not to be commended. The
sentiment is not precisely novel, but is well presented.

"The Flying Dutchman," a Romance of the Sea, by Joseph Parks, is more
replete with nautical verisimilitude than with literary force. As
compared with many of Mr. Parks' other tales, its plot is distinctly
weak and lacking in symmetry. We must, however, praise the generally
salty atmosphere. The picture of seafaring life is vivid and realistic.

The current =Budget= concludes with a summary of the year just closed,
displaying a record of achievement of which the editress may well be
proud.

* * * * *

=The Silver Clarion= for March is the publication of John Milton
Samples, of Macon, Ga., a new member of the United. In tone the paper is
quite serious and strongly inclined toward the religious; but so able
are the majority of the contributions, that it lacks nothing in
interest.

"Singing on the Way," a poem by James Larkin Pearson, opens the issue in
attractive fashion. The lines are tuneful and felicitous, the triple
rhymes giving an especially pleasing effect; though we must criticise
the line

"Will certainly provide for us"

as being a trifle prosaic. We should recommend "plenteously provide," or
something of that nature, as more poetic. Mr. Pearson is a poet of
ability and experience, with a volume of published verse to his credit,
whose work never falls below a high standard of merit.

"Just Icicles," by Sarah Story Duffee, is a sort of fairy tale with a
juvenile exterior; which contains, however, more than a slight hint of
the vanity of human wishes and fruitlessness of human endeavour. Whilst
it exhibits no little cleverness in construction, we must own that it
possesses certain looseness, insipidity, and almost rambling quality,
which detract from its merit as a piece of literature. Mrs. Duffee would
profit from a closer study of classical models, and a slighter attention
to the more ordinary folk tales.

"The Blessings of Thorns," by Sallie M. Adams, is a religious poem of
considerable excellence, containing a pious and worthy sentiment well
expressed. The chief defects are technical. In the first stanza, line 3
lacks a syllable, whilst line 4 has one too many. Also, the =day-way=
rhyme is repeated too closely. To have but one rhyming sound through two
rhymes is a fault hard to excuse. All the defects above enumerated might
be removed with ease, as the following revised version of the