Dear Subscriber,

I sincerely hope that none of my readers have been adversely affected by the hurricanes that have been visiting us with such ferocity (or by other, more dreadful recent tragedies).  This has surely been a season to remind us that, no matter how advanced our technologies are, there are still things over which we have so very little control. We cannot control the weather; we cannot control our fellow man. 

I don't know what the next months will bring, but here on the East Coast, I anticipate an early and cold winter.  I'm taking a page from the Victorians and looking at what nature tells me in this regard - from very woolly caterpillars in my driveway, to deer that have already (in September!) put on their gray winter coats.  I've never seen a gray deer in September before (in fact, I don't think I've ever seen a gray deer at all before).  I had to look that up to find out what it meant, and somehow I don't think deer wearing winter coats in the early autumn is a good sign.  If I were a Victorian, I'd be stocking up on coal or firewood, and making sure that the root cellar was well stocked with supplies.

Soon it will be Halloween - and yes, Victorians did celebrate this festival, as you'll see in my editorial for this issue.  Trick-or-treating was still relatively unknown, though in the country the ancient tradition of "guising" might be practiced.  In Victorian England, one might carve a jack-o-lantern from a turnip!  (Somehow I don't feel inclined to give that a try...)  So now, without further ado, here's what you'll enjoy in our October issue: 

• Boy Soldiers and Sailors (The Strand, 1892) A look at the lads of the Royal Military Asylum, an institution founded for the orphaned children of soldiers.
• Superstitions Regarding Children (CFM, 1889) A look at charms and practices around the world meant to keep children safe and healthy.
• Table Decorations (CFM, 1875) How to lay the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner - with diagrams!
• Divers Ways of Cooking Apples (GOP, 1888) Recipes for Apple Trifle, Pippin Tarts, Apple Marmalade, Pommes Glacees, Apple Pudding and more.
• Old Tins and Their Uses (GOP, 1890) From flower-pots to bottle tidies, it's amazing what one can do with old tin cans!
• Makart Bouquets (Demorest, 1887) Beautiful assemblages of feathers, dried grasses and "everlasting" flowers.
• Our Belongings: The Fathers (CFM, 1895) "The attitude the lord and master chooses to take, the line it pleases him to walk in, his likes and dislikes, his wishes, whims, fads and fancies, and his will, dominate the homes of nine-tenths of English people."
• The Editor's Post-Bag (Windsor Magazine, 1897) Some editorial notes regarding would-be writers and contributors.
• Marquetry, or Coloured Wood Inlaying (GOP, 1902) Tips and beautiful patterns for inlaying in woods.
• Our Gray Squirrels: A Study (Harpers, 1892) Looking out my window, I see the squirrels in our trees behaving just as their ancestors did more than 100 years ago...
• Rose Legends (GOP, 1895) Some of the lore of the world's most beloved flower.
• Piano Playing Extraordinary (Windsor Magazine, 1903) This performer doesn't just play the piano well... he plays it upside down, on his knees, and with his nose!
• Moorland Idylls: A Butterfly Episode (English Illustrated Magazine, 1895) A charming series by noted author Grant Allen, who was also a keen observor of nature.
• Making Money (Demorest, 1873) Journalist Jenny June looks at some of the trials and obstacles women have faced in their efforts to enter the workplace.
• October Pleasures (CFM, 1875) A monthly series on the seasons in the English countryside - the birds, beasts, and flowers to be seen, along with tips on what to do in the garden, and natural history notes.
• Things in Season, in Market and Kitchen (GOP, 1899) Suggested menu for the month, based on what is to be found in the market, and what is appropriate for the weather.
• Sailors of a Century (The Strand, 1893) Pictorial feature.

Visit http://www.victorianvoices.net/VT/issues/VT-1710.shtml to download
this issue!

Or download it directly from DropBox:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qk0wsxaksn03uqd/VT-1710.pdf?dl=0

VICTORIAN TIMES QUARTERLY #13 
 
VICTORIAN TIMES QUARTERLY #13 is now available! This  volume features the July, August and September 2017 issues of Victorian Times, in a lovely print edition. Here's what you'll find  in this volume: 

• Precious Stones, Parts 7 & 8: Turquoise & Cat's Eye; Semiprecious Stones
• A Month-by-Month Guide to Garden, Field and Countryside
• Our Friends the Servants (serial)
• Carriages Without Horses
• Moorland Idylls #1: The Nightjar
• Moorland Idylls #2: A Rabbit of the World
• Moorland Idylls #3: A Flight of Quails
• A Sheep's Coat at Sunrise, a Man's Coat at Sunset
• Bread and Cakes
• Paddle Your Own Canoe (Canoeing on the Hudson)
• Our Belongings: The Little Ones
• Our Belongings: The Boys
• Our Belongings: The Girls
• Swedish Embroidery
• Fashionable Stationery for Every Occasion
• A Cemetery for Dogs
• Peculiar Playing Cards, Parts I & II
• Art Stencils for the Home
• From the Land of the Mountain King: A Bear Encounter
• Preserving and Conserving; Herbs & Spices
• Tasty Dishes for the Season
• The Compleat Novelist (and How to Become One)
• Continental Recipes for Eggs
• Tips for Girls Going into Society
• New Ways of Making Money for Women
• Boating and Camping on the Thames
• Chafing Dish Cookery
• Some Embroidery Stitches
• Military Novelties
• "Inventions Overdue"
• Picture Features: The Horse and Its Occupations; Lamps;
• Short Fiction: "The Lady or the Tiger?" & "Annexed by the Tsar"
• Plus loads of poetry, illustrations, trivia, recipes, household
  hints and more!

Available from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and Amazon.ca. 

Find out more at http://www.victorianvoices.net/VT/VTQ/VTQ13.shtml 

 
Happy Summer!

Your Intrepid Editor,
Moira Allen

editors@writing-world.com