic has : Crude and Curious Invontions at the Centennial Exhibition (musical inatrumeuts used in vanous barbarous and scmi-civilized uations), by Edward H. Knight, ürat paper ; Hyrau ot the Dunkers,- Ktoster Kedar, Ephrata, Pa., 1738,- by Johu G Whittier; The American, by Henry James, Jr., concluded ; A British Officer iu Bostou in 1775, secoud paper; Girolamo detto il Florentino, by W. W. Story, poem ; The May-Pole of Merrymount, May-Djy, 1627, by Charles Francis Adama, Jr., first part ; Spring Miraclea, poem, by Elizabeth Akers Allen ; On Sand Island, by Sarah J . Pritchard ; Seeking the May-Flower, poem, by Edmund C. Stedman; Life and Work of the Eaatern Farmer, by George E. Waring, Jr.; Croombe, by George Parsons Lathrop; Castles in Spain, by Henry W." Longieüow; The Wagner Music-Drama, by Henry T. Finch ; The Contributors' Club, Recent Literature, Art, and Education. H. O. Houghtou & C, Boston. The Selectie has thirteen selsotions from leading English periodicals ; an original biographical sketch of Thomas Wentworth Higgmson, accompanied by a fine steel portrait ; and readable Literary, Science and Art, and Variety notes. Ainong the selected papers are : Dr. Carpeuter's Mental Physiology; The G ossip ot History ; On Turkish Ways and Turkish "Women, iii ; Suns fin Flames, by Richard A. Proctor ; On the Iuflueuce of Authority in Matters of Opinión, by W. E. Gladstone ; Young Musgrave, by Mrs. Oliphant, chaps. vii-ix ; French Norels and French Life, by H. DeLagardie ; Mesmerism, Odylism, Table-Turmug, and Spiritualism, by William B. C.irpeuter, second paper; Constantinople, a sketch during the Conference ; Proposed Eesumption of the Vatican Gounoil; and, How we Come by our Knowledge, by Prof. G. doom Robertsou. E. R. Pelton, Nöw York. The Catholie World has : The Prussian Chancellor, a timely paper and one fit to follow the sketch of " The Russian Chancellor " in the preceding number ; Verónica, a legend of Medoc ; Daute'a Purgatorio, poetry ; Six Sunuy Mouths, chap. xii ; The Lepers of Tracadie, painful aud startliug ; Testimony of the Catacombs; Letters of a Young Inshwoman to her Sister ; Up the Nile, concluded ; The Franca Clergy during the late War in France ; De Vere's Mary Tudor ; Nanette ; several lesser poems, and New Publications. The several papers will give the reader something to think about, and perhaps something to scold about. Catholie Publication House, 9 Barclay street, New York. St. NicAolas is chock full and running over with good things, iu story, poetry and pioture. A few of the most noticeable papers ïire : Red Ridiüg Hood, by J. G. Whittier ; The Sleeping Courier, by Frank R. Stockton ; Making a Fairy Story, by Juhus A. Truesdell ; The Curious End ot tbe General's Ride, by John Lewees ; His Own Master, by J. T. Trowbridge, chaps. xx-xxii ; Ivanhoe, by Donald G. Mitchell ; Songs of Spring, by Lucy Larcom ; The Story of a Proverb, by Sidney Lanier ; The Sad Story of Hippety-Hop, by Samuel C Wilson ; Pattikin's House, chaps. ix aud x, by Joy Allison ; The Stars in May, by Richard A. Proctor, and others " too numerous to érate," besides Jack-and-the-Pulpit, New Parlor Tableaux Vivauts, etc. Scribner & Co.( New Yurk. The Nursery is a gem in both picture and text. The four year olds will go through its pages as through a package of caudies or sweetmeata, and every oue of thera ought to have it. John L. Shorey, Boston.